Mildred didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Miss Sandford’s silence. According to her, saying nothing was not her place.
For Miss Sandford, Mildred’s courage to co out was significant. Lovers or not, there was no difference. They were good friends who cared deeply for each other. They could still love each other just the sa. Mildred was glad she finally mustered the courage.
Even after Mildred and Miss Sandford cleared things up, Mildred knew there was one person she still needed to tell.
---
[Old Pierson Residence]
Mildred smiled at Old Mrs. Pierson as they quietly knitted together.
"This sweater is for Renren and Penny," Old Mrs. Pierson remarked with a chuckle. "I rushed these because the first one I made is for Atlas."
She sighed, recalling Atlas’s last visit. "That boy... I still miss him."
Since Old Mrs. Pierson had put Atlas at the top of the Pierson Family, he naturally consulted her about changes. Even if she hadn’t given him full authority over the Pierson Corporation, Atlas would still have gone to her.
Old Mrs. Pierson respected Atlas’s decisions.
So, there was so restructuring for the Pierson Corporation and its family. However, Old Mrs. Pierson hadn’t changed her will. She hadn’t removed him from it, and if sothing happened to her, Atlas would still inherit.
"I’m sure he’ll succeed in his future plans," Mildred comnted gently, earning a chuckle from Old Mrs. Pierson.
"Of course he will," Old Mrs. Pierson nodded. "That young man is brilliant, a responsible brother, and son. He’s going to be just fine."
She paused her knitting, raising her white brows. "And what about you, Mildred? What did you co here for?"
Mildred pressed her lips together, conflicted as she looked at Old Mrs. Pierson. She opened her mouth a few tis but ended up closing it again.
She had co here to co out to Old Mrs. Pierson, following her confession to Miss Sandford. Now that she had the chance, however, hesitation consud her courage.
"Nothing," Mildred cleared her throat. "I just thought of checking in on you, Madam."
Old Mrs. Pierson chuckled and nodded knowingly before returning to knitting a sweater for Zoren and Penny.
Mildred kept her gaze on Old Mrs. Pierson, a wry smile briefly touching her lips.
’Maybe next ti,’ she told herself, nodding ntally. ’Next ti, I’ll definitely tell her.’
A comfortable silence fell between them as they continued knitting. After a while, Old Mrs. Pierson spoke again.
"Is she beautiful?"
"Hmm?" Mildred paused, looking up at Old Mrs. Pierson with knitted brows. "Madam?"
Old Mrs. Pierson sighed heavily, eting Mildred’s gaze. "I’m asking about the woman you’ve been seeing lately. Is she beautiful and kind?"
"..." Mildred bit her tongue. "Oh, Vivian. Of course. She’s very beautiful and kind. That’s why we’re very good..."
But she couldn’t say the word "friend." Mildred and Miss Sandford had been good friends up until now, but that wasn’t what Mildred truly wanted. Deep down, she wanted more than friendship.
Conflicted, she looked back at Old Mrs. Pierson with mixed emotions. Before Mildred realized it, she blurted out under her breath,
"I like her," Mildred confessed. "Not just as friends, Madam."
Old Mrs. Pierson smiled back at her and nodded. "I thought as much. Otherwise, I worried you’d keep hiding until my last breath."
"Huh?"
"Silly girl," Old Mrs. Pierson said mildly. "I thought I’d pass away without you being true to yourself."
Deep lines ford on Mildred’s face, her confusion evident. Looking at Old Mrs. Pierson, realization dawned on her.
"You... knew?" Mildred blurted out. "You knew all this ti?"
"Of course I knew," Old Mrs. Pierson clicked her tongue. "How could I not know when your mother told ?"
Mildred froze at that. "What?"
"Your mother ca to back then and said her daughter might be a little different," Old Mrs. Pierson recalled, rembering Mildred’s mother’s exact words. "But she also said she raised her daughter to be strong-willed."
She fixed her wrinkly gaze on Mildred and sighed. "So, she told she knew you’d gather the courage to let us know. Until then, she wanted you to co to us and tell us everything."
Old Mrs. Pierson hadn’t intervened even when she wanted to because Mildred wasn’t her daughter, and all she could do was give advice to Mildred’s mother. Apart from that, she had to stay on the sidelines. Besides, Old Mrs. Pierson had a lot to handle.
But after waiting for years, Old Mrs. Pierson knew she might not live much longer. Every day was a gift because she might not wake up the next morning. Her patience with Mildred was wearing thin too.
"Mildred," Old Mrs. Pierson said, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Your mother knew, and she accepted it. She’s still proud of you, regardless."
The shock on Mildred’s face remained, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. They rolled down her cheeks before she knew it.
Old Mrs. Pierson’s eyes softened, and she sighed softly. "We’ve all been waiting for you to accept yourself first. I’m glad you’re finally doing that. It may have taken years, but I’m still glad you mustered the courage my mother and I were waiting for."
Mildred’s trembling lips quivered, and before she knew it, she moved to Old Mrs. Pierson’s side. She sat on the floor, resting her head and arms on Old Mrs. Pierson’s lap. Mildred’s heart ached with the release of the weight of everything she had been carrying all these years.
All the years of fear, doubt, and silence finally lifted.
And all it took was a few simple confessions and acceptance of who she truly was inside.
"Silly girl," Old Mrs. Pierson said, stroking Mildred’s head as she wept on her lap. As she comforted Mildred, she looked warmly at the courtyard. "You’re not alone, Mildred. Your mother is proud of you. And so am I."
Slowly, Mildred looked up just as Old Mrs. Pierosn gazed down at her. The latter reached out to wipe her tears.
"You freed yourself," said Old Mrs. Pierson. "And continue to live this life free of anything."
She nodded at her while the corners of Mildred’s mouth hooked up.
"Yes," Mildred breathed out. "I’m... free."
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