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“And two children?” Gran Gran added, dragging us back to her disputes for my relationship.
I nodded, unashamed.
“There’s Caden and Charlie. They’re six and eight and the sweetest boys.”
“And you’re ready to be a mother?”
“Some mornings they climb into bed and it almost feels like they’re mine,” I admit, and then I choke on my joy the moment Gran’s eyes go wide and horrified.
“Have you been sleeping at the man’s house?” she growled in a shaky voice.
My mouth flopped open and closed, but nothing came out as she stood and stormed toward the living room.
I stumbled out of my chair, dropping the potato peeler as I shoved open the door just long enough to watch my sweet little Gran Gran slap the love of my life across his face.
Owen’s look of shock would have been hilarious if my grandmother didn’t look like she was going to chop off his baby maker.
“How dare you!” she snapped at him, pointing her finger in his face. “I’m willing to accept that my baby girl has fallen in love with a man twice her age, but how dare you force yourself on a young little thing who promised herself to God until she was married!”
“Gran!” I shrieked, grabbing her arm. “He didn’t force anything! I’m a grown up, and I get to make decisions for myself.”
She stood, looking up into my eyes with such disappointment, I’d never seen the likes from her before and it broke my freaking heart.
“Well, I’m shocked,” she said, staring at me like she didn't know who I was anymore. “I never thought I could be so disappointed in you.”
With that, Gran Gran shoved past me and went back into the kitchen.
Tears began to well into my eyes, but I saw Owen there in front of me, framing my cheeks with his big hands and asking if I was ok.
I nodded, then shook my head and gave a sobbing laugh.
“I’ll be fine. It’s fine,” I said, “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” he whispered, dragging his thumb over a tear that dropped from my face.
The beautiful moment was shattered by Owen’s mother cursing loudly and storming toward the kitchen.
“Oh shit,” Owen murmured, then moved past me to follow his Mom who was already yelling at Gran in the kitchen.
“Mother,” he hissed the moment he went through the door to the kitchen.
I followed, nervous that the two old women might actually hurt each other.
Owen had already shoved himself between the two women, who were hurling insults at each other, trying to lean around his big body to point angry fingers at each other.
“Who are you to shame a girl for sharing a physical relationship?” Owen’s Mom bit out, stabbing her index finger at my Gran. “You religious zealots! Are you going to hang the girl now? Burn her at the stake?”
“Mother!” Owen shouted at his own Mom. “You’re acting ridiculous!”
“That woman slapped you! My own child! Her offspring would be lucky to share a bed with an intelligent, successful man like you! I’m more convinced than ever that this girl is not right for you. You could do so much better than a country bumpkin girl and her redneck family!”
I didn’t think I’d ever seen Owen so angry before. He got in real close to his mother’s face, practically nose to nose before he seethed, “How fucking dare you? For a woman who finds her worth on how her high society frenemies sees her, you have a lot of nerve to judge people you know nothing about. You know nothing about Mia, our relationship, or me, really. If you can’t act like any sort of lady and curb your sharp tongue, then I’ll drive you back to Columbus and I’ll leave your ass there to rot while I come back here and give a million apologies to these good people who have graciously welcomed us into their homes, and who you’ve unforgivably insulted.”
Owen’s Mom just huffed, acting like his words were some kind of joke.
“Oh my!” My own mother sighed, waving at her face.
Likely, the blush on her cheeks was the bold display of profanity, but my eyes were captured on Owen and his proud defense of my family.
