AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do not take offense to those who love you and have the deepest desire to see you truly happy.”
“I am happy, Mom,” I said. “I’m my own person. Sadly, you gave birth to a son who chose to exercise his free will. I hope one day you will be proud that I’m driven in who I am, much like you are.”
Unexpectedly, she cracked a smile.
“Listen, I know you think your journey is in California. I just wish you shared the same vision as the rest of your family.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t, and I don’t want it to drive a wedge between us either,” I said.
“Nor do we,” she responded.
“Good. Now, can we move on to the nonsense plaguing the Anders family?”
“Perhaps the misfortunes of Clifford and his new wife prompted your father and I to think about you and your future,” she said.
Jesus Christ. Did I just open another can of worms?
“Well, it’s why you won’t have to worry about me.”
“One day, your heart will get the best of your mind, and then we shall see if you and Clifford Anders are in the same boat.”
I grinned. “You worry too much about nonsense. However, I do feel bad for Candice.”
“She agreed to everything she is rejecting now.”
“She agreed because she was young and in love. Now, that family is running her life.”
“Is that how you see it?”
“I guess I do,” I answered truthfully.
“Nonsense. That family loves and adores her, but there is much at stake if she doesn’t uphold everything she agreed to before they married.”
“Tell me that you and Dad wouldn’t do this to my brothers or their wives,” I said, wanting to see my mom’s reaction.
“My sons are extremely wise about who they let into their lives, even you,” she teased.
“What if I married an actress?” I went for broke on that one, knowing that, if it happened, it would probably go over as well as it has for the British Royal Family.
She chuckled, “That I should like to see. Maybe a Sandra Bullock type?”
“So, it’s all about physical appearances?”
She grinned, “Right now, for you, it is. However, when you allow your heart and mind to agree on a partner, I trust we shall have nothing to worry about. You will use your sharp mind and loving heart to bring a beautiful soul into our family, and we will love her.”
My mom was being a tad too nice about this, but it was probably her way of smoothing things over before I left. She didn’t want us to leave on bad terms.
So, she was playing nice even though I knew she was entirely full of shit. If I brought home an actress, she’d have a stroke.
“I’m one thousand percent confident we’ve just wasted these past minutes talking about something we won’t need to worry about, but I appreciate you trusting me to decide relationships for myself.”
“I never said I didn’t,” she said, rising. “Come on. Let’s take a quick walk on the beach and enjoy the last of our time together in peace.”
I took my mom’s hand and gladly walked with her down to the shoreline. This conversation could’ve gone so many different ways. For my brothers, she wouldn’t have bent at all. But because I was always able to get my way in this madness we called family, I was able to dodge the inevitable bullets.
I was no fool, though. If I did fall for a woman one day, I would have to face my family’s harsh judgment of her. Luckily, my years of convincing my parents to let me do what I wanted gave me the confidence to know that if the time came to bring someone home, I’d know exactly how to handle my family.
Chapter Six
