Page 130 of We Are Yours

Depressed.

It wasn’t until he added, “I hate you too, Melody, and don’t you ever forget that,” that my heart broke a little more for everyone.

“Oh!” he exclaimed. “In case you need to hear, I agree with everything Julius said. Except in my mind, you still haven’t come back.”

He opened the door and left, leaving me alone with her.

Once he was gone, she bowed her head before meeting my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Isla.”

More silence.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hands before she asked, “Did you at least have a good birthday?”

“What do you think?” I nodded to the wrapped gifts that were still on the table.

She frowned. “I got you something.” She reached into the pocket of her dress, pulling out what looked like a ring. “It’s the boys' birthstones with yours in the middle.” She handed it to me, and I hesitantly accepted it.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

I couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my face, fully aware this was the last time I’d see her.

This was her goodbye.

Was it her intention all along?

There was so much I longed to ask her, but it wouldn’t matter. Julius and Kraven were done, and I’d lose them if I forgave her. I couldn’t do that.

I wouldn’t.

They were my family.

As if reading my mind, she uttered, “I know you care about them.” Her voice broke. “I know you possibly love them too. What’s not to love, though, right?”

“I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

“Yeah…” She sadly smiled. “My golden boy, my Julius… promise me you’ll make sure he doesn’t work himself to the bone, okay? Promise me you’ll make sure that he enjoys his youth. He’s still so young… has so much life ahead of him… okay? Can you promise me that?”

I nodded. “I swear.”

“Okay, good.” She inhaled deeply, exhaling, “Now, my lone wolf, my Kraven… promise me you’ll make sure he stays out of trouble, alright? You’ve been such a good influence on him. I don’t want him to turn out like us… like me and Joe… He reminds me so much of him. Don’t let him become his own worst enemy, okay?”

I nodded again. “I swear it.”

“Amazing.” She smiled widely with pain in her eyes. “Julius loves to have his head rubbed before he goes to sleep. He gets headaches sometimes, and the only thing that will relieve them is a head scratch.”

I wiped away my tears, every last one, trying to bottle up this moment. “I’ll remember that.”

“And Kraven… he…” She broke down, weeping. “He loves to sit in the kitchen and watch you cook, so try to get him back in there, okay? They both love to dance around the kitchen. And they get hangry when they’re hungry. They’re both really loving and sweet, and any girl who ends up with one of them will be the luckiest in the world.”

“I know,” I whispered.

“Please take care of my boys. Promise me.”

I walked over to her. “I promise, Melody.”

“Thank you.” She grabbed my face and kissed my forehead. “One day you’re going to have to make a choice, and I can’t tell you who would be the better man. They’re both so broken because of me, and for that, I truly am sorry… I never meant—” She shook her head, still holding my face. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t change the past, and I can’t change the future. I failed at that, too. I’m just one big failure, Isla, and I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

I gave her a curt nod while she wiped away my tears with her thumbs.