Page 140 of Compulsion
“Yes.”No hesitation.Then, “Lily has a beautiful laugh.”
Magnolia sucked in a breath.She snatched her hand from Atlas.Then that hand pressed to her chest as her stunned gaze flew to Lily.“She…does?”
A nod from Atlas.“I intend to hear that laugh a great deal.”
“Lily doesn’t laugh easily.”She seemed uncertain.The first time Lily could remember her mother being that way.
“I know.”Softer, from Atlas.“But I’m a patient man.”
“Patient,” Magnolia repeated, as if tasting the word.“And what else?What kind of man are you?”
“The kind who will always put Lily first.The kind who doesn’t hesitate to protect what he values most in this world.”
Lily could not take her gaze off them.They seemed like two predators, sizing each other up.Perhaps…even reaching some sort of truce?
“What do you value most?”Magnolia wanted to know.
“Lily.”
A broad smile curved Magnolia’s face.“Tell me, do you believe in soulmates?”
Atlas turned his head toward Lily.His eyes were on her.His entire focus, seemingly only on her.“I believe in Lily.”
Those words sank into her.Filled her.The ice inside wasn’t there.No more hollow aches.She felt warmth and joy and hope.
Hope that her life could be so much more than it had been before.That she could be accepted.Fully.Always.That she would love—and be loved in return.
“You don’t think…” Magnolia’s considering voice.“You don’t think that’s she’s broken?That she needs to be fixed?”
“There’s nothing broken about her.Never has been.Never will be.”
A pleased laugh spilled from Magnolia.“Well, aren’t you just delightful?Just…delightful.”
He glanced back at her mother.
Just in time to catch the deliberate flutter of Magnolia’s lashes.“And here I thought you were some big, bad monster…”
“I am.”
If possible, her smile stretched even more.“I am going tolikeyou.”
“That thrills me to no end,” Atlas told her.“Because I hear that when you don’t like men, bad things happen to them.”
Magnolia laughed again.
And Lily realized…
She and her mother had the same laugh.
Epilogue 2
Epilogue Two – The Diary
Dear Diary,
Is it silly to start my entry this way?Dear Diary…as if I am a teenage girl, no, a pre-teen, scribbling away all my secrets to you.But I don’t know how else to start, and it’s my diary, after all, so…I’ll write whatever I want.And today I want to say…
I don’t know what it means to be happy.Everyone else seems so happy.All the time.I can smile like them.I can laugh.But I don’t feel happy.In fact…
