Just a few more chapters and a couple time jumps left.

A week later Allison and Asher made their way into the small coffee shop to meet Michelle.

"Ready," Allison asked, squeezing Asher's hand.

"No," Asher admitted.

"We will leave when you're ready," Allison promised, "you tell me and we'll leave."

"We have to do this," Asher said.

"We do," Allison agreed.

Michelle saw them and waved. Asher took a deep breath and led Allison over.

"Mom," Asher said, seeing her for the first time in 5 or 6 years.

"Asher," Michelle beamed, standing to hug him, "Allie."

"It's been a while," Allison said.

"It's been two long," Michelle agreed, "I haven't met your baby boy. I don't even know his name or when he was born, I haven't seen a picture."

"Andrew Leo Blouin," Asher replied, "7 pounds 4 ounces at birth. July 12th , he was two and a half weeks early."

"You're okay," Michelle asked, "he's okay?"

"He's great," Allison smiled, "happy and healthy."

"Everly," Michelle asked.

"Loving fifth grade," Asher replied, "adjusting well to the idea of middle school."

"Her mobility," Michelle asked, they could see it was a genuine question.

"She'll always have challenges," Allison replied, "but she's pretty independent."

"Mom you didn't have us meet you to catch up," Asher cut to the chase, "what happened with dad?"

"You dad was cheating," Michelle said, "he has a whole other family and has for about 8-10 years. There's other kids."

"I have more siblings," Asher asked.

"I haven't told your siblings that yet," Michelle said, "I don't know what I want to do with it yet. You can choose for yourself."

"How did you," Asher asked.

"Your uncle John," Michelle said, "my brother Allison. Had seen your dad visiting a house in his neighbourhood and then Tessa was asked to babysit by the woman and recognized your dad and heard the kids calling him daddy. So John told me and I confronted your dad. He wanted to do counselling but it was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"He hit all of us," Asher replied.

"He did," Michelle agreed, "and I didn't stop it. I was told it wasn't my place to interfere with how he disciplined you. He's a drunk and a cheater. I've gone to the church conference and reported everything. He'll be removed and asked to step down. He won't be a pastor again."

"Mom it's too late," Asher snapped, "you didn't protect us and you didn't protect Everly. I've spent a lot of time in therapy the last ten years deconstructing everything that happened and getting to a good place so I can be a good dad for my kids. I will not repeat dad's mistakes and I've gotten the help to do so. You tried to force our marriage when we were in highschool then couldn't support us when we were ready to get married."

"I never agreed with your dad about marriage at 17," Michelle replied, "I wanted you two to get to know each other and decide together what was right. I will admit I wasn't pleased you two were intimate so young and unprotected."

"All parents and older siblings were upset about the unprotected part," Allison replied, "I was disappointed in myself and it took a long time to forgive myself for that. You and Mark said things about Everly's CP being a punishment for being so you and not married. You told us it was my fault because of my mistakes. You sat there and agreed with Mark."

"I know," Michelle replied, "I did. I was trapped by an abusive man. I see it now and have a counsellor."

"What about," Asher asked.

"Eden is with me at grandmas," Michelle replied, "she's the last one still under age. Your siblings all left as soon as they could, they just got out and left and I get it."

"Why now," Allison asked, "why not before."

"Because I didn't see a way out," Michelle replied, "I didn't remember I had a choice to stay. I don't have the education you do Allison. You're a surgeon, your mother is a surgeon you were raised with that expectation. I have a one year diploma in early childhood, I was raised to be a wife and a mother, I wasn't raised with choices or expectations that I would be anything more, that I could be. The first time I met your mom she intimidated me, probably still does."

"Mom," Allison asked.

"Your mom is a strong woman Allison," Michelle said, "you don't realize it because she raise you, it's your normal. Your mom, aunt, sister are tough cookies."

"Annie is not tough," Allison laughed, "shes the biggest softee in the family."

"But that shaped you and I wish my girls had that example," Michelle replied, "I know it's you who convinced Sierra to go to school and get her accounting."

"We were surprised when she chose accounting but school was good," Asher said, "and working for herself she's with all those kids."

"Their 4 is a lot," Michelle agreed, "will you have more?"

"We haven't decided," Allison replied, "Andy was a c-section so I need a couple years at least for my safety."

"You said he was early,"Michelle asked, "was something wrong?"

"I went into labour early but we always planned for a c-section," Allison replied, "I wanted control over it this time, it was scheduled for 10 days after he was born."

"Dad," Asher asked, "are we safe? Are our kids safe?"

"He's driven past your house fairly often for a couple years but hasn't seen you," Michelle said, "when did you move?"

"We bought when Allison graduated three years ago," Asher replied, "only Mitch has our address. We see a lot of his family but the others don't try with us. They don't care for Everly."

"We all have a lot to work out," Michelle said, "I would like to have all of you kids and your spouses for dinner and talk. I know you two don't trust me with your kids at all and Mitch only lets me see his with him and Sierra present. I know I have to earn your trust. I let your dad abuse you and I stood by and watched that."

"You did," Asher said, "and I need time to forgive it. Mom how could you watch dad hit me with a belt, throw me down the stairs, break my ribs and not say something?"

"He broke your ribs," Michelle gasped, "he told me you were being a brat and I believed him."

"When I fell a few years ago the old breaks showed on the x-rays," Asher replied, "we were your children. How do you watch us hurt like that but now it's a problem?"

"I know," MIchelle said, "I'm working it out. I don't have an answer for you Asher. I know I hurt you most. Kicking you out how we did, when we did was wrong. I should have stopped your dad."

"It worked out," Allison offered.

"But you two were 17," Michelle said, "we were the adults. If it was Everly in a few years."

"We would do what Allie's parents did," Asher replied, "he might be sleeping in the attic but we would make it work."

"I would like to see your house," Michelle said.

"Too soon," Allison declared, "Asher and I will come to you. We will meet you in public places but our home we're not ready for."

"I doubted you two," Michelle admitted, "I thought you would cave to your dad Asher. But your the only one who saw through it all."

"I didn't until I saw how Owen treats all of us," Asher replied, "when his reaction was to show me the room I could sleep in and the bathroom I was to use. When they sat my down and laid out their house rules and expectations. I had chores there from day one but it wasn't nearly as bad as dad put on me. I kept my room and bathroom, tidy common areas, help make one dinner a week, help clean up dinner, and I did yard work until we moved out Allison and I kept the whole yard."

"You did," Michelle said, "why?"

"I love to garden," Allison replied, "I still keep one at our house and have fruit trees, berry bushes, a veggie plot and flower beds. I teach the kids to garden. I learned from my nana to make jam and pickles. I freeze a lot of the fruit for the winter, all of the kids apple sauce I make from the trees in our yard, my parents and my sisters. My mom still bakes everything but bread from scratch and I learned from her. Annie is an amazing cook and taught me some of our family favourites. We had some tight years but our family has always been fed healthy food."

"I know we didn't always feed you kids well," Michelle admitted, "I wanted to get a real job away from the church and your father's control so many times but he wouldn't let me. He was embarrassed that I even suggested it. And you kids lost out, I knew that but I was trapped. I didn't know how to get out or what reason to give."

"The abuse," Asher snapped, "mom you chose to stay."

"Asher," Allison cut him off, "I think you're both feeling some mixed feelings right now. Maybe we should go and finish this another time."

"No," Michelle argued, "he's right. I should have left when he was 5 or 6 and things started getting bad. I had no money, no access to money beyond what he gave me for groceries and kids clothes even then it was never what we needed. Eventually i gave up but hearing he has a whole other family, that he has other kids I couldn't anymore. I got a job, a real job for the first time since I was 21."

"Where are you working," Allison asked.

"I'm still in a daycare but it's a real salary and not a stipend paid to your dad," Michelle replied, "my sister helped me rent a place. I'm figuring it out. My job has benefits and I can actually go to the dentist."

"I'm happy for you," Allison smiled, "Michelle we know this can't be easy for you. Theres a lot of hurt on our side and not just Asher and I, our kids as well. I don't know how fast we are prepared to let you in. I understand that this was an abusive situation and we will support you in leaving Mark. I know Mark played a lot of games with you and had a lot of control. There are resources and programs I can get you connected with to help. There's free legal help to do the divorce or a restraining order, it's your choice but I can get you the information."

"Stop going into doctor mode," Asher told Allison.

"It's the only way I know how to do this," Allison replied, "babe you don't see what I do at work and I don't tell you even a quarter of what I hear and see with my patients."

"What type of doctor are you," Michelle asked.

"Paediatric orthopaedic surgeon," Allison replied, "I see kids and their moms come in with injuries and help get them resources and connected to the social worker all the time. I can help that way now. We're not well off and don't have a ton of extras yet, I'm still training. We will help where and how we can."

"What about Dad," Asher asked.

"I don't know if he'll try to contact you," Michelle said, "I doubt it. You leaving then not coming back and begging him for forgiveness was a blow to his ego."

"His forgiveness," Asher barked, "what about ours. We were 17, we were children, I was terrified and you abandoned me. I had no clue how to be a partner or a parent and you didn't even answer my calls. You gave up on me. I had to figure it out on my own because I was scared to talk to Owen. he would have been supportive but how could I tell him I was scared when they expected me to support Allie and Ev? I had no one who was just worried about me. I stopped being any ones child when you walked away."

"I hear you," Michelle whispered with tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry for how I handled that. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Asher mumbelled, "we should go the kids are with Allie's aunt and she works later."

"We should relive Meg," Allison agreed, "little man will need to be fed."

"It was good to see both of you," Michelle said, "call me and we can talk some more Asher?"

"I will," Asher agreed, "it was good to see you mom."

Allison and Asher stood and made their way out of the coffee shop.