The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 35

“If you don’t take anything, how will you survive? Are you going to live here at Stella’s forever? She might be your best friend, but you’re still living off her charity. And if you’re going to be dependent on someone, you might as well be dependent on Jamie.”

Seeing Suzie’s lack of response, Margaret assumed her heartfelt plea was working. With renewed patience, she continued through her sobs, “I’m looking out for you. Just swallow your pride and apologize to Jamie. I’ve been around, and I can tell that boy really cares about you. There must be some kind of misunderstanding between you two.”

Suzie looked down at her mother’s tear-streaked face. Looking out for her? More likely, Margaret was terrified that her son and daughter would lose their funding for school abroad, their futures ruined.

And Jamie cared about her? If he cared, would she have had to go to the hospital alone when she felt unwell? If he cared, would he have defended another woman right in front of her? If he cared, would he have been the one to demand a divorce?

Only she knew how cold and lonely her life in the Baylor family had truly been.

When Suzie remained silent, Margaret pressed on. “You don’t believe me?”

She pulled a card from her pocket and placed it on the table in front of Suzie. “This black card is from Jamie. If he didn’t care about you, would he be worried about your finances? And look at that enormous, luxurious walk-in closet he built for you.”

“You told me all those clothes were just samples from his company, but when I took them to be sold, the dealers told me they were all limited editions. And some of those handbags… you couldn’t buy them even if you had the money. It broke my heart to sell them, honestly, but what could I do? I needed the cash.”

“You’re the eldest, and you married into a wealthy family. But your brother and sister’s futures aren’t secure yet! Your father and I can’t possibly afford their expenses abroad. Maybe you don’t understand me now, but when you have children of your own, you’ll see. A mother will do anything for her children.”

Margaret shifted seamlessly from righteous indignation to profound sorrow, then to pitiful vulnerability. If Suzie didn't know her mother’s true nature, she might have actually been fooled by this performance of a devoted parent.

“My child, I know I’ve failed you in so many ways. Ever since you were little, I know most of my attention went to your brother and sister. But that was only because they had such a rough start in life. Especially your brother—he spent so long in the ICU just to survive. A mother’s heart always goes out to the weaker child.”