The Invitation

42 ~ The Tables Turn

Victoria POV

I walked back to Mama Deb's house. I opened the door and no one was around. Looking around the small house I spotted my grandmother in the kitchen.

"Feeling better?" she asked not even turning around.

"A little. Where is everyone?"

"Looking for you."

"Why?" I pulled out a chair. She grabbed two cups and placed them on the table.

"Because they love you. Especially Eric."

She placed the tea bags in the cups and poured the hot water in each one.

"I guess the old saying is true."

"What old saying?"

"If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn't, then it was never meant to be."

I stirred my tea.

"You went back first and then he came back for you."

"Our relationship was built on lies Mama Deb."

"And you were willing to forgive. You went to his apartment that night so you two could work it out."

"And that left me fighting for my life. His father tried to strip that away from me."

"So you are not willing to forgive Eric for what his father did?"

I looked away.

"I don't know the whole story. I only know pieces. I'm sure it's painful to tell, but the only way to figure this out is to let go. Eric came and he was the one to call the police. He was the one who kicked his father's ass, leaving him in the worse shape of his life. He sacrificed for you, hell we all did because we love you. We thought when you lost your memory, it was your saving grace. You are more my daughter than my grandchild. Just like you would protect Mia, I would protect you."

I turned to see the tears running from her eyes. Her heart ached for me. She was the only mother I ever knew. She was the driving force that kept my head above water. She was right. The anger still inside of me was festering and if I didn't get it out, it would eat me alive.

I started from the beginning. I told her about his parents. How much they totally disliked me for the color of my skin. I spoke of Angelique and how she had tried every trick in her arsenal to tear Eric and I apart. I continued on staring at wall behind her head. I kept spilling as I spoke of the vacation which led to our marriage, how I ached of a love I didn't know and the dreams that kept me sad. Making headway, I told her everything I remembered about that night. I stumbled at first, but I was able to breath. Then I told her about meeting Eric again. How these unknown feeling came back I couldn't explain. I spoke of the intense emotional roller coaster which had me somber and in disbelief for so long.

"Oh my poor baby," she whispered. She covered her mouth with her hand. Her tears matched the ones that ran done my own face. My heart felt torturous as it began to beat fast. Pounding in my ears, causing me to shut my eyes so tight they stung from the pressure. I told her of the heartache knowing that he had lied to me again. For a second time my heart felt bruised and it ached.

She just sat there holding my hand as I told her everything. I took a deep breath as the last of my words were recited and spilled into the air.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry none of us was there to protect you. In no way you deserve any of this misery. Believe me baby if I could bare this cross for you, I would. I never want to see you in such pain and agony. Although you don't see it, God has a plan. Look at you. Even through all this, you have become a beautiful person that I am so very proud of. You have come into your own."