couch and sigh. I’m not going to be able to get out of it. I was hoping I could delay it a while longer, but the time is looming as she’s due to arrive any minute.
I get up to check my makeup and there’s a knock at the door. I freeze.
I’m not ready. I’m not ready.
For goodness’ sake, pull yourself together, girl. She’s just another human being. Act normal and go open the damn door!
Internal pep talk over, I rush to the door where I’ve now kept her waiting. I take a deep breath. Anybody would think there’s a fire-breathing dragon on the other side and I’m going into battle, but when I open the door wide, that really isn’t the case.
Standing at my height, wearing a tailored coral trouser suit, is Dana King. She is a very beautiful lady, and immediately I can see where Denham gets his sharp cheekbones, and Mediterranean coloring. The only indication that she’s in her sixties, are the fine lines around her eyes where she’s clearly spent many years laughing. She smiles a genuine, warm smile, and I find myself relaxing and smiling back.
“Hello, Arianna,” she says softly. “May I come in?”
“Oh god. Sorry, I mean, of course,” I say, flustered, realizing I kept her standing on the doorstep while I analyzed Denham’s genetics. I step back from the door and close it behind her.
She places her very expensive looking bag down on the floor and steps toward me. My hands fidget in front of me, picking at the skin around my nails. She gently takes my hands in hers, her skin is soft and her nails short but perfectly manicured, and she stands in front of me to look directly into my eyes.
“Now, Arianna,” she says in a firm but gentle voice. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel fine, thank you Mrs.—“
“Oh please, no formalities. Call me Dana. I think we need to get a few things out in the open and then we can get to know each other. What do you say?” There’s no edge to her voice, she’s perfectly lovely so far, but I know what women can be like. All pretty and cupcake sweet on the outside and then when you’re not looking, BAM! They strike. Viper status.
This is what I was worrying about. A mother’s protectiveness over her firstborn son, she’s going to ball me out for being a trouble maker, and for turning his life upside down for the last week. A lump forms in my throat, but I nod and reply in a shaky voice, “Okay.”
“Let’s go sit,” she says, dropping one hand but leading me to the couch with the other. She sits elegantly and pulls her length of long, straight hair over one shoulder before resting her clasped hands in her lap.
“I don’t know how much you know about me, and I don’t know you very well at all, yet. But my boy … well, it’s safe to say he’s smitten with you. You’re the only name that comes out of his mouth, and seeing how worried about you he was yesterday made me realize the he really does like you, very much.”
My hands take up their usual position, only now I’m fighting with myself not to pick up my childhood habit and start to chew on my nails. If I was a smoker, I would be craving nicotine right now, and even though I’ve never been alcohol dependent, I could really do with a very strong shot of something.
“Arianna, one day, I’m sure you will know what it feels like to be so protective of someone, you would give your life for them. My children are my life. They may be grown adults but they will always be my children, and when I brought them into this world I made a vow to keep them from pain and heartache. So, this is just my way of settling my own curiosities and making sure my boy is doing the right thing, okay?” she asks. She’s still speaking softly and there’s no condescending tone to her voice, just honesty and protectiveness. I nod, and she continues.
“Are you messing around with my son?” she asks, straight out.
“NO!” I answer immediately. “I …”
“I know you’ve had a tough time of things, but my
I get up to check my makeup and there’s a knock at the door. I freeze.
I’m not ready. I’m not ready.
For goodness’ sake, pull yourself together, girl. She’s just another human being. Act normal and go open the damn door!
Internal pep talk over, I rush to the door where I’ve now kept her waiting. I take a deep breath. Anybody would think there’s a fire-breathing dragon on the other side and I’m going into battle, but when I open the door wide, that really isn’t the case.
Standing at my height, wearing a tailored coral trouser suit, is Dana King. She is a very beautiful lady, and immediately I can see where Denham gets his sharp cheekbones, and Mediterranean coloring. The only indication that she’s in her sixties, are the fine lines around her eyes where she’s clearly spent many years laughing. She smiles a genuine, warm smile, and I find myself relaxing and smiling back.
“Hello, Arianna,” she says softly. “May I come in?”
“Oh god. Sorry, I mean, of course,” I say, flustered, realizing I kept her standing on the doorstep while I analyzed Denham’s genetics. I step back from the door and close it behind her.
She places her very expensive looking bag down on the floor and steps toward me. My hands fidget in front of me, picking at the skin around my nails. She gently takes my hands in hers, her skin is soft and her nails short but perfectly manicured, and she stands in front of me to look directly into my eyes.
“Now, Arianna,” she says in a firm but gentle voice. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel fine, thank you Mrs.—“
“Oh please, no formalities. Call me Dana. I think we need to get a few things out in the open and then we can get to know each other. What do you say?” There’s no edge to her voice, she’s perfectly lovely so far, but I know what women can be like. All pretty and cupcake sweet on the outside and then when you’re not looking, BAM! They strike. Viper status.
This is what I was worrying about. A mother’s protectiveness over her firstborn son, she’s going to ball me out for being a trouble maker, and for turning his life upside down for the last week. A lump forms in my throat, but I nod and reply in a shaky voice, “Okay.”
“Let’s go sit,” she says, dropping one hand but leading me to the couch with the other. She sits elegantly and pulls her length of long, straight hair over one shoulder before resting her clasped hands in her lap.
“I don’t know how much you know about me, and I don’t know you very well at all, yet. But my boy … well, it’s safe to say he’s smitten with you. You’re the only name that comes out of his mouth, and seeing how worried about you he was yesterday made me realize the he really does like you, very much.”
My hands take up their usual position, only now I’m fighting with myself not to pick up my childhood habit and start to chew on my nails. If I was a smoker, I would be craving nicotine right now, and even though I’ve never been alcohol dependent, I could really do with a very strong shot of something.
“Arianna, one day, I’m sure you will know what it feels like to be so protective of someone, you would give your life for them. My children are my life. They may be grown adults but they will always be my children, and when I brought them into this world I made a vow to keep them from pain and heartache. So, this is just my way of settling my own curiosities and making sure my boy is doing the right thing, okay?” she asks. She’s still speaking softly and there’s no condescending tone to her voice, just honesty and protectiveness. I nod, and she continues.
“Are you messing around with my son?” she asks, straight out.
“NO!” I answer immediately. “I …”
“I know you’ve had a tough time of things, but my
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