Page 86 of Driving Beats

Armed with this new information, I call the only woman who I trust to give me the best advice. Mom answers the phone. “Hi, Coop. Are you getting ready for the next leg of your tour? Australia and New Zealand should be amazing.”

I love how Mom always knows what I’m up to, without my having to tell her. We discuss the upcoming tour for a bit, then I dive in. “Mom, remember I told you my luggage got lost and Luke sent over UC’s stylist to replace all my clothes?”

“I do. I also remember you promising to send me pictures of your new outfits.”

Shit.

“Uhm, I’ll send some over later.” I inhale. “Anyway, Nese, that’s the stylist’s name, did a great job. I even was asked to be in a photoshoot for Tumi luggage.”

“Fantastic. Make sure you let me know when the campaign comes out.”

“I will.” I fiddle with Nese’s jewelry kit. “There’s something more. This stylist, Nese, well, she’s not only good at her job. She’s really smart and funny. She⁠—”

I clamp my lips shut.

The line is silent.

A couple of beats later, Mom says, “You love her.”

Not a question. A statement. Of fact.

I take a deep breath. “I do.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so happy to hear this. I can’t tell you how long your father and I have been waiting for this day. Your first wife wasn’t right for you. I wanted to tell you at the time, but your father told me to stay out of your business.”

“Lillian was….” For the first time, I hold back from defending my ex-wife. “You’re right. We were a bad match. But Nese is different.”

“Do tell.” I can’t stop talking about her for a good ten minutes. “She sounds wonderful. Pass her your cell. I want to meet her, even if it’s only over the phone.”

I lean backward. “Well, she’s not here.”

“That’s okay. You can call me back when she’s at your house.”

I shake my head. “No. I mean she’s not here, here.”

Silence. “Is she visiting her family?”

“Oh God no,” I explain. “It’s only her mother, and she got messed up with some sort of cult. Nese escaped from it a few years ago.”

“She doesn’t have any contact with her mother?”

“No.”

“At all?”

“No.”

Mom doesn’t respond for a couple of moments. “Well, never mind about that. I can mother her all she needs.”

This is why I love Mom. She already loves Nese without even meeting her. Still, I need to come clean. “I’m sure she’d love that. She’s been without a mother in her life for way too long. It’s just, well, I urged her to leave.”

“Why on earth would you do that?”

“I thought it was for the best.”

“Ah, huh. Now what do you think?”

“I made a mistake.”