My Hockey Alpha by Eve Above Story PDF

Chapter 0629

Nina

With a deep breath, I made my way up the grand staircase and down the hall toward my mother's room. The sounds of my footsteps were muffled by the intricate carpet that lined the hallway, and the house was oddly quiet. It seemed as though the major preparations for the party had finished for the day, or perhaps it just felt quieter because of my own anxiety. When I stopped in front of the large wooden door, I hesitated for a moment, biting my lip.

My mother and I had always had a strained relationship growing up. It wasn't until recently, when the truth finally came out about my biological family, that it started to make sense. We were always trying to reconcile it, trying to get to know each other better, but sometimes it felt like we would take two steps forward and one step back.

But finally, I steeled my nerves and raised my hand.

I knocked gently on the door, the sound echoing softly in the hallway. A moment later, my mother's voice called out from inside, "Come in."

Pushing open the door, I found my mother sitting in the plush armchair by the window, her gaze fixed on the outside world. The setting sun cast the room in an amber glow,

illuminating her blonde hair. She looked lost in her thoughts, and I hesitated in the doorway for a moment before stepping inside.

"Hey, mom," I said cautiously.

She turned her head to look at me, her expression still filled with frustration. "Nina," she said, her voice still carrying a note of disappointment from earlier. "Do you need something?"

I approached her slowly, choosing my words carefully. "...I wanted to talk about earlier,"I said softly.

the view through the window. "Talk,

careful with Tyler. You're right, I shouldn't have taken such a risk. I.. forget sometimes that he's still

still upset, and I couldn't blame her. Tyler had been through so much with his illness, and I really

her chair and walked over to me, pulling me into a tight hug. I could feel

voice barely more than a whisper. "He was so sick for so long, and it's not easy for me to look at him and not see that

my eyes. "I guess I never thought about it that way," I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for not seeing things from her perspective sooner. "I was just trying to make him feel better

"I know you were just trying to help, honey. I'm sorry for yelling at you the

always been strained, and it was going to take a lot of work to repair the damage that had been done over the years. But at the end of the

think I'll be a bad mom?" I suddenly asked, my voice trembling. The words poured out like

brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "No, I don't really think

"But I think it's true," I muttered. "... I don't

shoulders, pulling me close.

so lost sometimes," I whispered. "I feel like I'm never in control, even when

a soft smile. "You're not crazy, and it's normal to

sniffled, locking up at her. "You

yes. I was a nightmare when I was pregnant with him. One moment I was crying, the next I was angry, and the next I was eating a whole pint of ice cream and a

couldn't help but chuckle through my tears. "I hope I don't have those cravings." I paused, cringing at the thought of pickles and ice cream. "But... I've definitely been feeling a little out of sorts recently," I

Just remember, sweetie, it's okay to feel this way," she said gently. "And it's okay to ask for help when you need it.