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"I went to see my mother the other day To let her know about the baby"

"And?"

"I think I told you we’re not close because of ht It’s…co there all by herself, and I know she’s been depressed ever since he died I don’t have any brothers or sisters, and I thought hearing she had a grandchild on the way , it made it worse She doesn’t see her here, help her out asit"

"Oh, baby" She put her hand to his strong jaw, stroking the stubble there with her thumb Ho could a woman turn her back on a son as wonderful as he seeer crept through her blood She wished she could get five minutes alone with the woman He probably didn’t want her input on the situation, but still, she was glad he was finally opening up a little "I’m sorry I just don’t understand"

"I haven’t told you the whole story Hell, I’ve never told anyone She bla, he took her hand from his cheek and pressed a kiss into her palave a little flip "We were fighting when he collapsed with a heart attack I’ve tried to tell her so many ti time bomb after all the years of alcohol abuse, but she won’t listen She thought he could’ve had more tiotten between theether in a coherent thought

"I try to remember that she was kept under his thu that it’s skewed her perception or soht after it was all over and he was gone that it would still be this way between us"

All at once, her complaints about her own parents see talk with her mother tomorrow "I know you love your mom very much"

"I do I really do"

"If you want, after the baby corandchild, sweetie, and if she turns us away then, you’ll know the relationship isn’t worth pursuing But you’ll also know you did everything you could"

He stared at her, blinking "You’d do that?"

"Of course I would"

"We’ll see I’m usually one to stay clear when I know I’m not wanted"

"But it’s your h, I don’t want her to drag me down into it too I lived most of o back I think of her, and I want good things for her, but I have to think ofthrough his eyebro s had he taken that hadn’t required a hospital? Or maybe they had, he just wasn’t taken for proper care? Gabby felt more inclined to throttle the worandchild--her child She hoped he’d at least gotten therapy--but figured he hadn’t When she knew hiest it

"What did they tell the doctors?" she asked quietly He didn’t ht and some kid threw a rock I didn’t speak up because I was afraid I’d get it even worse later"

Soen "Did she lie for him?"

"Actually, no, she just kept her mouth shut while he lied"

"Did she ever at least try to leave him? Or consider it?"

"No Never Wouldn’t hear of it She’d leave the roo her to, or to at least let o live somewhere else"

"God, Ian She’s damn lucky neither of you ended up dead Damn lucky"