Chapter 28

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Shells: How are you? I did what you asked me to do. I talked to your shithead ex-fiance to rebuild the bridge. (if it were me, I'd rather keep the bridge burned) He asked to see and speak to you. Call me when you can. ❤️

Ave: Thank you, Shells. ❤️ You too! I'm sorry, but I don't want to see or talk to him. I will call you soon.

Shells: I'll be glad to pass on your message! 😊

*

David: Ave, babe. Please talk to me.

*

Mama T: We just talked to David. He and his dad are having their talk alone. Thank you for that. Please remember what I told you; you will always be family, my daughter. We will always be here for you and the baby, no matter what. Take care.

***

"HAVE YOU STARTED PACKING, Muffin? Do you need help?"

Avery slipped her phone inside her pants pocket and nodded. She smiled at her mom standing at her bedroom door.

"Yeah, I guess I need to start."

Her mom tried to move her lips, but her eyebrows lowered and pulled close together. No words were spoken when she came home with her dad after their brunch date. Looking at her and her dad's faces, her mom knew something was off. Immediately, she welcomed Avery with a warm embrace. She felt at home when her dad enclosed them in his arms.

If there were someone invested in her relationship with David since day one, that would be her mom. If her dad was her voice of reason, her mom was her romantic guru—hopeless romantic and all in between. She got her cheerfulness and understanding heart from her. Though they haven't spoken about David, she was the best mom she could ever have. The dinner with David's parents went well because of her mom's lead. She was a champ at not showing any negative emotion when they discussed calling off the wedding. Her parents were terrific towards the situation in front of the Thomas couple, though Avery knew deep inside they were hurting.

Seeing how her parents survived the night with David's parents gave Avery the strength to brave that dinner, too. It wasn't easy, but she had to. She was firm and calm during the entire dinner and discussed things that needed to be done. Even when she talked to David's father, she exuded class, politeness, and strength. Again, she exceeded her expectations of herself.

When Mama T asked to talk to her alone, she felt torn. One of the many reasons she felt so profoundly for David was his family, his mother the most. Had anyone asked Avery to choose another woman best fit to be her mom other than her own, it would be David's. From the second David introduced them, they saw eye to eye. They connected and formed a special bond. A bond that sometimes made David giddily jealous. "My Mom loves and believes you more than me now," he'd always tell her.

The talk Avery almost declined turned out to be the moment she will forever cherish with Mama T. Her heart got broken tenfold after hearing what David's mother had said. It was liberating and saddening at the same time. Letting go meant breaking away from the relationships formed between families. Telling David's mother her decision was like repeatedly going over the breakup. It was sadder because the second mother she almost had, whose heart was breaking, was nothing but very loving toward her.

"When David brought you into our lives, it was one of my happiest moments as a mother. He was his happiest and liveliest. It breaks my heart knowing he'd made the biggest mistake of hurting you. As his mother, I felt you should partly blame me for not knowing when my son lost his way. But then I told myself, as his parents, we guide and love him. It was he who made that choice. It saddens me you may not be a part of us like we would want it to be. But, hearing your side of the story and feeling all the pains you've been suffering, I wouldn't be selfish to beg you to stay. Walk away even if it hurts, even if it breaks your heart. Because you deserve to be happy and shouldn't stay where your heart isn't cared for."

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