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EMILY
“Mom calm down, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve gone away. You’ll be fine. I’ve already spoken to Estelle, she’ll be there tomorrow.”
“Oh Estelle, but honey how are we going to pay her?” I hadn’t told her about my little online store. One, she would have that money spent in an hour flat and two, she might see it as beneath her daughter and I wasn’t in the mood for that argument, so I lied. “I had a little saved mom, I’ll figure something out.”
“And this guy, the one who bought the company, is he nice to you? You’re not doing this for… you know.” It was as close to motherly concern as I’d ever had from her; I was touched.
“No mom, I’m not with him because I’m poor, it’s not like that.” Though it was obvious some were already thinking it.
I got her calmed down and promised to come see her in a few days before hanging up and going back to Simone who was actually snooping around his apartment. The housekeeper, Celeste was still here and I was trying to stay out of her way, but Simone never met a stranger. She’d already asked the poor woman a million and one questions.
I dragged her away and out to the balcony where we wouldn’t be overheard. “I’m not sure about this, doesn’t it seem too soon?”
“Girl we live in the age of the Internet, nothing’s too fast.” She made light of my question but I was truly nervous. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I was having second thoughts, but I was so far out of my depth there was more than a little discomfort.
“Look, I’ve never led you wrong have I? No? And I won’t start now. I see the way he looks at you. Did you see that picture in the paper last week? He looks at you like he’d like to eat you with a spoon. And the way he rushed the stage and grabbed you.” She made a swooning motion and my chest lightened a little.
“He is a caveman isn’t he?”
“Yeah but now he’s your caveman and you better hold on to his fine ass with both hands before one of these thirsty bitches get their hooks in him.”
“What do you mean?” She sat up and looked at me like I was stupid.
“Girl have you looked at him? And we both know he’s dated some of the hottest stars and models floating around out there. Don’t look like that, he chose you. And what’s more, he never asked any of them to live with him.”
“How do you know? I mean how do you know this isn’t his usual ammo?”
“Because I did my research, and better yet I asked daddy to look into him if you’d recall. He’s solid.”
“Why are you doing all this for me? I mean, we’re friends but I always just thought you were like the others.”
“You mean you thought my friendship was just fake and shallow. Nah. Do you remember all those times we’d be over and I’d leave the rest of you doing whatever crap you were into? I used to go hang with Estelle. I knew that if her opinion of you was true, then you couldn’t be the person you pretended to be. Plus I liked you. Can’t stand the rest of them though. If my dad wasn’t as rich as he is, they wouldn’t even spit on me. You were never like that.” I hugged her and fought back tears until she told me to suck it up because she had more snooping to do.
“Okay let’s put the rest of this stuff away first. I can’t believe I’m actually moving in with a man.”
“Well yeah. Next step marriage and a baby carriage. And when he asks, you better say yes.”
“Okay that I do not believe.”
“I’ll bet you your firstborn.”
“What? That’s crazy.”
“Well then I guess you’re not as sure as you think.” I decided to leave the conversation there for my sanity’s sake.
Of course I thought of nothing else for the rest of the day. Marriage. Why doesn’t the idea scare the crap out of me? And why was I even thinking about it. Sure Simone has been right about everything else so far, but this was a bit of a stretch. I know he feels something for me and I’m more than sure of what I feel for him, but does that spell marriage?
If I’m honest with myself I would admit that I would like nothing more. But I couldn’t stand the thought that everyone might think I was with him because of money. If my own mother had questions, why wouldn’t total strangers who knew nothing about me? Not the real me anyway.
