Page 77 of Rescuer
Mia stepped past her mother and entered the perfectly kept house she’d grown up in. Still no warmth in it. She didn’t regret escaping.
Spinning, she confronted her mother. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Carol Turner’s made-up face didn’t look any paler, but Mia was pretty sure her mother had just blanched.
“T-tell you what?” Carol responded. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But the quaver in her words told a different story.
“You know what I mean. Blaine Turner isn’t my father. I have a half brother and a half sister out there. Were you ever planning on telling me?”
Carol sank onto a chair. “I didn’t think you’d ever find out.”
“I met my sister. She told me about you and her dad, Tim.”
“You don’t understand.” Her mom glanced toward the window. “There was still a stigma attached to unwed pregnant girls. My parents were ashamed of me. They gave me two options. Go away and give the baby up, or marry someone they chose. I chose you.”
Mia’s chest constricted. She’d never felt her mother’s love because they’d been so smothered by Blaine’s control. But had it been there all along?
A door opened and Blaine Turner, someone she definitely did not want to see, stalked into the room.
“Maria. Some secrets are better left in the dark.” A pleasant smile accompanied his words, but his tone was icy. She’d heard that tone all her life. He was in a rage.
Mia stood slowly and faced him. “Oh? You mean secrets like telling my boyfriend I’d had an abortion when you knew I hadn’t? And practically kicking him out of my life? Secrets like that?”
“That boy was no good for you. We had a reputation to maintain. One you nearly destroyed.”
She shot a quick glance at her mom. Carol looked composed, but Mia could see she was nervous. While Blaine wouldn’t stoop to physical violence, he had a mean streak that went bone deep. Even as a child, she’d recognized it and avoided being alone with him when he was in a mood.
Today, however, she refused to cower. This was something that affected her life directly. “I think I have a right to know about my parentage. It’s my business too. Wouldn’t you agree? After all, what if I needed some kind of medical treatment and Mom wasn’t a match?”
His complexion grew mottled, and his mouth tightened. “Careful. I raised you as my own. You had the best of everything.”
But not love.
Out loud, she said, “I always wondered why you never seemed to want me around. I guess now I know.”
“You were a mutt.”
Suddenly, she realized she and her mother had something in common. When Mia had gotten pregnant, he’d gone ballistic. If she hadn’t had a miscarriage, she doubted she’d have been allowed to remain at home. What would he have done?
A small bit of compassion for her mom crept in.
“Why help me now?” she asked, truly confused. “You said you were talking to the school board to get me reinstated. Why?”
“I can’t believe I have to explain this. You mean nothing, but your actions still reflect on me.”
Her mom made a noise in protest. When he turned his glare on her, she flinched, pressing her back against the chair.
“I’m starting up a campaign for the open Senate seat. I plan on announcing my race in November. I can’t exactly have my daughter, whether she’s biologically mine or not, being fired. I will not let you affect my reputation. Which means as much as we both might hate it, no one should ever know that you aren’t mine.”
She’d had enough and walked toward the door. She wouldn’t get anywhere with him around.
“Maria, I also want you to stay away from that Stewart boy. He got you in trouble before. I have my eyes on you.” He marched from the room.
Mia turned to her mother. Carol sat on her chair, silently weeping. Mia squatted next to her and gently put her arms around her. When her mother leaned into her instead of pushing her away, she tightened her grip.
“Mom.”
Carol jerked. “You never call me mom.”
