Page 263 - It Ends with Us

was wea k in the past, but she ’s actually one of the strong est women I

kno w.
“Mom?” I say, pulling back. “I want to be you when I grow up.”
She laughs and brushes the hair from my face. I can see in the way
she looks at me tha t she’d trade spots with me in a hea rtbea t. She’s
feel ing more pain for me in thi s moment tha n she ev er fel t for
hers el f. “I want to tel l you somet hi ng ,” she says.

She rea ches for my ha nd s again.
“The day you gave your fathe r’s eu logy? I kno w you didn’t freez e
up, Lily. You stood at tha t podium and ref used to say a sing le good
thi ng about tha t man. It was the proudes t I ha ve ev er been of you. You
were the onl y one in my life who ev er stood up for me. You were
strong when I was scared .” A tea r falls from her ey e when she says, “Be
that girl, Lily. Brave and bold.”