Looking at her mother, she felt as if her head was about to explode. After almost ten years, everything tonight was… Well, it was a lot. Too much. She just felt so confused and hurt. Only this time, she wasn’t sure if the hurt came from her mother or her father. Deep down she wished she didn’t feel this from either of them. That the both of them were the perfect parents who never did anything to cause any hurt or pain. It was difficult making sense of this. To hear this. If anything she wanted the truth. But… then that meant one of them was lying. And has been lying for so long. And god, she wasn’t sure if she could handle that.
Yet admittedly, to learn that Magda always wanted her, whether real or not, did admittedly break down her walls slightly. Of course, she wasn’t sure if she was fully ready to have her back into her life again just yet. She wasn’t sure when exactly she would be. But… If there was anything, it was that she deeply missed her mother. More than words could ever possibly say. She missed being held by her, talking to her about books, laughing with her, shopping with her, just getting to be with her. She missed so, so much with Magda. She missed the chance of having her be there for the pregnancy and celebrating her marriage to Monroe… But then she remembered something: they were wanting to have another pregnancy. They were planning on having another ceremony to celebrate their one year anniversary, to finally have a big wedding where the people they love can come to and celebrate fully instead of the courthouse wedding they’d done a few months back.
Maybe Magda can be there for that. Maybe… They can work on things… And then she can be there. Avery still needed time, of course, but the thought was nice. Hopeful even. So pressing her lips together, her eyes cast down to the card and she cautiously took it. “I-I still need time,” she reminded her. But she looked back at her mother and gave a small smile. “But I… I’ll try to consider it.”
She looked down at the number. She read it quietly to herself over and over again. Taking a shaky deep breath, she finally breathed out, “Her Arms Are Home, by Avery Oliveira.” Dark brown eyes, she glanced back at her mother. She tried to continue riding the wave of courage she received. “That’s my book. A modern sapphic retelling of the myth of Psyche and Eros… #1 New York Times Bestseller… Now an international bestseller in forty different countries… Translated into thirty different languages… Thousands of five star reviews… The first book in an anthology series… I-I finally did it, mummy. I’m finally a published author… L-Like I always dreamed about.” Her lips tilted into a gentle smile as she whispered, “Monroe inspired me to write it.”
She felt her heart pounding in her ears and could only breathe when Avery finally took the small card. Magda wasn’t at all sure how or when or even if Avery would get in touch but for the first time in years she was hopeful. “Thank you ... for considering it.” She murmured quietly.
Magda glanced up, her eyes growing wide at this information. “Oh Avery! I always knew you could. Your stories were always so creative. Oh I am just so proud of you. So young and already published! Oh goodness. That is wonderful. Sounds like Monroe is very good for you and your little one. My baby has a family. Oh my gosh ... I just ... I am so happy for you. You have all the things I always wanted for you.”







