The Story of Tonight

Chapter Thirty Four

Vanessa was grateful she didn't practice criminal law. If she was, she would have found herself making an abundant amount of phone calls to profusely apologize for ever confining anyone to a set space. Add in a teenage daughter who hates you, plus having to be constantly aware of your emotions and feelings of stress, Vanessa could only describe it as her own personal hell.

"I didn't use your name to get Lia into Hunter," Vanessa said through slow breaths, to Lin who was sitting behind her, continuing to rub her back as he tried to calm her down.

"I know,"

"I don't even get where this is coming from. I wasn't even filling out forms until after Emilia had already been accepted," Vanessa stated, "And you're on her birth certificate! I couldn't just not list you,"

"I get it," Lin replied, although he could sense Vanessa wasn't really talking to him but moreso thinking out loud. He was just there to be the supportive boyfriend.

"And yes, was it shitty of me to keep you from her? Yes, and it is one of my greatest regrets. But I also couldn't just be all, 'Hey, that musical you're obsessed with? The guy that wrote it is your father!'" Vanessa's voice rose; not sure if she was more defensive at Lia's accusation or trying to find excuses to make herself feel less shitty.

"We were barely adults when you got pregnant;" Lin reasoned, "We both made mistakes. You did the best you could, which might I add included getting your law degree and raising an incredible person who also happens to be a fifteen year old who is still figuring out how to process her emotions."

Vanessa shrugged her shoulders as she let her head fall back into the crook of his neck, "It just feels like I keep failing. I'm working from home and have had to scale back, so I'm failing my clients. I'm stuck in this bed because I failed the babies. I failed Lia. I failed you,"

"V, you didn't fail anyone." Lin stated, his tone definitive, as he wiped away the tears from her cheeks, "You're in this bed because you're putting your children before anyone else, which you've always done. Including with not telling me about Lia," Vanessa opened her mouth to speak but Lin continued, "You didn't tell me because you didn't want her to feel the neglect that I made you feel," He admitted the thoughts he had spent the past few months thinking over, "That's not to say I don't wish I had known Lia her entire life, because I do. But you also can't spend the rest of your life feeling guilty over a decision you made that you thought was the best thing to do for Lia."

The tears continue to spill over from Vanessa's eyes, but she now directed her gaze at Lin, wondering how in spite of everything that had happened over the past fifteen years she was lucky enough to have him in her life.

"You don't have to say all of that to make me feel better,"

"I'm not," Lin replied, "I'm saying it because it's the truth,"

Vanessa rested her eyes as she continued to lean against Lin, she felt his lips meet her cheek. She let out a soft sigh, "I have to go talk to Lia,"

"No,"

She opened her eyes and looked at Lin, "Lin, I can't just ignore the fact that she's in her room hating me,"

"Actually you can," Lin didn't mean for the laugh that emitted to come out, "I'm not laughing at you, but hear me out. You and Emilia have hashed this out before and it ended in a screaming match with her sleeping at my place. You can't afford to get in a screaming match right now," He stated, "And considering the way Lia stormed in and out of here, that seems inevitable,"

"Lin,"

"I'll go talk to her," He offered, getting off of the bed. He knew Vanessa wouldn't just stand by knowing Lia was hurting, no matter what the reason was. If he was being honest, he didn't want to fall asleep or come back from the theatre that night with no resolution and find the two of them going at it.