It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

There may come a day when I officially introduce Atlas to my mother, and
I don’t want her to know him from my past or she might feel mortified.
“Just someone I met. It’s early. But…” I sigh and kick the ground again to
give us another small push. “Ryle found out, and he isn’t happy.”
My mother winces, like she knows all too well what he isn’t happy
implies.
“He came by this morning, and his reaction was scary. I panicked,
thinking he was going to show up at your place to get her, so I didn’t want
you to be home.”
“What did he do?”
I shake my head. “I’m not hurt. It’s just been a while since I’ve seen that
side of him, so I’m a little shaken, but I’m okay.” I kiss Emmy on top of her
head. I’m surprised to feel a tear skating down my cheek, so I quickly wipe it
away. “I just don’t know what to do about his visits now. I almost wish
something would have happened so I could have reported him this time. But
then I feel like an awful mother for thinking that way about her father.”
My mother reaches over and squeezes my hand. It makes my swing come
to a still, so I twist until we’re facing her. “No matter what you decide to do,
you are not an awful mother. Precisely the opposite.” She releases my hand
and grips the chains, staring at Emmy. “I admire the choices you’ve made for
her. Sometimes I get sad that I couldn’t be that strong for you.”
I immediately shake my head. “You can’t compare our situations, Mom. I
had a lot of support that enabled me to make the choice I made. You had no
one.”
She gives me a sad, appreciative smile. Then she leans back and kicks at
the ground to give herself a little shove. “Whoever he is, he’s a lucky guy.”
She glances over at me. “Who is he?”
I laugh. “No, you don’t. I’m not talking about him to you until he’s a forsure
thing.”
“He already is a for-sure thing,” she says. “I can see it in your smile.”
We both look up at the same time when it starts sprinkling. I tuck Emmy
under my chin and we begin to head back toward the parking lot. My mother
kisses Emmy before I put her in the car seat. “I love you. Gamma loves you,
Emmy.”
“Gamma?” I ask. “Last week it was Nannie.”
“I still haven’t settled on one yet.” My mother kisses me on the cheek and
then rushes to her car.