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Chapter Seventeen
Phillip
I would’ve thought that my standing off to one side of my parent’s back patio, would’ve been enough to let people know I wanted to be alone, but apparently, that wasn’t going to happen. “I thought we’d see Lindsay with you today,” Shanda said. “You two seemed to really get along.”
“We do. That’s why she’s not here,” I said.
Shanda snickered, and Kenneth said, “A wise man. I wish I had been so lucky.”
“What does that mean?” Shanda asked her husband.
“Meaning, I would’ve liked to keep you all to myself a bit longer, that’s all.”
“Your mother isn’t that bad. She’s actually changed a lot since we first met,” Shanda said.
“I sure hope you’re right, because she’s on her way over here, and it looks like she has fire in her eyes. Good luck, Phillip,” Kenneth said, guiding Shanda away.
Smiling, I said, “Good morning, Mother. I told you I’d be here.” And yet you don’t look happy.
“I can see that. I have eyes.”
“Is there…something wrong?” I asked hesitantly. This was not off to a good start.
“You tell me.”
I had always hated this game. She knows why she’s angry and what she wants to hear. Why not just say it?
“I am going to guess you’re still upset I didn’t come last week.” I knew that wasn’t it.
“Not even close. I want to know why you haven’t brought your girlfriend with you,” she asked.
“Mother, have I ever brought a woman home?” Not even in my youth.
“She must be very important to you, because you’ve brought her to meet other members of the family.”
I had hoped that news would take longer to get back to my parents, but Mother usually got information faster than any tabloid. You should work for the government - you’d make one hell of a spy.
“I didn’t bring her to meet anyone. That was the byproduct of a date. That’s all,” I explained.
Mother looked even more upset by my response. “You are my eldest, yet you’re the most clueless of them all. There is an entire planet of places to bring your lady-friend out for a date, yet you, not just once, but twice, bring her where one of your brothers resides.”
There was no arguing with that. Which brother ratted me out?
“You’re right. But Mother, this has nothing to do with Lindsay and everything to do with you.” There, I said it.
She gasped and placed a hand over her heart as though deeply hurt. “Me? I’m your mother. Why would you keep her away from me?”
I wasn’t falling for her act. She knew damn well why. But if she needed me to say it, I would. “Because I care for Lindsay, Mother. And the last thing I want is for her to have to deal with your…interrogations.”
“And what do you think I’d ask that would be inappropriate?”
I could see my brothers watching intently from a distance. Thanks for having my back. Knowing them, they were probably taking bets on which one of us would back down first. Normally I would, because the topics usually didn’t mean all that much to me. Lindsay wasn’t that case. I’d never forgive myself if I put her in a situation where she got hurt. Growing up, I had built a wall around me so that words no longer hurt which became an asset when it came to business. But this was personal and I wasn’t so sure what Lindsay could handle in this type of situation.
Mother was a strong-willed woman, and she kept her primary tools close at hand – guilt and waterworks. My father seemed content just listening to the exchange, however, I knew he wouldn’t just stand by and let me speak so boldly without defending her. It’s now or never. If I didn’t speak up, Lindsay would eventually pay the price. Sorry Mother. But she means that much to me.
“Mother, even though you do not intentionally hurt people’s feelings, you do hurt them.”
“I haven’t even met her and you already assume I’ll do such a thing?”
