In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 49

Vince tensed for a second, but with a renewed purpose, walked towards her with me in tow, and grabbed her other hand in his. He was still filled with nerves, but he was slowly relaxing, as he sat down next to her.

"Mom," he said gently, as he squeezed her hand. "Mom, I'm here."

Her eyes squinted, before opening, revealing the brown gentle eyes I had seen before. When she turned to glance towards Vince, she let out a sharp gasp, her lips trembling in disbelief. "Oh," she let out. "My baby boy."

Had it not been for Vince holding my hand, It almost felt like I was intruding on this tender moment. "Mom," Vince breathed out like a burden he had been carrying for so long.

A couple of tears fell from her eye as she reached out a tender hand towards Vince's face. He leaned into the touch. She glanced toward Xavier, before squeezing their hand. "My boys."

"I've brought Vinny this time, mum," Xavier said with a smile. I chuckled at the nickname before their mom looked toward my direction, then looking between the two of them curiously. "This is Simon. He's-"

"My mate," Vince interrupted, shocking me and Xavier. He had just-

He squeezed my hand, pulling it to rest on the sheets beside her. "He's my mate, mom."

It was uncomfortably silent, as I stared at the side of his head, wondering if maybe I had just been hallucinating it all. But Xavier's look of shock confirmed it.

"Oh," she sighed, before looking at me earnestly, studying me. She looked back at Vince with a soft gaze. "Oh, he's beautiful, dear."

I gave her a slight smile, but I really wanted to turn Vince around, to see what kind of expression he was wearing. To know if he knew what he was telling her, and what kind of reaction he was having. He didn't say anything, but his grip on my hand only tightened, and I couldn't tell if that was a good thing.

"He's perfect, Vince." She patted our intertwined hands, as she continued to look at Vince like she was afraid he'd vanish for years again. "You protect him now. You hear me? Take care of him, my dear boy."

Vince patted her hand, before leaning forward, using his other hand to place a loose strand of gray hair behind her ear.

"I will," he said into her hair, kissing her forehead before pulling away. "I will, mom."

---

"I told her I hated her," Vince said after a moment in the dark, his back still turned towards me as we laid in bed. "Called her a terrible mother."

"Vince-"

"I told her about you," Vince said softly, the soft moonlight illuminating the space between us. "Eight years ago. She was the first person I ever admitted it to."

He turned onto his back, staring mindlessly at the ceiling. "She called me crazy. Told me I was a fool for doing that, for hurting you like that. Called me a monster, pathetic, you name it for doing something so rash, for something so evil."

I wasn't sure what to say, so I took in the sight of his face. It was rare to see him this vulnerable for once. From earlier at the hospital to now, it was a side of him I never thought I'd see.

"She told me I was wrong. That I was supposed to accept you, take care of you," he whispered before turning towards me, his eyes filled with sadness. "To love you."

I blinked, not even sure if I had heard him right. No, it was probably my imagination.

"I called her a hypocrite," he continued before I could respond. "I told her that she didn't love dad, didn't love us. That she wouldn't have done those things if she really loved us. She wouldn't have picked favorites, wouldn't have doted on Xavier more, wouldn't have completely abandoned us-me after dad died."