The Sweetest Victory - Intertwined Series

Chapter Twenty-Nine | You're not alone ...

The next morning, Victory decided she'd sorted out one mess in her life, and now the time had come to bridge the rift with her and Niobe. While Gage slept, Victory busied herself in the kitchen. She'd told him of the importance of food providing comfort, and that was what she hoped to inspire with a loaf of rum soaked pound cake and chocolate macaroons.

The Fairmont was arguably the grandest hotel in all of Toronto, the lobby carrying the opulence of a forgotten era with old world charm and elegance of polished brass, crisp marble and antique furnishings. She rode the elevator up to the twelfth floor and knocked outside of Suite 1202.

Even though it was early, Victory knew Niobe would be awake and counted down from ten before the door opened just shy of hitting three. She was still dressed in silken pajamas, top and bottoms of dove grey with candy pink stripes and matching buttons. But her eyes were bright and clear and slightly annoyed.

Niobe shifted those irritated eyes up, down and barely raised a brow.

"I come in peace?" Smiling, Victory raised her tray of goodies and counted down another ten seconds before Niobe conceded, holding the door open so she could step inside.

"Sam's on set. Filming." Niobe explained, her tone dry. "What do you want, Victory?"

Victory sighed, Putting down the tray of baked goods on the side table. Hearing the use of her proper name from Niobe's lips never boded well.

"Can we talk? Please?"

Shaking her head, Niobe jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "Five minutes." She muttered then stomped away leaving Victory to trail behind her into the heart of the suite where Niobe flopped into the middle of the couch, sending a very clear message. Don't sit down, don't get comfy. Say what needs to be said, than leave. Wringing her hands, Victory looked at her best friend and hoped it wasn't too late.

"I wanted you to know...I've told Gage. Everything. About Derek, my financial troubles, Momma—All of it."

"Wow." Niobe's brows popped up with genuine surprise. "That's something."

"I want to apologize." She pressed on; taking a chance, she sat next to Niobe on the couch. "I'm sorry for—"

"Stop," Niobe interrupted with a raise of her hand. "I should be the one apologizing."

"No, Bee, it's my fault. For always being late and—"

"Please, Vee, let me say this." Although the delivery was abrupt, her voice held more sorrow than it did snarl. "I wasn't really angry with you for not being...available. Annoyed, yes, but I understood you had demands. It's just as things went on with planning the wedding, seeing Aubrey and Ed...all I could think was I'd never have this with my mom. And not just this," she huffed, slapping her hands down in her lap. "But when I'm pregnant, or raising kids and need help. Advice.

"I can't ask her what things were like for her at my age. She'll never tell me those funny little stories about her foray into motherhood. I'll never learn her recipe for 'Feel good' soup she would make when Paul and I were sick. Or dad's trifle we had every Christmas. I can't remember the damn words to that little nursery rhyme they sang when I was scared of the dark." Angrily, she dashed away a tear from her cheek, but more came, and they quickly filled the wavering notes in her voice.

"Those traditions—legacies—died with my parents."

Victory's heart seized and bled as tears she didn't even know she was shedding splattered against the back of her hand.