Gael took Angela home after taking one last look at the older woman who called her Kylie. The woman calling her by her second name reminded him of when he first brought her to New York and teased her that he should start calling her Kylie. But she didn't seem to like the idea.
'Don't. I don't answer to that name. No one calls me by that name… Except for…'
It didn't take a genius to know the older woman was Angela's mother. They looked pretty much alike. He then realized that Angela was talking about her when she refused to be called by her second name.
It had only been a few days since Angela opened up to him about her mother when she hadn't talked much about her in the past. She even mentioned the woman this morning. How strange was it to suddenly meet her at the library of all places—and today of all times?
It was almost as if something prepared Angela for this. Like some sort of premonition shit or whatever the fuck that was. He could have also brought her to the library some other time, but something just tugged at him to bring her there today to fulfill his promise. At least that's one promise to her he didn't break—athough it sort of ended unfortunately for her.
Shouldn't Angela be happy to see her mother, though? Granted, the woman left their family when she was a child. And the latter's reaction earlier looked like she was deeply hurt.
Angela hadn't spoken since they left the library. In the backseat of Gael's Escalade, she stared into space and didn't even realize she was clenching her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white. He gently inserted his hand between hers, pushing it through until he interlaced their fingers together. She loosened her tight grip and let him hold her hands. His hand remained sandwiched between her slightly trembling ones.
Seeing that she was still in shock, Gael allowed her to process her thoughts. He didn't ask or say anything and merely kept her close to him as they rode back home. As they reached the building, he walked her up to his apartment without forcing her to talk. "Home" as she called it, his apartment. A sense of relief washed over him, liking that she began to call his place her home.
Though she might not be aware that they were already home as he helped her out of her coat and shoes.
Angela climbed on the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest and then resting her chin on them. Gael drew the curtains close to darken the entire area, thinking that she wanted a peaceful surrounding. Usually, dimming up the room would create that atmosphere.
He crouched next to her and examined her face. A crease formed between her brows as she stared at nothing in particular. He could only guess that she was recalling what happened back there.
Gael grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen and then set it on the coffee table in front of the couch before he sat next to her, stroking her leg. "Hey… Do you need anything? Want me to make you something?"
She shook her head, but she still didn't say anything. He hated that she was keeping it to herself—whatever she was thinking or feeling. Gael didn't like that she was hiding from him. This barrier she set up between them was so high. He was willing to climb it and get over to the other side to reach her. But what good would that do if he reached the top, only to find that there was a lock, and she swallowed the key, refusing to let him in?
Fuck that.
There was no way he would let her suffer alone. She was no longer by herself. She had him.
It didn't matter if the wall was so high or that there was a lock. He'd fucking break that lock and barge inside like he owned the goddamn place.
She wasn't allowed to be by herself. He wouldn't allow that. Whether she liked it or not, he would plant himself next to her on the other side of that fucking wall. Then he'd lock it—lock them inside—so there would only be the two of them.
Inching closer, Gael placed two fingers under her chin and lifted until she met his eyes. He held her gaze and told her, "Baby, talk to me. Don't shut me out."
Angela's chin wobbled, and she fought the urge to cry. Again. He hated when she did that. 'Just cry, damn it. You don't have to prove you're strong to me. I already know you are.'
Letting out a sigh, he tugged her to him, and she didn't resist as he placed his arms around her, shifting her sideways so that she was half-sitting on his lap and still sitting on the couch. "Tell me what happened. Don't bottle it up inside. It's not good for you."
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she told him about how she first heard two women behind her. She didn't mind it at first until she listened to the woman's voice that reminded her so much about the past. Her mother's voice sounded so familiar that she could recognize it anywhere, even after not having heard of it for two decades.
"And then…" she hesitated. "When I finally saw her, it felt like I was a child again. She didn't see me right away, you know? She was still smiling…the same smile she used to give me back then… Only now, she was…smiling at…at…"
A warm, gentle thumb brushed under her eye, and that's when she realized that a tear had escaped. Her breathing hitched as the images from earlier assaulted her mind. She suddenly felt pissed and sad and furious and confused all at the same time. "She has a daughter…"
Gael drew his brows together. A daughter? Everything happened so fast earlier, he didn't notice there was another woman. He was usually more observant about their surroundings, but when he laid eyes on Angela's mother, he didn't see anyone else. That and also because he was so worried about Angela.
"And then she saw me… Then her smile fell. What is she doing here in New York anyway? Has she always lived here? Does Dad know? Does Oli? Do they know she has another…daughter? It's like…a whole different world, and I'm suddenly an alien."
Angela was clearly having a hard time trying to wrap her brain around what she just discovered. He tucked her hair behind her ear and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Do you want me to find that out?"
She swung her gaze to him, her brows furrowing deeper as she contemplated. "Find what?"
"Anything about her. What she does, where she lives, if she has a family… Whatever you want."
"How?"
"I know a guy."
Angela pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, unsure of how to answer him.
He gently brushed his knuckles on her cheek and told her, "You don't have to if you don't want to. I just want to help you in any way I can. Whatever it is, you can tell me what you want to do. I'll make it happen."
She leaned into his touch and wrapped her arms around his back, nuzzling against his chest and inhaling his scent. "Thank you. I'll think about it. For now, I think I need to call Oliver."
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