*Not edited at all*
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Darcy's POV:

       "She really does look exactly like you." My mother said, watching my....Ella play on the floor of the room my mother had been occupying ever since moving into the rehab center a little over two months ago. Ella, who was  busy with the legos that I had packed for her for the trip, paid no mind to us as she talked to herself while assembling the pieces together.

         I had thought bringing her down here with me would bring some much needed happiness to my mother, and I had been right. Watching the way Melinda had been with Ella since the first moment of meeting had been nothing short of amazing.

      "And smart too." My mother added, pride gleaming in her eyes.

      Even after all this time, It was still hard for me to believe that I had a daughter who was present...here, with me. She was mine, as much as I was hers. The words still felt so foreign to me. The idea of it was simply so mind blowing. Yet here she was, in flesh and bones, a little part of me. I smiled softly at my mother and looked down at my daughter, the sadness that pushed at my heart was unavoidable, Though not because of her presence, but because of my stupidity.

      This should have been an all around joyous time for me. But, as much as I've loved getting to know my daughter, there was still  a huge part of me missing. A part that I had craved more than anything else.

       Not having Charlotte by my side in what should have been a happier time of my life was weighing heavily on me more than I would have ever thought possible. And, though I understood that we both needed the time apart, I could admittedly say that it took so much out of me to give her the space to breathe, to regroup her thoughts and find in herself what she had lost because of me.

        There was so much healing to be done, so much forgiveness to be made, from both of us. I had broken her trust and I could at least be honest with myself to admit this much. Yet the thought of not being by her side, of not hearing her voice, her laugh, of not feeling her touch, her kiss...was enough to make me lose sense of it all.

      Now that I had Ella with me, here present in my life, there was nothing that could ever make me give her up, she was part of me as much as I was part of her. Though I had made one too many mistakes by keeping her a secret from Charlotte, deciding to have her in my life had not been one, and nothing would ever make me give her up.

       I had hoped that I would get to do this with Charlotte by my side. I had this perfect picture in my head of our little blended family happily together. Because Ella was my family, as much as Charlotte and Sebastian were.

         As if Melinda read my thoughts at that moment, she broke the silence between us. "So, how's Charlotte fairing these days?" She asked. This took me out of my own mind as I looked up at her.

       "She's fine." I replied. Though truth be told, I had no idea. I hadn't talked to her  in over two weeks since the shit show that had happened at our home. I was trying to give her some space, but even that was getting harder by the day. And beside Royce telling me that she looked alright even though he was a little worried that she wasn't sleeping, a little over a week ago, I knew nothing else.

       I had tried to call her a couple days back but the call had gone straight to voicemail and I hadn't pushed. Neither had I left a voicemail. I figured, she or any one of our friends would have reached out to me if something were to happen. But fuck, staying in the dark about her when she was pregnant with my child was more painful that I would have ever imagined.

         "How has she been taking the news about our beautiful Ella here? I would imagine it to be quite a shock but Charlotte had always been so loving, with the way she accepted Sebastian so unconditionally. I know maybe it'll take a little of time for her to adjust but she'll show the same love to Ella that she does to Sebastian." My mother finished, a smile dancing on her face. She got up and walked towards the coffee maker sitting on the take in the little kitchenette. I stared at her back, unable to bring up the subject of Charlotte as it is still so very sore. I closed my eyes.

        "She's taking it a little harder than expected, mom." I admitted as a chuckle escaped my lips. This was the understatement of the century. But how could I bring up the fact that my family had basically been broken up by my idiocy without troubling my mother, when I had specifically been told that while she's trying to find her way back, we needed keep the bad news and anything truly upsetting at bay? But this had been needed to be told. I had been keeping this from her for the past two months while she was in rehabilitation.

        My mother turned her head slightly to look at me. A slight frown showing on her face. "Oh I'm sorry, I guess it's kind of a tricky situation. But I'm she'll get used to it soon enough." She grabbed her coffee and made her way back to the sofa she was occupying. I shook my head.

        "She's asked me to move out."

        Melinda's frown deepened ever so slightly. Her coffee mug resting on her lips. "When?"

       "A little over two months ago. Right around the time you moved in here." I told her, an ache rising in my chest. She put the mug down on the coffee table that sat in the middle of the living room.

       "Oh, Jamie. And you waited this long to tell me about it? She asked, her face softening as she spoke the words. She got up and came to sit near me, her arms wrapping tightly around my much larger body. It was awkward but it felt good.

        "You haven't called me that since I was a kid." I whispered  my eyes closed, I leaned on her and tried to lay my head on her shoulder. She held me tighter. A kiss on my forehead. This moment right here taking me back to her comforting me when my little sister died. That had been so long ago but the memory still fresh on my mind.

      "I haven't called you that because you haven't been a kid in a very long time Jamie, so very long and I know your father and I have been a huge part of this and I'm so very sorry. I wish I could take it all back, honey. I wish your brother and sister were still here. I wish I had fought harder to protect you all." She said softly, the pain in her voice so very present.

       I lifted my head and meet her eyes as tears pooled in them. "It's okay Ma, you did your best while fighting your own demons. It took me awhile but I eventually understood." I tried a smile and fell as it awkwardly turned into a frown.

       She took a deep breath. "I want to talk with Charlotte. Would you please let her know to come see me?"

       "Mom, I don't know if it's a good idea."

       "What do you mean?" She asked, visibly perplexed  she reached for her coffee cup that had simmered down enough for her to be able to drink. She continued after a few sips. "I don't know if you've forgotten but she is as much part of my family as you are and I haven't seen or talked to her in awhile and I miss her. I want to see how my grandkid is growing in her." She continued. "Plus, I would call her myself but I do not have a phone at the moment as you may know and I do not have her number in my head." She put the cup down again and took my hand. She smiled. "I just want to see how she's doing. That's all."

         I let a moment or two passed, watching her. Then finally I gave in. "Okay Ma, I'll call her when I leave here. I'm sure she'll be happy to come visit." Her smiled brightened at my words and at that moment, I saw who my mother truly was behind that disease and I knew she would be okay.

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I sure am happy his mother is doing well, seeing as the last time we mentioned her she was in a very bad shape.