A few days had gone by since that very interesting night at The Lillian. Needing some time to carefully think things through, Stef and Lena had come to a conclusion. They had finally invited Natalie over as they felt it was time to acknowledge things for what they were.
"I am so glad you called," Natalie said, looking over at Stef. She, Stef, and Lena were seated just across from one another at their kitchen table. The three of them consumed mugs of freshly brewed coffee. "If you want, I can still give you those photos I have of us. I finally found them." The woman was just beginning to reach for her purse, but stopped herself.
"No, no, that's okay. I don't need them," Stef said back, moving her head from side to side. "I uh...I know you're my mom. In fact, I think I knew the moment I saw you outside our doorstep. I just...wasn't ready to accept...you." She then released heavy breaths. "But, I know that in order for me to be okay with this, I need to have a conversation with you."
Lena, seated next to the woman, looked at Stef with proud eyes. She could feel just how much her lover had grown, how much she had changed. About a year ago, Stef probably wouldn't have confronted her mother. Now, she was willing to be more understanding and patient.
"First, let me just start off by saying I am so very sorry, Stefanie." Natalie responded to her daughter, holding onto her chest. "I abandoned you, I failed as a mother and I am in no way denying that. I should've been there for you, I was supposed to be there for you."
The blonde breathed deeply, taking all that was voiced. It was the first time someone had truly apologized to her for the pain they caused her. "Thank you for that, owning up to what happened. But why...why weren't you there? Because from what I was told, you just—"
"Listen, I don't know what lies your dad or even your Aunt Jodie might've fed you," Natalie said, impeding the woman's words. "But I left because...I know that if I had stayed, I wouldn't be alive today. Your dad was a very abusive man, Stefanie." She then closed her eyes as tears began to race to her chin, remembering the trauma she faced. "I can't even think back to one day in that house where I wasn't beaten or spat on."
Immediately, Stef and Lena gave their eyes to one another, astonished to have heard what they did.
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It was quite ironic that Stef and her mother had endured the exact same thing. Truthfully, they were more alike than Stef believed.
"I had to leave so that I could heal, so that I could feel like me again," the mother continued on, smiling tears of Joy, thankful that she had gotten away from her husband when she did. "I wanted to take you with me and at times, I did come back for you. But I wasn't mentally stable, Stefanie. I just wasn't. Besides, Frank might've been a terrible husband but he was not a horrible father."
"Wow...I am sorry that you went through that." The blonde said, wishing her mother hadn't had to suffer how she did. "It's actually kind of eye opening because...I went through the same thing. But, if I'm being honest, I just want to know the reason you are here now. Why have you decided now is the time to be apart of my life?"
