Page 81 of Seduced in Ink
“I am trying to learn to be a better person. It took almost losing you to realize what I had become. I know that my words today, me saying that I’m sorry, won’t fix that. But I hope you will give me a chance to find a way to make things better. I have a long road to recovery, to figuring out exactly how I’m going to do what I need to do. But I hope you’ll let me try to make up for the kind of person I’ve been. For the person I am,” she corrected.
“Your mother is speaking for both of us,” her father said as he came into the room, a mug of coffee in his hand.
“Come sit next to me, darling,” her mother said, patting the seat next to her. Her parents rarely touched in front of her. They didn’t even sit next to each other most times. So the fact that her father sat down next to her mother and squeezed her hand while kissing her temple, told Madison that things far beneath the surface had been broken for her parents. Things that had nothing to do with her. Maybe this wake-up call would be good for everybody. She just hoped that when the bruises healed, the ashes that remained didn’t blow away in the wind.
“I’m sorry for everything. I’m going to try not to be such a lackluster father.”
“You guys weren’t horrible parents.” Madison paused. “At least you didn’t start out that way.”
“Ouch,” her father said with a laugh. “We deserved that.”
And more.
“I don’t know how I got this way,” her mother said. “And it’s not just the concussion talking,” she added. Madison snorted.
“Well, I hope not,” she said. “Because once you’re back to a hundred percent, I really hope we can find a way to fix what’s been broken over time in our family. Because I want you to get to know me as I am now, not as the woman you thought I needed to be. And I hope you’ll want to stay this person that you’ve become,” she whispered.
“I don’t think that a single knock on the head is what changed this,” her mother said, her voice soft. “Seeing you out there with blood and mud all over you? And it being all because of Guy? I’m not sure where I went wrong. I mean, I understand the beginnings of it, but how could I not see him for what he was?”
Her father held her mother’s hand, and Madison let out a breath. “I didn’t see it either.”
“You saw more than we did,” her father admonished.
“Perhaps I did, but I didn’t realize he could change so drastically. I always thought he was suave, I didn’t realize it was a layer of the exterior that hid the cruelty beneath.”
“He’s going to jail for a long time. We will make sure of that,” her father said, his voice stern.
She trusted her father to deal with the legal issues because that’s what he did. He cleaned up messes, and he used his power. This once, she was happy that he had that ability. Because she never wanted to see Guy again. As it was, she saw him in her nightmares, and she didn’t even want that anymore.
“I haven’t seen Aaron here,” her mother said out of the blue, and Madison blinked.
“Oh, well, you know…”
“That it was a fake engagement?” her mother asked, her eyes filled with light for the first time since the attack. “I knew that, but I also saw the way you two were with each other. It didn’t end up being a lie in the end, did it?”
Madison swallowed hard and looked down at the engagement ring she still wore, the one that reminded her of him so much. He had texted to ensure that she was safe and home, but he hadn’t contacted her outside of that. Lincoln and the others had called, and Lincoln had even come by with Ethan and Holland. But no one mentioned Aaron. The lack of his name on their lips was a crack in the marble of the shell she’d made herself. The evidence of them knowing not to bring him up told her that Aaron wanted nothing more to do with her. And she hated that she was breaking inside because of it.
“We’re no longer together,” she said after a moment, the silence deafening.
“I’m so sorry,” her mother whispered.
“Really?” she asked and could have kicked herself. They were having such a good day. And here she was, being rude.
“Really. Aaron was good for you.” Her mother shook her head as Madison opened her mouth to speak. “I’m sorry I didn’t see that sooner. And I’m sorry I tried to use his popularity in his work as a notion that he’d help you instead of being good for you for who he was. I’m trying not to be a horrible person, and it’s going to take me a long time to get over my preconceived notions.”
“Your mother is not the only one who has to get over some issues,” her father said.
“I’m really glad to hear that from both of you. But Aaron and I are no longer together.”
“Yet you still wear his ring,” her mother said. It felt like it should hurt, but it didn’t. She was too numb.
“I think I’m just too tired to take it off,” she lied.
Her mother and father each gave her a knowing look, and then they changed the subject to cupcakes. They talked about her work and unimportant things, and yet she felt as if they were getting to know each other for the first time.
The bash on the head hadn’t changed everything. It was them nearly losing each other. And Madison knew that there would be setbacks, there was more work to be done, but this was a step in the right direction. She couldn’t keep moving backward. Even if going in that direction meant going towards Aaron.
She didn’t have him anymore. He had walked away to give her space, and it had been so abrupt, she hadn’t really processed it yet. She hadn’t been able to tell him how she felt, and she was afraid that once she did,ifshe did, she’d just end up even more bruised.