Page 101 of Lightning Angel
The receptionist gestured to the seating area, and they settled into the sleek chairs, the ambient hum of the newsroom surrounding them.
After what felt like an eternity, the receptionist approached again. “Mrs. White will see you now. Follow me, please.”
Alexa stood, and Tristan intertwined their fingers as they followed her through the busy newsroom. She tensed as they arrived at a door labeled ‘Tiffany White - Senior Editor.’ The receptionist knocked gently before gesturing inside.
“You can do this.” Tristan pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll be right here if you need me. Just call my name and I’ll run to you.”
Someone had been listening toRun to Youlately.
Alexa met his loving eyes and relaxed. She gave his hand a squeeze before dropping it and entering her mother’s office. Goodness, she didn’t even know her mother had been promoted as the senior editor. Her heartstrings tightened altogether.
Tiffany White looked up from her desk. “Can I help you?” she began, but her professional facade faltered as her eyes fell on Alexa. She blinked twice, like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing was real. Her red-painted lips parted.
“Hi, Mom,” Alexa greeted, her voice soft with restrained emotion that threatened to spill forward.
Her mother’s eyes widened, her initial shock giving way to a mix of emotions. She stood up, a rush ofsurprise, joy, and uncertainty crossing her face. “Alexa?”
Alexa smiled at her tentatively. “Surprise.”
Tiffany White, still in stupor, walked around the table and halted a few feet away. “You’re here.”
Go and hug her.
Alexa didn’t fight the impulse. She stepped forward and threw her arms around her mother, squeezing her eyes shut as a flurry of tears crammed into them.
“Oh, baby.” Her mother’s voice broke and she hugged her back, wrapping her arms tightly around her. “My baby…”
“Mom,” she choked out, barely able to hold herself together, and cried into her mother’s shoulder.
They remained in each other’s embrace until they calmed down. Alexa broke from the hug first and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. Her mother grabbed a tissue from the table and began drying Alexa’s cheeks with it, a tender filling look in her eyes.
“I’m astonished to see you here, honey. I can’t tell you how happy I am.” She paused before adding, “Whatever is the matter you’re here about.”
“I’m simply here to see you,” Alexa admitted, taking the tissue from her hand and blowing her nose. She sniffed, trying to stave off the guilty tears that threatened to fill her eyes again, seeing her mother’s joy.
“Is Cassie…?” Tiffany asked hesitantly, almost hopefully, glancing at the door over Alexa’s shoulder.
“No,” Alexa said ruefully. “She’s not here.”
Tiffany’s face fell, but she masked it with a soft but tight smile. “I can tell she has a hard time tolerating me… after everything.”
“She’ll come around, I’m sure of it,” Alexa tried toassure her, but even she wasn’t sure of it herself. She took a deep breath. “Are you free? Am I taking up your time?”
The warmth returned to her mother’s eyes and she reached to cup Alexa’s cheek. “Of course not, dear. I will always have time for you, you should know that.”
Tears attacked her eyes again, but she held them at bay. She reached for her mother’s hand and looked down at it for a moment before meeting her gaze. “I’m so sorry for how I treated you that day.”
“Oh, baby…” Tiffany’s face crumbled and her eyes turned glassy again.
“I’m so sorry.” She clenched her jaw to stop her lips from quivering. “I didn’t realize how wrong I had been until last night. I didn’t come here all by myself, you should know. I had some help in realizing my mistake.”
Tiffany tilted her head, encouraging her to continue.
“I have been blind. I thought I hated you, but I never did. I pushed you away when you tried to reach out, said unforgivable things to your face, and held your past mistakes against you. I refused to give you a chance to prove yourself, to start over. But that was all until someone special to me reminded me how unfair I was being to you.
“The moment I realized it, I wanted to come and see you. I couldn’t wait another day, so I came as soon as possible. He made me realize how I was wasting my mother’s love, not realizing the value of it. Because, no matter what you did in the past, you’re still my mother. And deep inside, I think… I think I still love you.”
She stole a glance at her mother’s face and saw her cheeks stained with tears just like hers.