Mick was done with his mother. Her manipulation of Heidi became obvious when his cousin bragged about dress shopping. He didn't need to be a female to know it was the job of a mother to shop for wedding gowns with her daughter. The world's worst mother honed in on the job. She and Heidi must have fabricated lies about Trish. Hudson warned them.

When Annette called Trish a whore, he wanted to physically hurt her. The woman couldn't be more wrong. With his boss watching, he had to maintain control.

It took him ten minutes to calm down after they drove away. "I'm sorry. She's awful."

"I know. Mick, I love you." She tried to protect him.

"What did you say about a whore?"

"Can we let it go?"

Mick nodded, but he didn't want to. "I can't believe Heidi was so ruthless in the game. I tried to keep her from you."

"She didn't hurt my hands, so that's what's important."

"I never expected that shitshow. My passive aggressive mother is normal, but not her minion. I wonder how much of my father's money she spent on the dress."

"I doubt she cares. You said money keeps them together."

Mick nodded. "That's my theory. Are you hungry? Should we stop for lunch?"

"No. I'd like to go to either place, yours or mine."

Mick sighed. "You aren't dumping me are you." He felt six and unloved again.

"I'm never leaving you. Te amo. I will fight through the hard times. There is no way I'm losing love again."

Mick wished her past didn't compete with their present. "I'm not leaving you. You can work twenty-four hours a day for weeks and I will miss you, but I'll be waiting to massage your feet when you come home." The guy was a stupid fool.

Trish laughed. "I'm never going to be a resident again."

Her hand rested on his leg, and he took a deep breath. His aggravation with his mother kept him from going completely hard. He would love to lose himself with her body pressed to his, but not until she was ready and definitely not when he was mad at his mother. Since Trish proclaimed her love, he hoped it was coming soon. The night before things got heated, but she received a call about a patient in the emergency room. Because it was already late, he drove her up the street and went home. He had offered to stay so he could drive her home, but she assured him she was fine. Part of loving Trish was giving her the independence she needed and respecting her as a competent surgeon. Those were things he learned about Boston Trish. They had only scratched the surface and held so much back on the island.

They drove in silence. When he looked over she was staring out the window at the cars. Luckily, the traffic on the expressway was moving. It could have been a parking lot. His father always called it the distress-way. The memory warmed him a little. It had been a long time since his father drove them to his cousins. He couldn't remember where else they might have gone. His mother's hatred had wiped out the happy memories of his childhood.

Feeling the need to change his clothes, he drove to his place. Although he wasn't physically dirty, he felt grungy. "If you get a call, I'll drive you over."

She nodded. "I don't want to see Jocelyn or Putty."

"You'll see him at work."

"It's different. We do our jobs and rarely talk."

Mick didn't say it but why did Hunter think he had a chance. Once in his apartment, he changed his shirt into a comfortable sweatshirt, but left his jeans on. The denim hid his erection better, if they cuddled.

After he offered her water, he slumped onto the sofa. "That was awful."

"Yes, but that's not all of it. When I went inside..."

He sat forward. "What did she say to you?"

"Nothing, but I overheard them talking. Mick, this is big."

"What?" He knew there was something they weren't telling him. The reason his father stayed with her. The reason she hated him.

"I don't think she is your mother."

"What? Are you serious?"

She nodded. "I didn't get the entire story. Your aunt said she was supposed to love his son. She said Mike loved Kathy."

"Who is Kathy?"

She shook her head. "I'm not positive, but I think she's your mother."

He whispered. "My mother, but I don't understand." He thought of the sad look his father had. "I don't look like her, even Hudson said I don't."

Trish looked at him. "You look like your father."

"Why would he keep it a secret? Why would he torture me with her? He could have left her." Mick covered his face with his hands. His hand felt wet, and his tears surprised him. He had stopped crying a long time ago. Trish rubbed his back. Eventually, he slowly looked up. Shaking his head, he stood. "I'll be back."

She grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

"To find answers."

"Call your father. Give him a chance before you storm the house."

Mick didn't know if his father would be home. Maybe since Annette was at her sister's for dinner. Had she stayed? Were they all talking about Trish and how he left?

He looked at Trish. "Lori knew all this time. That's why she was apologizing."

Trish nodded. "I think so."

Mick took his phone out and texted his father. We need to talk.

A reply came back quickly. I know. Where are you?

Mick sighed and tapped. My apartment.

I'm on my way.

Mick paced as he waited. Trish's voice drowned out his thumping heart. "I can leave."

"No! Stay! I need you."

"Okay," she whispered, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. They stood swaying for a long time. He felt her love ground him. Whatever the facts, whoever he was, Trish loved him. She was his home, his family. Maybe they sealed their fate on Christmas together. Two lonely souls finding their mate a half a world away.

"Don't leave me."

She clung to him tighter until the buzzer drew them apart. He felt lightheaded as he took out his phone to let his father in. Mick could count on one hand the number of times his father visited. They met at restaurants.

Michael stepped in and looked from his son to Trish. "I'm glad he's not alone."

As soon as Trish took his coat, Mick said, "Tell me about my mother."

His father sunk into a chair. "I loved her very much. We met and knew instantly. She was so smart like you. She taught Calculus at Northeastern. And beautiful. You have her eyes."

"What happened to her?"

He looked at his hands. "A hemorrhage." Trish gasped. "My son was minutes old and my wife was dead. It was awful. I didn't know what to do."

Mick looked at him. "Annette?"

Michael nodded. "We had dated before. She hated Kathy, your mother. Blamed her for stealing me, but it didn't happen that way. We were over when I met her. She offered to help. I knew she wanted me, so I agreed to marry her."

"Why? Why was it a secret?"

"We signed a stupid agreement. She wanted to erase Kathy and be your mother."

Mick laughed. "That's a joke."

Michael nodded. "I'm sorry. She took her hatred out on you. By the time I realized it was too late. I hired nannies, and she fired them. We fought constantly. She refused to let me divorce her."

"Was it about money?"

"Not really. She wanted me and refused to give me up. She convinced me you would hate me if you knew I lied."

Mick shook his head. "I wanted to hate you for leaving me with her."

"The things she did were reportable," Trish said assuredly.

"I know, but then you grew older and I encouraged you to spend time at Tyler's house. You were independent and kept away from her. I found this condo so you would never go back."

Mick couldn't process. It hurt to see his father look weak. "I wish you had gotten an apartment when I was five or every year after. I would have been happy with a babysitter and you. You should never have let her control you."

"Every time I tried to get away, she would threaten me. She adopted you so she could take you. Lori tried to talk sense into her. She tried to protect you."

"Who else knows?"

Michael shook his head. "Lori and Bruce. No one else."

"My grandparents?" Annette's parents died when he was ten.

"They knew but Annette pretended in front of them."

He shook his head. "I only remember feeling hated."

"I loved you and still do."

"Those memories are fleeting, but I refused to let it break me. I know why I traveled the first chance I got."

Michael nodded. "I know too."

"It's a lot to take in."

"I understand, son. Do you want to see pictures of your mother?"

"You have some?"

He nodded. "I have more, but I carry these."

Mick took the snapshots. The old photos were worn from being in his wallet for years. His father looked young with a beautiful dark-haired woman. They were both smiling. In the second one she was alone, standing sideways and very pregnant.

"That was the last picture ever taken of her. Don't think for a minute you killed her."

"I, um." He didn't but if he had learned the truth as a child, he might have.

Trish said, "Medical tragedies happen."

Mick looked at her. "Have you lost a transplant patient?"

"Not one of mine. During my fellowship, we had a child die before an organ was available. Over my career, I've seen death."

"I don't blame anyone, except maybe God. The doctors did what they could."

Mick ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe it. In one day, my biggest dream came true. She's not my mother, but I lost the mother who loved me."

"She loved every moment of her pregnancy. Your mother insisted on calling you Michael."

Mick reviewed everything he thought was true about his childhood. "You were always sad on my birthday. I never understood, because I was happy. We spent the day away from her."

Michael nodded. "You came from love. I failed you but I always loved you."

"I, um, knew you didn't love her and you had affairs."

Michael's face collapsed. "I didn't. I loved your mother and trapped myself in an awful marriage so I deserved to be alone. I used work the way others use drugs or alcohol."

Mick knew he was a workaholic, but what else did he have with his son traveling. "Will you divorce her now?"

"Won't it be a slap in the face?"

"No. I want you to be happy."

"She will fight it, but I no longer have to protect you from the truth. I wasn't a good husband. She thought I would love her, but I couldn't."

"You can afford to give her money. Doesn't she have family money?"

"She grew up wealthy, but didn't receive a large inheritance."

"I thought my money was from my mother. Oh." Mick had a trust fund which he never understood because his cousins only had college funds."

"She had life insurance. I put it in an index fund for you. In the course of your life the index has grown at least ten times."

Mick knew the balance. He would like to use some for a ring, but he wouldn't tell his father in front of Trish.

"Son, I love you. I know you'll have more questions which I promise to answer. Thank you for not hating me."

"I can't hate. I know how it feels."

Michael nodded. "I'm going home to have a conversation with Annette." He turned to Trish. "Take care of him."

Trish nodded. "I will."

Mick crashed back into the sofa. He felt spent and exhausted.

Now Mick knows. Thanks for voting ⭐️