Autumn Leaves (35 page)
Authors: Barbara Winkes
Tags: #Relationships, #Romance, #gay, #Barbara Winkes, #GLBT, #Contemporary, #love story, #autumn, #Coming-Out, #Autumn Leaves, #Lesbian, #women
He shrugged. “It’s true, and I’m sorry. I’m not sorry, however, about these two great girls. I don’t want to hurt either of them, and I never meant to say you’re a bad mother. You’ve been a wonderful mother to both of them, and so just see what you think. Maggie?”
“Mommy, is it okay if I come live with you and Callie?” Maggie asked.
Rebecca couldn’t speak. All she could do was step forward to hug her daughter so tightly that she was distantly wondering if Maggie could still breathe. Through a blurry veil she saw Callie smile, and Dina stepping forward to embrace both Maggie and Rebecca.
“Now, come on, stop crying, Mom. We weren’t talking bullshit when we said we love you. I hope it’s all right that I stay with Dad, because it’s working out great with school and friends. I’ll come to hang out with you every now and then, I promise.”
Susan said something to David quietly and then picked up Barney to take him outside for a walk.
“It’s all good,” Rebecca finally managed to say. “Thank you.”
* * * *
“Thank you,” Callie told David in the kitchen as they both had decided at the same time to give Rebecca and the girls a little space.
He sighed. “You know, I’m not doing this for you.”
“I do know. That still makes you one of the good guys, David.”
He laughed a little. “I don’t know about that. We talked about it a lot...It just seemed like the right thing to do.”
“Maybe it’s a good time then for the favor Rebecca mentioned. I want to take her—and the girls—to New York for a week if that’s okay with you.”
“Why wouldn’t it be? I suppose if I prevented them from that, it would be my daughters filing for divorce.”
“David...” There were so many things Callie felt she needed to say. Then again, she was never able to tell him she was sorry, because it would be a lie.
“Yeah, I know, one of the good guys. Let’s not pretend we’ll be best friends anytime soon, but for what it’s worth—I don’t hate you. I never have.”
Callie just nodded. “I’ve got to set the table. Could you bring the coffee?”
She went back into the living room to find Rebecca sitting on the couch with Maggie curled up beside her. Dina was just putting napkins on the table that was already perfectly set otherwise.
“Could we get to the presents already?” she asked, making everyone laugh.
As Callie caught Rebecca’s affectionate gaze on her, she couldn’t help feeling grateful to her Aunt Valerie who had, unknowingly, changed Callie’s fate when she gave this house to her. They held each other’s gaze for a moment longer, and when Rebecca smiled at her, Callie knew she’d understood what she hadn’t said out loud.
Welcome home.
About the Author:
Barbara Winkes is a psychologist/trauma counselor by training and a writer by choice who moved from a small town in Germany to Québec City where she lives with her wife.
She writes romance with the focus on the ‘L’ in GBLT, sometimes crossing over into mystery.
Find out more on her blog, “Word Affair” at:
http://barbarawinkes.blogspot.ca
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