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I twirled a couple of strands of hair around my fingers. “What if I pursued him, mom?”
“He'd still say no,” she said, shaking her head. “He and your father were too close for him to be involved with you. You're like a daughter to him, Violet.”
For some reason, hearing my mom deny everything like she was doing made it all the worse. She was so sincere in her belief that we'd never get together and yet, I had to tell her. There was no way I could keep my relationship with Sebastian secret from her. Not for very long anyway. She'd eventually find out.
And besides, if it was true that Sebastian and I were in love, it was only a matter of time before we became official. I couldn't hide something like that from my mother.
“Mom, I have something to tell you,” I said quietly, staring down at my hands. “Jessica wasn't lying. Sebastian and I are actually together and we're in love.”
My mom was quiet for a moment, then she burst out laughing. When I didn't join her, she stopped and looked at me, an expression of something like panic upon her face.
“Wait. You're serious, Violet?”
I nodded, finally bringing myself to look her in the eyes. “I am,” I said. “I know it seems weird, with the age difference and all, but we fell in love, mom. And what we have between us is real, I know it is.”
My mother stood up, her knees shaking. “I - I have to get more wine,” she said, her voice cracking.
I knew she was crying and didn't want me to see, so she refused to look at me. I grabbed hold of her arm and stood beside her.
“Listen, mom. I'm a grown woman now,” I said. “And we are both consenting adults. I love him and he loves me, this isn't just some random fling. It's real, mom. It's really real.”
My mom pulled her arm away, but instead of going to the kitchen for more wine, she reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling Sebastian,” she said. “We need to talk.”
“About?” I asked, narrowing my gaze on her.
“About the fact that he's sleeping with Charles' daughter, that's what.”
I reached for the phone, but she pulled away. She had dialed it and was waiting for him to answer.
“Mom, listen to me,” I said, trying to remain calm. “I'm an adult. I'm not a child, and whatever – ”
Sebastian picked up, and my mother immediately started screaming at him. She called him every name in the book as tears streamed down her face. It killed me to see my mom in such pain, but I knew that I needed to stay strong. This was my life to live, not hers. And I was going to grab hold of love and happiness where I found it, regardless of how uncomfortable it might make her.
I heard Sebastian say, “I'm right down the street. I'll be there in a minute.”
My heart pounded as I waited, and my mother continued to cry. She refused to look at me. Refused to talk to me. She just sat there sobbing.
“Why can't you just accept the fact that I'm happy?” I asked, my own tears streaming down my face now. “And that I'm involved with somebody you admit is a good man, one who treats me really well.”
That's when Sebastian knocked on the door, and we both ran for it at the same time. I reached it first, thanks to me being quicker, and my mom having consumed several glasses of wine. As I opened it up, just seeing his face caused a warm and fuzzy stirring throughout my entire body.
“What in the hell are you doing here?” my mom slurred.
“I stayed close by, just in case something like this happened and Violet needed me,” he said, keeping his cool. “Listen, Angela, I know it's hard to believe, but this isn't what you think it is.”
“It isn't? You're not just sleeping with my daughter because she's young and pretty? She's actually not just another conquest under your belt?”
“No, I promise you, it's different than that,” Sebastian said. “Violet is a brilliant young woman. She's wise beyond her years. Not many women her age have dealt with the loss of their parent, have managed to plan an entire funeral, kept her head above water, and taken care of their mother at the same time. You and Charles raised a strong, intelligent, confident, and beautiful woman. And I'm sorry, but I fell in love with her.”
My heart pounded harder in my chest as he spoke.
“And I hope I can prove to you that we're serious, that we're in this for the long haul,” h
e said. “This isn't just a fling, I can promise you that, and who knows? Maybe one day I'll marry her.”
