Page 39 of Always There Bayou (The BR Bayou #3)

My head was spinning, and I felt my knees go weak.

Before I could fall, Harley and Simone were at my side, holding me up.

Denny came rushing over with Nala, Chey, and our families.

Soon, I was surrounded by everyone in my life who loved me, and I guess that one thought stopped me from completely losing my shit.

Uncle Darnell and my dad started to question Trevor, but I stopped them.

“Wait, please,” I said. Everyone paused, turning to look at me. I pointed to the letter. “Can I have it?”

“Yeah, it’s yours anyway,” he says, attempting to hand it to me, but my dad snatches it from him.

He gave it to me instead. “I don’t want to cause any trouble.

I’m just going to leave, but I want you to know that I’m sorry, Cory.

I truly am. For everything. Oh, and congra tulations on your retirement and engagement.

I wish you nothing but positivity and peace. You deserve it.”

And with that, he walks off, leaving us all dumbstruck in the parking lot.

Everyone asks me about the letter, but I don’t answer them.

Instead, I rip the envelope open and unfold the paper.

As soon as I see more of my mom’s handwriting scribbled across the page, I fall to my knees, sobbing.

Tears partially blur my vision, but I manage to read every word.

Dear Coraline,

I know. I know. You hate that name, but it’s always been so perfect, just like you.

Baby girl, I’m sorry that I wasn’t strong enough to be enough for you.

Every day, I wish that I could be a better mom to you and the twins.

I want you to know that none of this was your fault.

None of this was the twins’ fault. I made some mistakes in my life that I wasn’t proud of, but I would do them all over again if it meant I’d be a mother to you three.

Except this time, I’d be stronger. Better.

Coraline, I love you. I love Ian and Imani.

Y’all will always be my heart, even after I’m gone.

Y’all deserved so much more, which is why I never fought your dad when it came to taking y’all.

Honestly, I’m grateful for him taking in the twins, too, because they’re not even his blood children. Tell him that I appreciate him, o kay?

I never wanted you to stop your life worrying about me, which is why I constantly pushed you away. You deserve to be a kid, to be a teen, to be your own person. You shouldn’t have had to worry about me, and once I’m gone, I hope that this letter will finally bring you some peace.

I’m so proud of you and the woman you’ve become.

Even if I can’t be there to see you play in the pros like you’ve always wanted to, or get to witness the love you share with Denny blossom (hopefully by now you’ve stopped pretending that you’re not madly in love with her), I know that you will do amazing things and be a fantastic wife and mother.

I hope, no, I KNOW that you will be better at those roles than I.

Baby girl, don’t be too sad that I am not there anymore. I hope you find peace in knowing that I’m in a better place, watching over you and wishing nothing but the best for you, your siblings, and your dad.

I love you so much, and I’m proud of you.

Love,

Mom

I fold the paper up as tears continue to stream down my face.

I let out a sob that I know can be heard back in the arena.

Soon, I’m crowded on either side by people who give hugs and hold me protectively.

No one said anything as I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore.

Yes, I was sa d, but I also felt a sense of closure that I hadn’t realized that I needed until now.

My mom did love me.

I wish she were still here, but I was comforted in the fact that she was no longer struggling and suffering. She was at peace, and she was watching over me. She was watching over my siblings. She may not have been the world’s best mom, but she still loved us.

She still loved us.

I wasn’t sure how long I stayed in that spot and cried, but after a while, I was being helped up and into the backseat of a car.

We drove in silence until we arrived at my dad’s house.

The hour after that was a blur, and all I remembered was being escorted to my childhood bedroom by Denny.

For the next few hours after that, I did nothing but cuddle with them as my mind swirled.

There was a lot to process, but I was grateful to have them here with me, even though we didn’t say anything.

The next thing I remembered was waking up to a dark room. I sat up in bed and felt Denny stir beside me. Within seconds, they were sitting up as well and clicking on the bedside light.

“Hey, Corduroy,” they say softly. “How’d you sleep?”

“Surprisingly well,” I admit. I glance over at the clock on my desk and see that it’s a little after 4 in the morning. “Damn, I was asleep for a long time.”

“Yeah, you were pretty tired,” they chuckled nervously. “You…you wanna talk about it?”

“Honestly, yeah, I do,” I admit.

The y get comfortable again, and I do the same. I spent the next fifteen minutes going over everything in the letter and discussing how it made me feel. Denny listened attentively and didn’t interrupt. Once I was all talked out, they pulled me into a hug and rubbed my back lightly.

“You got your closure, and I love that for you,” they say, and I nod.

“I know it’s a lot to think about all at once, but just know that I will always be here for you no matter what.

Just like we’ve all been telling you, you deserve to be happy.

As you can see, your mom wanted the same, even if she had an unconventional way of showing it. ”

“Yeah, I know,” I sigh, nodding.

“You’re going to be okay, Cory,” they assure me with a smile. “You have so much life ahead of you, and I’m so excited to see what the future has in store for you. Honestly, I’m so happy that I get to be part of it.”

“Good, because now that you’re my fiancé, there’s no backing out,” I joke, and they giggle.

“And I’ll never want to,” they reply. “I’m locked in, love.”

“Yeah, I know,” I answer, smugly. “I just hope you’re prepared, because I plan on getting on your nerves for the rest of our lives.”

“I’m cool with that. There’s no one I’d rather have get on my nerves. It’s you and me, Corduroy. Forever.”

“You and me, Bunny. Always.”