The Writer's Heart

21

"MOM, WHERE have you been?" Jessie hadn't seen her mother in a few weeks. And honestly, she'd missed her. Even though Jessie had asked for space, she didn't realize that she'd get so much. Gwen placed her hands in her daughter's, and smiled weakly.

"I went on a cruise to clear my head, didn't your father tell you?"

Jessie shook her head. She didn't talk to her father much, if at all. They only saw each other by the graces of Gwen. Gwen sighed. She needed to tell her daughter the truth. Maybe then she'd have a better relationship with her father. But there was a chance of ruining their relationship.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jessie asked.

Gwen needed some time to get her head in order. She knew that she wasn't any help when it came to Jessie's grief. She noticed how Marilyn took the lead on it. And Jessie was finally accepting love into her heart. It was obvious that they were falling for each other, even if they hadn't realized it yet, "how's Marilyn? Are you two dating now?"

Jessie blushed. They'd put a label on their relationship, and it had been wonderful to wake up to her almost every morning, "yeah, she's great," Jessie said. Gwen noticed the sparkle in her daughter's eyes, "I'm thinking about asking her to move in actually," Jessie felt queasy. It was probably too soon for that. But she hated spending nights without Marilyn. Marilyn lived in one of the tiniest apartments since her divorce, and Jessie always wanted her to stay over.

"Wow, you're going straight into it, aren't you?" Gwen asked. Jessie still had doubts, and felt guilty about being happy. But she couldn't ignore her feelings for Marilyn. It wasn't something that she could stop at her mind's hesitation, "I'm happy for the both of you."

"Mom, why did you just take off like that?" Jessie persisted.

Gwen swallowed. The guilt consumed her. Everything that was hurting her daughter could've been avoided, only if she'd done things differently, "sweetheart, there's something that I need to tell you."

Jessie nodded and narrowed her eyes, "what is it?"

Gwen hesitated. She was afraid of losing her daughter. It might have been the worst secret that she'd ever kept, "it was my choice to give Lily up for adoption, not your father's."

Jessie furrowed her brows. She didn't understand, "what?" She took a step back, and searched her mother's eyes, "it was his decision. He told me that I had to. That it's what was best for me."

Gwen was tearing up, "I told him to say those things. He didn't mind taking the blame for it. He trusted my decision. I'm so sorry."

Jessie wiped a tear. Why did her mother have to bring that up? She was finally learning to be happy again, "I should've known better than to trust you," Jessie said. Jessie stood, with tears falling from her eyes. It was the last thing that she wanted to hear. Her mother deceived her for all those years—made her believe that her father was the one, when in fact, she was.

"Sweetheat, please. I never meant to hurt you."

Jessie's body trembled. She felt so weak, once again. Betrayal. She felt betrayed, "what's worse is that you looked me in the eyes for all these years with that big, fat lie. How can I ever trust you again?"

With that, Jessie stormed out of her own apartment. She didn't know where she was heading, but anywhere away from her mother would do.

MARILYN DIDN'T expect to see Jessie walking into her office with the most bothered look on her face, "what's wrong?" Marilyn got up, and Jessie walked over, and leaned in. She wrapped her arms around Marilyn's neck, and kissed her lips, tears still in her eyes.