Old Olivia wouldn’t be standing here—she’d have left immediately, slamming the door with angry words about how she couldn’t be bought. How this one thing doesn’t change the years of being left behind and forgotten. She would have hurt herself, just to hurt Mom. But now I have too much to gain from my mother doing this. Senior year with Emma. A chance at giving Aiden and me the best shot possible without a thousand miles and nine months between us.

I don’t know why I haven’t said anything. Maybe my mouth is physically incapable of admitting that my mother has done something to help me. I’m broken forever, maybe.

“I know I can’t buy you.” Mom picks up a pen and sets it back down. “I’m not trying to do that. I’m just trying to … make it better from here.” She looks at me and her voice is firm. “And I’m listening.”

I nod, because I don’t know what else to do. This one thing is giving me so much. It feels worthy of more than a thank-you. It feels too big to be held in this little room, too big to be held in my heart.

“Thanks.” I step around the desk, a foot away from my mother, and I want to hug her, but also I’m not sure how. I’ve spent so long being mad at her, resenting her and thinking of ways to hurt her as much as she hurt me; but it feels like all summer has been building to this. I take a step forward and she wraps her arms around me, taking the matter into her own hands.

“Thank you for letting me,” she says, and I can’t hold it in any longer. Tears run down my face and I feel like I’m letting out years’ worth of anger. This doesn’t fix it, it can’t; but it feels like we’re finally stepping onto a new path—one that takes us somewhere other than pain and resentment.

I pull away. “Aunt Sarah said it’s okay?” It’s hard to miss the hurt on my mother’s face, but I’m not trying to hurt her now.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” She gives me a tight smile. “I ran everything by her.” I don’t get the usual comment about how Aunt Sarah isn’t my mother. “I bought the house, so it helps her out too.”

“Wow.”

“I needed a place.” She shrugs. “And this way you can be in your own house.”

“That’s … wow. That’s perfect.”

“Listen.” She pushes her hair behind her shoulders and takes a deep breath. “I know you think I missed out on everything, and maybe I did. Maybe I missed out on all of the best parts—”

“I didn’t—”