Book 2 -39-

[I Will Make You Pay]

SIERRA

“Would it be inappropriate for me to express how proud I am of you? Not for what you’re doing, of course. I cannot, in good conscience, be proud of you committing murder. Under no circumstances,” she announced.

“Mom, I know this makes you sad. Given what you went through, I’m not mad. I’m grateful.”

She cupped my face and kissed my forehead. “You couldn’t possibly understand how proud I am to be your mother; despite I didn’t raise you.”

The conveyed sadness in her voice was unmistakably real. It broke my heart. I wasn’t a mother. Not yet, at least. But I didn’t need to be a mother to see she was hurting. This couldn’t be easy for her, knowing all the milestones she never got to witness, including my first step, first word, first laugh, and even my first crush.

I wished to show her those firsts. Perhaps it’d help a little. It wouldn’t be the same as witnessing them firsthand. However, should it not count for something?

That was when it hit me. There