The Legend of the Eight: The Charmed (Book 4)

29: The Sharp Edges of a Love Triangle

TWENTY-NINE: THE SHARP EDGES OF A LOVE TRIANGLE
NOVEMBER 6
CHLOE LAWSON

"MOM, PLEASE LOOK AT ME." 

It pained Chloe to say those words, sitting on the floor of the laundry room in Damon's building, staring at her mother's face on an iPad screen. She was seventeen minutes deep into an overdue FaceTime call with her mother, which stretched across Realms to connect the mother-daughter duo. And while Chloe was sitting on the floor with her back against a spinning washing machine and a bottle of Tide at her feet, her mother was on the deck of their sunny LA home, lips pressed into a fine line.

On the screen, Vera Lawson looked sleek and poised—exactly as she always did. She was still in her Lululemon attire from her Soul Cycle class and her ice blue eyes were fixated on something off screen—probably so she didn't have to look at Chloe.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, it just... It did. And I'm sorry. I really am but Mom, I need you right now. I need my mom."

Vera blinked and her eyes found Chloe's. Tiny tears formed in the corners and her chin quivered because she was only moments away from crying.

"I am so disappointed in you, Chloe Marie. You were supposed to be better—to do better. You weren't supposed to make the mistakes that I did." She quickly apologized. "Sorry. Not that having you was a mistake, but if I could've done it when I was older..."

"I know," Chloe said, fighting her own tears. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry."

"And the father? What about him? What does he have to say for himself?"

"He doesn't know. I didn't tell him."

"You didn't—You didn't tell him?"

"We were never together, Mom. We never dated. We just—"

"You just had unprotected sex at the school you begged me to send you to."

Chloe nearly vomited, though that could have been the morning sickness.

"I know and I'm sorry!" she yelled into the iPad. She'd probably apologized fifteen times during the call and it still didn't feel like it was enough. "I'm sorry, Mom. I don't know what to say. I'm sorry!"

Vera sighed and rubbed her forehead like she always did whenever she was trying to figure out what to say. Chloe had seen that a million times before but usually it was when her mom was dealing with things at work. As an attorney, there were many times Vera found herself sitting at the kitchen table, holding her forehead and reading over a case. But this was different. She wasn't frustrated at a client or angry with a case. She was disappointed in her daughter.

"Well, first thing's first," Vera said after a breath. "You need to get yourself back to school. The best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is graduate on time."

Chloe nodded, surprised by her mother's sudden change of tone.

"And you'll need good prenatal care. I'm going to give Dr. Martin a call—he's one of the best in the Realm so he'll take care of you. And if you haven't already, pick up prenatal vitamins. They can be a little hard on your stomach so be sure to eat with them. And Chlo?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow, anxiously awaiting what her mother had to say next.

"In case—" She stopped to sniffle. "—In case you haven't heard it yet, you're going to be okay. I know this is a scary and overwhelming time but you will handle this with grace." She smiled. "You always do."