When Love Returns | 2 ✔

Chapter 30

"Château Cheval Blanc? I must say you've got great taste in wine." Mum commented as she assessed the wine. We had both finished eating.

"Actually, picking this was never a breeze. There were so many bottles of wine, I had no idea which tasted better. I opted on this finally." I explained. Truly, I didn't deserve credit for my choice because I barely knew anything about wine until I tasted it. The Château Cheval Blanc was just a lucky pick.

"You do realize its alcohol content, right?" She asked again, this time, with her eyebrows raised as if teasing me.

"We'll drink responsibly, yeah?" I shrugged while asking.

"Certainly! I don't know about you but a hangover isn't on my to-have list." I laughed at her words. I agreed though; my last hangover was literally the worst.

She opened the bottle gracefully and swiftly, pouring the least amount of wine I had ever been offered, for both of us. I didn't complain though, we had to drink responsibly.

"To the most amazing mother in the world." I made a toast with a wide grin on my face lifting my wine glass a little above eye level. However, the reaction I expected wasn't what I received.

Instead of grinning or at least smiling as should be, I witnessed mum burst into tears within two seconds.

Not kidding.

I was nonplussed for a moment there. Did I say the wrong thing? Did my words have a lingering feeling of impoliteness? Oh God! Why did I have to ruin everything again!

"Mum, did I say something wrong?" I asked, already scared of the response I would get.

Instead all I got was a fresh batch of tears. Now, I was full on worried, I didn't know what to do! I jumped to my feet and reached out to mum on the opposite side of the table where I squatted at eye level with her as she still sat down.

"Mum, what's wrong?" I inquired, all signs of fear and worry etched in my features as I anticipated the true reason for her sudden behavior.

"It's just that... That I've been a shitty mum to you and yet... Yet you called me the most amazing mother in the world." She finally responded.

I tried to ignore the fact that for the first time in my entire life, mum swore, in other to grasp what she just said. My mum definitely had her flaws—a train load of them—but she was my mother and I couldn't have asked for someone better.

"But mum you're—" I tried explaining this to her but was interrupted.

"Shh! Cassiopeia, you don't have to deny or sugar coat it. I have never been the greatest mother since I can remember! I've been too strict with you, I don't spend as much quality time with you as a good mother should. We barely talk about your love life even though it's something I've always wanted to discuss with you deep down. I feel like crap right now."

It was my turn to be speechless.

"Yes, Cassie, I've always wanted to sit down and braid your hair while we talked about your current crush, who you felt connected to and it was my ardent desire to know your first love." She said further.

"But mum, you had your chance with Jason." I replied. I didn't want to add ‘but you blew your shot because now he's dead!’

"I know oh, I know!" Was her answer, amidst fresh tears.

"Cassie, believe me when I say I never had a thing to do with Jason's death. To be honest, I was scared of that kid." At my shocked expression over her confession, she prolonged her confession,