*Slap*
"Y–you bastard." The words, laced with anger, hung in the air.
The burning pain of the slap lingered on my cheek, but my attention shifted from the stinging sensation to the weight of her words.
'What did I do?' The question lingered in my mind as I gazed at my mother while gently rubbing my cheek as she slowly rose in a sitting position with the support of Sarah.
"I am fine!" she declared, gently pushing Sarah away. With some more clarity in her eyes, she turned her attention toward me. Her eye's locked onto mine with a mix of anger and hurt.
"Come here!", she commanded, and I took slow steps toward her, and just as I was within her reach, she wasted no time as she wrapped her hands around my face and tightly hugged me while my face was buried in her bosom.
My face found a haven in the warmth of her bosom. I surrendered to the embrace, feeling the rise and fall of her chest as she gently yet fiercely embraced me.
