Epilogue Part 1

Mae

Two months later

I looked around the bright kitchen and smiled. It was a cold winter day but that wasn’t stopping us from barbecuing out on the covered patio. There were several patio heaters set up to ward off the bulk of the chill, but we would be eating in the attached sunroom. Life was good. My mom was healthy and was going to be spending Christmas with us.

Today’s barbecue was another celebration of her recovery. Five months sober was a big deal. I was trying to stay positive. She was different this time around. She was actually trying. She was getting intensive therapy, and instead of moving home alone, she moved into a house that would support her staying clean.

It was made clear from the very beginning that neither I, nor Patrick would have her living with us. There was still way too much baggage for us to do that. It was too risky in my opinion. She needed to learn to stand on her own two feet without either of us propping her up.

“How is school, dear?” my mom asked Hayde