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“What are you talking about, then?”
“For John to even think it would be acceptable to bring some random girlfriend to such a huge family occasion, I would believe he’s made it clear that things between you will go no farther than this.”
“No farther than this?” I questioned her, confused.
“Indeed,” she informed me. “John is quite special in our family.”
“As he should be,” I answered. “He’s also a grown man, and last I checked, he makes his own decisions.”
She smiled wickedly at me. “John is made to believe he makes his own decisions, yes,” she confirmed. “However, my son’s loyalty is to this family first. He dare not think he would be happy to lose communication with me or his father.”
“So, you would cut him off for what?”
“Allow me to inform you about something, dear,” she said. “This family has a legacy that goes beyond wealth. We’ve had many greats in our family who came before us.”
“Right,” I said, not knowing why I was getting a family history lesson and wondering what was taking John so long.
“I don’t expect you to care,” she said, unhappy with my response. “But you should know that John comes from a family that sticks close together and defends each other from any outsider. Unfortunately for you, you are most definitely an outsider, someone unworthy to share our space and indeed not bear our name.”
I had no idea what to say.
“That is a wildly conceited thing to say,” I answered with the only thing that came to mind. I knew I’d hate myself later when all the ten million better comebacks in the world came to mind, but for now, my fifth-grader response was all I could manage.
She smiled. “Of course, it is; nevertheless, it is the truth. We have worked hard for generations to prove to everyone around us that we are a close family and that we take pride in who we are. We won’t allow anyone into this family that we cannot trust. I have no idea of your background or the history of your family, your family’s beliefs, or status, none of the things that are vital to know before allowing someone entry into our circle.”
“I’m not going to steal from you if that’s what you’re worried about?”
“Don’t play games with me,” she seethed. “You may believe you are intelligent, and perhaps you are, but that is my son you’re meddling with, and I will not lose him to some childish woman who comes from nothing and has no idea what it means to take care of an Aster man and serve him with reverence as his wife.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I questioned.
“How am I to know you will be loyal and faithful to my son? Keeping his home pure and clean while tending to his needs after a long day?”
“Is that what John expects from me as his wife? I don’t plan on marrying him right now, but I am loyal. As for the house, he’s got a maid, and Irina keeps his house pure and clean,” I answered, flabbergasted by this woman’s audacity. At this point, I didn’t know if she was trying to scare me or if she was just a nutjob. Probably both.
“John will expect from his wife what his fathers and brothers expect of theirs, a dutiful woman who appreciates him, loves him, and adores him.”
“Dutiful,” I said with concern. I was a lot of things, but Mama didn’t raise me to be some subservient little woman, keeping my man’s house pure and clean. Fuck that.
This woman was a wretched bitch.
“Our family values seem not to meet with your approval.”
“What I don’t understand is why I am the one being confronted. I’m not the one marrying your son tomorrow, and last I heard, the son getting married tomorrow is terrified of it.”
“Mark is fine now,” she assured me. “His issues were a simple misunderstanding. I know the woman’s family?—”
“Listen, I’m not trying to insult anyone here. Yes, John and I are dating, but we aren’t getting married. He just invited me along to enjoy a beautiful occasion for his brother. Everything seemed fine and well until you met me, and I can see you disapprove. I get it. You don’t even know who I am, and of course, a loving mother would be concerned about her son.”
“That’s not even close to what this is about,” she said, stopping me from going further. “A private jet is being prepared and will be ready to fly you home within the hour, and a driver will be here to collect you and bring you to the jet. I’m sorry I must be so rude, but that is my son, and you will not take him from this family.”
“I don’t need to be collected by a damn driver,” I snapped. I was furious that John had allowed his mother to come here and talk to me like this without speaking to me about any of these things beforehand. “And I don’t need a fucking private jet. I will leave in the morning after I book a flight out of here.”
“I will pay for the flight. Such a last-minute flight will be expensive.”
“I don’t need anything from you,” I snapped.
“I understand.”
