FULL NOVELXO Chapter My CEO 202
202 Fractured Bonds (Winona)
I sit beside my mother's hospital bed, the steady beep of the monitors is the only sound breaking the silence. Mom's face is pale, almost translucent under the harsh fluorescent lights, her breathing shallow but steady.
I reach out, gently taking her hand in mine. It's warm, but she doesn't react.
The doctors told me she's unconscious, that she'll wake up when she's ready, but that's all they'd say. Some confidentiality agreement that keeps them from saying more. They've given her a bed and treatment, but answers are scarce. And the waiting is suffocating.
Cass is in the corner of the room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, staring out the window with a fierce intensity. She hasn't said a word to me since I arrived at the hospital. The tension is thick.
Every time I try to talk to her, she shuts me down with a glare that cuts deeper than any words ever could.
"Cass," I start softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "She's going to be okay. The doctors said-"
"I don't care what the fucking doctors said," Cass snaps, finally turning to face me. Her eyes are red- rimmed, her face contorted with anger. "This is your fault. All of it. If you had just stayed away, none of this would have happened to her."
Her words hit hard. I want to defend myself, to tell her that I never wanted this, that I never asked for Steve to come back into our lives. But the look in her eyes stops me cold.
She's hurting, and in her pain, she needs someone to blame. And that someone is me.
I can be that for her for now. She's never had anyone but Mom. She must be hurting so bad right now.
"Cass, I'm sorry," I say, my voice trembling. "I never wanted any of this. I just wanted to find Mom, to help her, to-
"To what? To ruin our lives?" Cass interrupts, her voice rising. "You showed up, and everything went to hell. Steve came back because of you. Mom had to kill him because of you. And now she's lying in this bed because of you. If she dies, I'll be alone...because of you!" Her words are venomous, each one lasered with the hurt and fear she's feeling. I want to reach out to her, to comfort her, but I know she won't let me. Cass has walls and those walls are impenetrable.
"I know you're scared," I say, trying to keep my voice steady, to not let her see how much her words cut me. "But we're family. We need to stick together, to be strong for Mom."
Cass lets out a bitter laugh. "Family? You think you are my family? You're nothing to me, Winona. You got away, and you never looked back. I knew about you; I saw Mom's photos. I put it all together, I'm not an Idiot. You left, and you never looked back."
"I did not know about you. I couldn't come back. I never expected Mom to survive. You have to understand, she hated me. She hated the sight of me. That's what I thought. She never wanted me, and I was the reason she didn't have a life." 202 Fractured Bonds
+25 BONUS
"Poor you."
"I don't expect you to understand. I'd hate it if you did understand. I'd never want you to be able to relate to that kind of life. But know, I came back with hope, that I had a brother or sister. That Mom had somehow lived."
"You came back and brought nothing but pain. You should have stayed gone. She was my Mom. We had each other. Now I'll have no one if she goes."
"I'm here," I say firmly. "And I'm not going anywhere, I love Mom, and I love you, Cass. I'm not going to give up on either of you. You aren't giving up either."
Cass shakes her head, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and despair. "I don't need you. I don't want you. You've done enough damage. Just... get the fuck out of my face."
She turns away from me, her shoulders shaking. I want to reach out to her, to tell her that it's okay to be scared, that I'm scared too. But I know she won't let me in. Not now. Maybe not ever.
I look back at Mom, lying so still and fragile in that hospital bed. We shouldn't be in here arguing like this. It won't help Mom. I have to diffuse the situation and give Cass the space she needs. can't fix everything, and I need to stop trying.
The thought of losing Mom, of not having her in my life now that I've finally found her, is unbearable. I squeeze her hand gently, hoping for some sign that she knows I'm here, that she's going to wake up everything will be okay. and new soul
My mind goes to Jayden. He needs me right now. The life of his baby hangs in the balance. A new that hasn't even lived yet. Mom has lived a life and if this is her time, then I can't control that.
I can't even control what Cass decides about me.
This is her life to live. If she chooses to live it without me, then all I can do is cope with it.
But Jayden, Abby, that baby, they are my future and I need to go make sure he's okay. He says he is but he's said that before. I need to see it in person. "Cass, I'm going to see Jayden," I say quietly, standing up. "I'll check back in later."
"Whatever," she mutters, not even bothering to look at me.
I hesitate, wanting to say something more, to somehow bridge the gap between us. But I know it's useless. Cass isn't ready to hear anything from me right now.
I lean down and kiss Mom's forehead, my heart aching with every beat. "I love you, Mom," I whisper. Please wake up. We need you. Cass needs you." #25 BONUS
203 Atoring The Past