Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts novel Chapter 528

Meg burst through the door like a whirlwind, immediately pulling Phoebe in for a once-over. Her voice was tinged with worry. “Phoebe, honey, are you alright? Did they take advantage of you?”

Phoebe shook her head, touched by her mother’s concern. Despite being a bit of a nag and stubborn to a fault, her mom clearly adored her. “Don’t fret, Mom. I’m fine, really.” The guys hadn’t laid a finger on her. In fact, she’d turned the tables on them instead.

“It’s all my fault,” Meg lamented. “I should’ve been more protective. I swear, nothing like this is ever happening again.”

Phoebe guided her mother to sit down, noticing she was alone. “Mom, did you come here all by yourself in the middle of the night?”

“No, your dad just got home and came with me. He’s parking the car right now. You know, this neighborhood is lovely, and it’s so close to your company, but finding a parking spot is always a nightmare. Your dad always struggles to find one.”

Phoebe nodded, leaning into her mom and wrapping an arm around her. “Mom, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Meg was taken aback by her daughter’s seriousness. She gently stroked Phoebe’s hair. “What is it you want to talk to me about, sweetie?”

“I want to talk about how I’ve been feeling these past couple of years, and all these blind dates I’ve been going on.” Phoebe let out a weary sigh. She had always smiled through each setup, never fully rebelling except for the occasional grumble, but she’d done a lot of thinking lately and didn’t want to continue like this.

Meg’s eyes lit up. There was a smile of relief spreading across her face. She patted Phoebe’s hand gently. “You’re finally ready to talk about it. Oh, honey, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this day. Have you let go of him?”

She’d always known her daughter held a torch for someone, but Phoebe never mentioned it. Meg suspected it was that college boyfriend, but since Izzy had amnesia, the details were murky. All she knew was that the boy had vanished without a word one day.

Seeing Phoebe remain single as the years ticked by had worried her, prompting the endless blind dates. She hoped Phoebe would meet a promising young man and step out from the shadow of her heartbreak.

“Mom, you knew?” Phoebe was stunned that her mother was aware of her secret heartache, which she thought only Izzy knew about.

Phoebe gazed at her mother, unaccustomed to this gentle side of her. “Aren’t you going to scold me? Call me a fool?”

Meg chuckled, rapping Phoebe lightly on the forehead. “Silly girl, do you really prefer a scolding over a heart-to-heart? I’m your mother, and I hurt for you. Why would I scold you? I understand how tough love can be.”

“I’ve been thinking, and I realize I’ve been a fool, a naive fool,” Phoebe confessed, feeling foolish for waiting on a lost cause for so long.

Meg knew her daughter well; despite her tough exterior, Phoebe internalized her pain. “You needed to come to that realization on your own. If I had been straightforward from the start, would you listen? Sometimes, you need to learn lessons the hard way.”

Phoebe slumped onto the couch. The revelation made her feel both exhausted and strangely liberated. “Mom,” she began, with a note of determination threading her voice. “I’ve already figured it out. I’ve wasted so many years on him, and I’m not going to do it anymore. You know what? Izzy and her flash-married hubby are doing great. Izzy told me that she doesn’t love the guy, and that she isn’t chasing fairy-tale romance, but I’ve seen a smile on her face like never before. Maybe the man I marry doesn’t need to be my soulmate. As long as we’re good companions, that’s enough. Starting from today, I’m going to seriously consider the dates you set up for me. No more brushing them off.”

She leaned into her mother’s embrace, realizing it had been years since they had really sat down and connected like this.