Page 80 of Seduced in Ink

He knew it was for the best. She had a second chance with her family. And there was no reason for them to yearn for what they couldn’t have, not with what anything they might have shared had begun with a lie.

He knew that. And one day, he’d let himself truly believe it.

Chapter 20

Madison poured herself a cup of tea after doing the same for her mother. Maeve McClard sat draped on the comfortable white settee near the two-story-tall windows, framed perfectly and looking elegant in the light. Yet her mother wore no makeup, and her hair was in a braid down her back.

Madison had never once seen her mother like this. Not since she was a little girl. Even on Christmas morning, her mother wore full makeup and had perfectly done hair for photos.

Madison hadn’t minded at all. She had a few friends who enjoyed wearing makeup, as well. Some even did it for a living so they liked to be their version of presentable at all times. Her mother had always taken that a bit to the extreme, so Madison had never been able to see beneath the exterior.

“Here you go,” Madison said, handing over the delicate china cup and saucer.

Her mother smiled, nodding slightly. “Thank you, darling.” She leaned over the cup, closing her eyes as she inhaled. “I love this hibiscus blend. I never sit down and just drink tea anymore.”

Madison took a seat in the armchair next to the settee and inhaled her tea’s floral scent. “I don’t normally either. Mostly because I deal with coffee and cupcakes.”

She nearly winced at bringing up her job, a sore subject for them both. But it was her mother who winced this time.

If her mom said something about her job, Madison might leave. She had learned that life was far too short to lay down and take anything that hurt anymore.

She was still trying to figure out exactly what was going on in her family now, and how they were going to move past the pain and terror of the past. But she wasn’t going to sit back and get hurt anymore, no matter what.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

“I really should try some of your coffee sometime.”

Madison blinked and set her cup and saucer on the antique table beside her.

“Oh?”

Her mother gave her a sad smile and shook her head, taking a sip of her tea before doing her best to place it next Madison’s. Madison stood up, took the cup from her, and set it down so her mother didn’t have to stretch.

It had only been a couple of days since the attack, and her mom was still dealing with the aftereffects of the concussion. Madison’s own stitches had ached that morning, but she would never forget the sight of her mother crumpling to the ground after Guy hit her.

That visual would haunt her forever.

Just as Aaron’s parting words would. She pushed those thoughts from her mind, not wanting to think about him right now. She wasn’t sure if she could ever think about him again.

At least not without dying a little inside.

“I have not been a good mother recently,” her mom said, shocking Madison out of her reverie.

“Oh?”

Her mother snorted and then rubbed her temple.

“I deserved that. I deserved that, and so much more. But, Madison, I have always wanted what was best for you.”

“I know that. It’s just…I don’t think you went about it in the best ways.” She was trying to be as delicate as she could but calling her mother out on being a bitch wasn’t what she should be doing.

“You are too kind. Maybe that was the problem. You’ve always been so nice to me, even when I was terrible. I wanted you to have the best. To have the best life, family, work. So, when I got scared that I wasn’t doing well enough as your mother, I got these thoughts in my head that I had to force you into situations so you could become the perfect McClard.”

“There’s no such thing as perfection, Mother.”

“Oh, I’ve learned.” Her mother winced as Madison’s eyes widened. “I did not mean that you weren’t perfect. I meant the idea of perfection is ridiculous. I put all these expectations on you because I didn’t know how to help you. When in reality, you didn’t need my help. You are a beautiful woman, one with great business sense, and you have so much. Sadly, I didn’t see any of it because I was blinded by the fact that you didn’t do it my way.”

“I didn’t.” Madison didn’t apologize for that, and she refused to. A few kind words now wouldn’t make up for everything her mother had done in the past. But it would be cruel of Madison to not do her best to at least accept the apology. They had to meet somewhere in the middle, or there would be no healing the bridges that had been burned.