8th May- Sacramento, United States
Maria’s house.
Maria’s POV
I stared across the lounge room at my daughter. my very much alive daughter, as she spoke quietly to Ava.
Having her turn up on my door step yesterday had been a shock but a happy one. My little girl that I thought I had lost forever was alive and well. And a little girl of her own.
Questions had plagued me all yesterday afternoon and well into the night but her eyes begged me not ask them. It had been hard. As her mother I wanted to demand what had happened and where the hell had she been but I could see the haunted look in her eyes so I kept quiet.
Yesterday had been a bonding session, a much needed long over-due one. The love I felt for little Ava had been immediate. She was definitely her mother’s daughter that much I was sure of. Full of attitude and so sure of herself at just one and a half reminded me so much of Letty.
But that had been yesterday, today I needed answers.
“Ava why don’t you come and play blocks with me? Let’s leave mama to talk with grandma. We can build a castle.” James spoke excitedly as he bent down and threw Ava up in the air slightly before catching her. Her giggles filled the house and my heart warmed. It had been so long since our house had been filled with such joy.
“Car? Blocks?” She asked happily. James looked baffled as he looked from Letty to me.
“Err…”
“She wants to build a car out of blocks.” Letty smiled slightly and James chuckled.
“Grandpa James will try okay?” He grinned and she seemed content enough with that answer as she and James left the room.
The silence was instantaneous. All happiness had been sucked out and all that was left was tension.
“I need to know Letty. I need to know everything.” I whispered as I levelled her with a stern glare.
“Mama…” She whispered.
“Please. I can see the pain in your eyes and its hurting me. I buried you Letty… I buried my only daughter, my only child, nearly two years ago. Then to have you turn up out of the blue…. I need to know everything.” I begged, standing slowly as I made my way to her side.
“I can’t tell you here, not with Ava so close.”
“Then let’s walk.” I spoke firmly, gripping her hand in mine.
“I don’t where to begin.” She breathed out as we strolled down the footpath of my street.
“The beginning would help. You just fell of the radar.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know about the heists… it was all over the news. No names of course because they had no idea who was behind them but it was in the right area and I put two and two together. Especially after you fell off the face of the earth.” I spoke quietly.
“I went back to Dom, he’d changed. He’d quit racing, quit partying, he’d done everything he could to show me he was different. I was a bitch when I went back. I gave him a hard time, I hurt Leon and Vince for helping him and Mia and Jesse didn’t get out of it lightly either. But I was hurt. It’s no excuse, my anger just got the better of me.” She sighed.
“I still don’t like that you went back to him.” I muttered annoyed. She gave me a sideways glance and sighed heavily.
“I know mama. You made that very clear.” She muttered. I flushed with embarrassment at the memory of how I had handled her leaving all those years ago.
“I was trying to protect you. I handled it badly, you were right though. It was your life and your choice, your mistakes to make and learn from.” I admitted.
“Maybe I should have stayed, if I had everything would have been different but I wouldn’t have Ava. And I wouldn’t trade her for the world, or this one.” She smiled softly as she held her bump protectively.
“So she is Dom’s.” I stated more then asked. She hadn’t spoken a word about Ava’s father and I hadn’t asked but deep down I had known.
“Yes and he’s the father to this one too.” I held in my resigned sigh and instead looked down to her stomach.
“Does this one have a name? A gender?” I asked.
“Not yet, we just call it bub.”
“Bub huh? Well you better find out and get a name together so I know what colours to buy.” I smiled.
“You don’t have to do that ma.” She argued.
“Oh yes I do. I missed out on one grandchild I am not missing out on another.” I stated firmly.
Silence hit us again as we continued to walk and I knew Letty would keep the silence so I spoke up.
“So you went back…” I trailed off.
“It took a couple of weeks but eventually I made amends with them one by one. Dom and I… our relationship was never really the same again. That was both our faults. We were too young back then and anger and pride just got in the way. We didn’t talk things out, we didn’t talk about what had happened much. We just pushed it aside and never really got over it or moved on.”
“I loved him like son but what he did to you wasn’t right. I could have killed him. I don’t understand where you both went so wrong. Before he went to jail you were happy, you were in love. How did that just suddenly change?” I demanded.
“Jail.” She answered simply and I frowned.
“Jail changed him, and his time in jail had changed me. It’s that simple. When he got out we thought we could just pick up again where we left off but it didn’t happen that way. We were different. It’s taken us a long time to realise that.”
“But he cheated on you, repeatedly.” I ground out.
“Yeah he did and I was pissed ma believe me. I can’t explain to you what was going through his mind at the time because you wouldn’t understand but its done. It can’t be changed or taken but it’s over.”
“I don’t believe that. Nothing like that is ever really over.”
“At one point I would have agreed with you. I honestly thought I would never get over it and never fully trust him again but I don’t feel that way anymore. I trust him, completely. You can sit there and say I’m stupid and you think I’m kidding myself but I do. I trust him completely, I don’t have doubts in the back of my mind anymore.” She snapped as we came to a stop in front of a park.
I tilted my head to the side as I studied her. She was breathing a little harsher then she had been before so I knew she was worked up.
“You know that’s the first time I’ve seen a glimpse of the old you since you walked through my door yesterday.” I stated and she blinked shocked at me.
“Dom’s done some pretty shit things and he has a lot to answer for but I do trust him. You may not like him, hell sometimes I don’t like him, but I trust him. Unconditionally. He’s proved a lot to me over the last couple of months. Yes we have things we need to work on, both together and separately, and we’re doing that. Right now I just need time to focus on myself, to trust myself and find myself again.” She spoke and I nodded in acceptance.
“Okay. I’ll take your word, for now. I’m not doing this for him, I’m doing it for you, Ava and the baby. From where I stand, not knowing the whole story, he did this to you.” I muttered.
“It’s not entirely his fault mama, and that’s the truth. He contributed to a lot of things but I’ve made my fair share of mistakes too.” Letty spoke as a dark look crossed over her features.
“So what happened after you made amends?” I asked as we walked to the swings.
“Before I begin I want you to promise me something.” She spoke quietly. Pursing my lips I frowned at her.
“What I have to tell you is going to be hard to hear and I know you’re going to want to interrupt and say things, yell and scream and whatever else but I need you to promise me you won’t speak until I’m finished.” She asked as she stared at me.
“I can try.” I spoke slowly but she shook her head slowly.
“No mama, I need you to do more than just try. No matter how angry you get or how upset you get I need you to remain quiet and just listen. Please can you do that?” I swallowed nervously as I took in her bleak look.
“Okay.” I whispered before clearing my throat.
“Okay I’m listening.” I confirmed louder.