Chapter 75

Amanda stood in front of her mother’s house, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions. The modest home, with its neatly trimmed lawn and familiar porch swing, had once been a place of comfort, of safety. But now, as she stared at the front door, all she could feel was the weight of the betrayal that had turned her world upside down.

The truth about Ghost—her mother’s connection to him—had shattered the fragile trust Amanda had always held. The revelation that her mother had been keeping such a monumental secret, one that had put them all in danger, was something Amanda was still struggling to reconcile.

But Ron had been right when he’d urged her to confront this head-on, to seek answers and try to find some semblance of peace. The truth was out, and ignoring it wouldn’t make it go away. So here she was, standing on the threshold of the past, hoping to find a way to heal the wounds it had left behind.

Taking a deep breath, Amanda steeled herself and knocked on the door. The sound echoed in the quiet neighborhood, a stark contrast to the turmoil churning inside her. Moments later, the door creaked open, and there stood her mother, her expression a mix of surprise and apprehension.

“Amanda,” her mother said softly, stepping aside to let her in. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I didn’t expect to come,” Amanda replied, her voice tight. She stepped into the familiar hallway, the scent of fresh coffee and the faint hum of the television in the background doing little to calm her nerves. “But we need to talk, Mom. About everything.”

Her mother nodded, her face paling slightly. “I know,” she whispered, leading Amanda into the living room. The room was the same as it had always been—cozy, with framed photos on the walls, a soft quilt draped over the back of the couch. But now it felt different, almost foreign, as if the secrets hidden within its walls had tainted the warmth it once held.

They sat down, the silence stretching between them like a chasm. Amanda could see the worry in her mother’s eyes, the way her hands trembled slightly as she clasped them in her lap. But Amanda was no longer the naive girl who had once sought comfort in those hands. She was a woman now, and she needed answers.

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” Amanda asked, her voice strained but firm. “About Ghost, about who he really is? Why did you keep it from me?”

Her mother’s eyes filled with regret as she looked down at her hands. “I was trying to protect you, Amanda,” she said softly. “I didn’t want you to get involved, to be hurt by the things I’ve done, by the life I was once a part of. I thought… I thought if you didn’t know, you could stay safe, stay out of it.”

“But that’s not what happened,” Amanda said, her voice trembling with the anger she had been holding back for so long. “You kept me in the dark, and because of that, I was blindsided when everything came crashing down. Do you know how terrifying it was to find out the truth like that? To realize that the person I thought I knew, the person I trusted most, had been lying to me?”

Tears welled up in her mother’s eyes as she shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Amanda. I never wanted you to be hurt. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I see now that I was wrong. I should have been honest with you, from the very beginning.”

Amanda’s anger faltered as she watched her mother’s tears spill over, the raw pain in her eyes cutting through the wall of resentment Amanda had built. She knew her mother had been trying to protect her, but the damage had been done, and now they were both left to pick up the pieces.

“I understand why you did it,” Amanda said quietly, her own eyes filling with unshed tears. “But it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. I’ve been living in fear, not knowing who to trust, not knowing if you were hiding other things from me. And Ghost… He’s a part of our lives now, whether we like it or not. I need to know that you’re not keeping anything else from me.”

Her mother reached out, taking Amanda’s hand in hers. “I swear to you, Amanda, there are no more secrets. Everything I did, I did to keep you safe, but I see now that it only caused you more pain. I want to make it right, if I can. Please, tell me what I can do to help.”

Amanda looked at her mother, seeing the remorse, the genuine desire to make amends, and felt the first stirrings of forgiveness. It wouldn’t be easy, and it wouldn’t happen overnight, but maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to rebuild the trust that had been broken.

“You can start by being honest with me,” Amanda said softly, squeezing her mother’s hand. “About everything. I don’t want any more secrets between us.”

Her mother nodded, her grip on Amanda’s hand tightening. “I promise,” she whispered, her voice filled with sincerity. “No more secrets.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the past still heavy between them, but with a glimmer of hope that things could change, that they could move forward together. Amanda knew that it would take time, that the road to forgiveness was long and winding, but she was willing to take that journey, as long as her mother was by her side.

As they sat together, the morning light filtering through the curtains, Amanda felt a sense of peace settle over her. The anger, the hurt, was still there, but it was no longer the dominant force in her heart. There was room now for healing, for understanding, and maybe, in time, for forgiveness.

Her mother gave her hand one last squeeze before letting go. “I love you, Amanda,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I always have, and I always will.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Amanda replied, her voice soft but steady. “I just need some time to process everything.”

Her mother nodded, understanding in her eyes. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be here, whenever you’re ready.”

Amanda managed a small smile, feeling the first true sense of hope she’d had in days. “Thank you.”

As she left her mother’s house, the sun higher in the sky now, Amanda felt a weight lift from her shoulders. The conversation had been difficult, but it was a step toward healing, toward understanding. She knew that the journey ahead would be challenging, but she was no longer alone. She had Ron, she had her mother, and together, they would face whatever came next.

For the first time in a long while, Amanda felt a sense of peace—a quiet belief that, despite everything, they might just find a way to heal the wounds of the past and build something stronger in its place.