The Forgotten Mother's Vow: Taking Back What's Hers

rolled to a stop i

r and placed her into the wheelchair

s, Isabelle quietly took in th

ding, the place where they had lived before her coma. She hadn't

nto her ear. "Can you smell it? The tulips you planted

the front garden. They stood tall and luminous under th

herself, simply because Kolton had onc

er stopping to question why he liked tulips, even

with a cruel smile, "Isabelle, you don't know yet, do you? Tulips are my favorite flower. Thank you f

.

eached down and snapped the stem of a

spent loving Kolton, but he had

d her up to t

he had chosen everything, right down to

tinctively reached out to press the loc

mp with sweat.

e do it," he

suddenly realized that he had gone so far

h burning in her throat. The

ton leaned in to unlock the door. Just before the lat

way, poised and confident, lik

ists on her lap, the ra

Slept in her bed? Taken her husband? Sto

e moment her eyes landed on Isabelle sitting in

u taking me inside?" I

ly in the mirror on the wall, she saw Kolton

elle quietly stepped aside, allowing Ko

s turned icy as they landed on Joelle

he said sweetly. "Could you ge

sofa. Wait right here," Kolton repl

giving Isabelle the opening she needed. Sh

shed painfully in the frame. She bit down on

flailing like she was reaching blindly. "I tried to c

her, but was caught by Isabelle's franti

. Don't worry. You can't see right now, B

belle caught the flicker o

Emmy? Where are my babies

rn. Right now, she couldn't wait to see them and hold them in h

been her only anchor throu

tly. "They're already asleep. Don't worry, Belle.

her glasses, Isabe

o eager, or Kolton wou

ttered down the staircase. She turned her head instinctively

slippers shuffling quietly against th

broke into tears

wheelchair. He seemed to sense who she might be. His littl

toward Joelle, her eyes

er, but Joelle shook her head firmly. She

oice trembling as she opened her arms toward th

ar. James lingered uncertainly befo

ed her cheek, as though to confirm sh

mommy, and Emmy's too," I

im into her arms, but she held

re than a stranger who had

ke your sister back to your room. Tomorrow after school,

t Isabelle again and again as he

art, can I hold you?" Her voice cracked,

rn back when Kolton said in a f

s expression gentle. "The children lost you

lton was doing this deliberately. He

ng upstairs. Emily glanced back, not at Isabe

ke a blade. She shut her eyes, crushed

but she would never let

n wheeled Isabelle into their b

ad once hung proudly was gone, tossed aside into a co

augh rose

er now that even her phot

to finish some work in the

a calm smil

and the door shut

r a second that he wa

or. Bracing herself against the wall, she forced her frai

felt like

o five agonizing minutes, her body drenched

t of the moon, she saw it-Kolton