AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My mother tsks, rolling her eyes. She points a finger dangerously close to my nose. “Stop being awful and hear me out. I will tell Holly you’re being rude to me.”
My lips twist. I don’t doubt it. My girlfriend and her sister have taken a liking to my mom. Their subtle approval of Davina makes it easier for me to accept there are things in the past I can’t change. They help me to recognize I can move forward.
Mom pushes her plate to the center and leans her crossed elbows on the table. She’s all ears wanting to embrace the story of how I fell in love with someone who brings light to every dark place in my soul.
I can’t fathom that I’m about to confide in Davina what I’ve only said to my shrink. “I think about marrying her twenty-four seven.”
Holly’s not a woman I’m trying to figure out what bucket to place in any longer. Not only is she the whole damned bucket, she’s also the person I want to cross off my bucket list with. I want to give her the feeling she talks about when she mentions her own parents and how they lived for one another.
Does that make me a sap?
Hell, yeah.
Holly wants to slap a fugly fifties rockabilly print shirt on me with stars, hula girls with ukuleles, and horseshoes on it?
I am down with that. As long as she’s there with me.
My mom grabs my hand.
I panic for a sec that I shouldn’t have been as honest about my intentions. “Does her age bug you?” I ask.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t worry about whether I approve… I can find common ground with Holly, especially where she loves flowers.”
We stay for another drink and Davina orders dessert. So I’m stunned after breakfast the next day to see my mother’s bags by the door. There are a lot of them in addition to a large box of her things in the second floor hallway that make it seem as if she’s moving out.
I find Davina hauling her towels to the washer. She hits start on the machine as I look on, stunned.
“Fold these for Holly when they’re tumbled dry. She agreed to water the plants and I hate to put much else on her plate,” my mother says.
“Where are you going?”
“Home, darling. Where I belong. You all should enjoy your vacation without having your mother around.” She juts out a hip. “The master bedroom is empty. I left a few things in the event I’m invited back.”
I note my mom’s not surrendering her key to my house. She’ll be here again.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to, Cary. And the best part about Rex being gone is I get to do what I want. I would like it if you brought Holly and Bhodi over for dinner soon.”
“I’m not sure.” I don’t like the idea of them anywhere near the house I grew up in.
“Cary.” Mom embraces me. “Placate me and say you’ll consider it.”
“I’ll consider it.” I mumble into her hair, hugging her back as if I’m seeing someone I hadn’t in fifteen years.
Cripes, when did Davina get so small? My mom had been a tough negotiator, getting me to clean my plate. Isn’t she the person who I had to look up at when she placed a platter of cookies on the kitchen table?
It’s a beat before I change my mind. We’ll be over. First, I need to digest. Prepare. Ask Holly if she’s willing to go to Rex’s house.
“You enjoy the rest of your time alone… Oh, and Cary?”
“Yeah, mom?”
“I’d be ecstatic to have a granddaughter at some point too.”
