CRUELEST SUMMER

22

hey everyone, sorry for the longer wait for a update. I had finals as well as some events to attend. now that finals are over I have a little more time for writing more!

Taylor pov

"Please tell me you know what you are doing" Tree speaks through the phone.

She called me right after Lav took off, the press is quick with this one.

"Yes tree, for once I don't want to hide. I just want to be myself" I sigh picking at the string hanging off my sweater. It was falling apart yet I was determined to not get rid of it yet.

"You know what this means" she presses

"Yes, but I'm not coming out saying anything, not until we are ready. We're navigating this one day at a time and I'm not going to make her feel pressured into agreeing to anything....... I just got her back tree, I don't want to see her go" I whisper the last part.

I'm so thankful Lavvie came for Thanksgiving, I knew it was hard on her part but I'm so happy she said yes. Things were so hard lately and she's been the one thing I can look forward to.

The car slowly pulled up into the driveway and I sat there for a moment on the phone with the tree.

"Are you okay, you sound off?" she asks

"I'll be okay, I'll update you later " I force a happy tone.

I was happy, I am- but dealing with my father is going to be a test in itself.

The blood on the snow gave me flashbacks that I didn't want to remember. I trudged inside the house to find my mom sitting on the couch. The TV was not on.

"They are on a drive if that's what you wondering," she says

Why was she sitting here? Let alone with the TV off.

"Are you okay Mom?" I ask coming around to see a few tears rolling down her face.

"Come sit," she says

I finish making my way around the couch and take a seat next to her.

"Please let me speak before you interrupt me" she whispers

I nodded my head, she wanted to say something.

"I'm sorry Taylor, for failing you," She says

I wanted to cut her off but I promised I'd let her speak.

"I'm sorry that I made you hide how you felt all these years. I will never forgive what I allowed you to go through. I could have stopped it" she says turning to face me

Her eyes are bloodshot red, she's been crying for a while.

"I knew what your father did and I chose not to believe you out of disgust for him. Not you. I still have a hard time believing what he did. And for that, I'm so sorry" she breathes

I want to reach out and hug her but I wait for her to finish, there has to be more to what she wants to say.

"I know that you are in love with lavender, you always have been. You two are good for each other........ please don't let your father get in the way of that" she pleads turning her body toward me more

"Trust me Mom I won't" I mumble slightly confused by her words.

"Please don't leave her this time, I can't see you going back to that dark place," she says as her lip wobbles

"Oh Mom"

I pull her in and I hear her quietly crying into my shoulder. She does care. Despite what she's put me through as a child I know what she's wanting to fix her wrongs now. Maybe because I'll cut her off if she doesn't or maybe because she really does realize she was wrong.