Read Online Surrender 01 - Surrender by Melody Anne - Free Book Online
Authors: Melody Anne
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do,” Ari lectured herself while resting her head against the steering wheel.
When she finished her pep talk, she stepped from the car and walked through the shadowy garage to the elevator, grateful there were no protesters at this entrance. Some of them had been downright frightening. N ever before had the thought of being alone at night bothered her , but Rafe’s warnings had stirred up a sense of unease that made her even more irritated with the man.
The door opened and she stepped inside, pushing Rafe from her mind as she tried to silently rehearse what she was going to say to her mother. She hadn’t given up just yet. She’d simply have to try that much harder to work something out. There was no way she was letting go of her mom without a fight. There had to be programs available to help her take care of her mom . The hospital administrators had spoken of something of the sort. But, heck, she’d sleep in her car if that’s what it would take.
With growing determination in each step, she walked down the long hallway to her mother’s hospital room, then paused outside her door to take a long steadying breath . She couldn’t let her mom know there was anything to be worried about. Her mother had raised Ari right; now it was Ari’s turn to take care of her mom.
She slowly opened the door, then sighed with relief to see that her mother was sleeping. It gave Ari more time to think before she had to make conversation. She sat in the lounge chair in the corner and waited for her mom to wake. With the lights turned off and the machines beeping rhythmically, Ari fell quickly asleep no closer to getting answers. She didn’t stir when a nurse came in and covered her up.
*****
“Ari?”
Arianna awoke instantly at the fragile sound of her mother’s voice. It was beautiful, something she’d feared she would never hear again. She couldn’t imagine life without her mother being a part of it.
Ari’s father had walked out on them when she was too young to remember him, and it had been her mom and her ever since. She couldn’t survive without the woman who’d raised her — or at least she wouldn’t want to. Whom would she share her triumphs with, and who would hold her when her heart was broken?
“I’m right here, Mom .” Ari scooted her chair next to her mother’s bed and gently clasped her hand.
“I’m glad, baby. I’m sure I’ve put you through too much worrying already . If I know you, and of course I do, then you’ve been chewing off your nails and stressing out since the accident. It’s my job to take care of you, and I haven’t been doing that these last six months.”
“Mom, it’s my turn to worry about you, not the other way around. I know you told me not to, but I can’t help it. If I hadn’t gone to that stupid party and then called you up in the middle of the night, you never would have been hurt. I know you told me to quit stressing about it, but it’s still eating me alive. I can’t say enough how sorry I am,” she sobbed as she leaned her head down and placed it on their joined hands.
“Arianna Harlow, do you know how upset I’d be with you if you hadn’t called me? I’m your mother, and it’s my job to protect you, watch out for you and ensure your safety. You may be twenty-three now, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t still my little girl. Don’t you know that I would die for you ? There’s nothing a mother won’t do for her child.”
“But I screwed up,” Ari sobbed.
“Ah, sweetheart, you’ve been a perfect child from the moment you came home in my arms. You rarely cried, were respectful, worked hard in school, and were always the dream child. You were living your life, growing up a bit. Don’t let this one small detour end with a roadblock. Must I keep telling you, darling, to live your life to the fullest and achieve your dreams, no matter what happens to me?”
“I don’t know how to do anything without you,” Ari insisted.
“Yes you do. I know
When she finished her pep talk, she stepped from the car and walked through the shadowy garage to the elevator, grateful there were no protesters at this entrance. Some of them had been downright frightening. N ever before had the thought of being alone at night bothered her , but Rafe’s warnings had stirred up a sense of unease that made her even more irritated with the man.
The door opened and she stepped inside, pushing Rafe from her mind as she tried to silently rehearse what she was going to say to her mother. She hadn’t given up just yet. She’d simply have to try that much harder to work something out. There was no way she was letting go of her mom without a fight. There had to be programs available to help her take care of her mom . The hospital administrators had spoken of something of the sort. But, heck, she’d sleep in her car if that’s what it would take.
With growing determination in each step, she walked down the long hallway to her mother’s hospital room, then paused outside her door to take a long steadying breath . She couldn’t let her mom know there was anything to be worried about. Her mother had raised Ari right; now it was Ari’s turn to take care of her mom.
She slowly opened the door, then sighed with relief to see that her mother was sleeping. It gave Ari more time to think before she had to make conversation. She sat in the lounge chair in the corner and waited for her mom to wake. With the lights turned off and the machines beeping rhythmically, Ari fell quickly asleep no closer to getting answers. She didn’t stir when a nurse came in and covered her up.
*****
“Ari?”
Arianna awoke instantly at the fragile sound of her mother’s voice. It was beautiful, something she’d feared she would never hear again. She couldn’t imagine life without her mother being a part of it.
Ari’s father had walked out on them when she was too young to remember him, and it had been her mom and her ever since. She couldn’t survive without the woman who’d raised her — or at least she wouldn’t want to. Whom would she share her triumphs with, and who would hold her when her heart was broken?
“I’m right here, Mom .” Ari scooted her chair next to her mother’s bed and gently clasped her hand.
“I’m glad, baby. I’m sure I’ve put you through too much worrying already . If I know you, and of course I do, then you’ve been chewing off your nails and stressing out since the accident. It’s my job to take care of you, and I haven’t been doing that these last six months.”
“Mom, it’s my turn to worry about you, not the other way around. I know you told me not to, but I can’t help it. If I hadn’t gone to that stupid party and then called you up in the middle of the night, you never would have been hurt. I know you told me to quit stressing about it, but it’s still eating me alive. I can’t say enough how sorry I am,” she sobbed as she leaned her head down and placed it on their joined hands.
“Arianna Harlow, do you know how upset I’d be with you if you hadn’t called me? I’m your mother, and it’s my job to protect you, watch out for you and ensure your safety. You may be twenty-three now, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t still my little girl. Don’t you know that I would die for you ? There’s nothing a mother won’t do for her child.”
“But I screwed up,” Ari sobbed.
“Ah, sweetheart, you’ve been a perfect child from the moment you came home in my arms. You rarely cried, were respectful, worked hard in school, and were always the dream child. You were living your life, growing up a bit. Don’t let this one small detour end with a roadblock. Must I keep telling you, darling, to live your life to the fullest and achieve your dreams, no matter what happens to me?”
“I don’t know how to do anything without you,” Ari insisted.
“Yes you do. I know
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