“Oh please. Her tongue is plenty sharp. She doesn’t need you defending her.”
“She’s my girlfriend and you won’t disrespect her in my presence.”
“Girlfriend.” She scoffed. “That was what she said last time and I still don’t believe her. I don’t believe you either.”
I remembered my mother visiting that summer. I was certain that she had had me microchipped like a dog or something. How the hell else would she have been able to find me? I had told no one that I was going to Dana Point. I thought I had gotten away when my aunt and uncle, Niall’s parents let me use their beach house.
She had shown up to collect me and bring me back to New York, literally. She had a roster of women for me to make my way through in order to make one of them my bride. I told her back then that I had a girlfriend but she laughed in my face. A summer fling wasn’t the same thing as an engagement and she’d be waiting for me to finally come to my senses. I tried to tell her that Brenna was more than a summer fling but she didn’t want to hear it.
“It was true then and it’s true now.”
“She came to the house. She let herself in; she had a key.”
“Because I gave it to her.”
“She could have burgled the place. What were you thinking?”
My temper flared. “What did you say to her?” I asked.
“I simply stated the facts. I let her know that she was completely out of her depth trying to needle her way into your life. Men like you did not associate with women like her, at least not in any serious way and I sent her packing, which is exactly what I am going to do now.”
I had lived through this my whole life. My mother had never stopped meddling in my life. I allowed it because, at the beginning at least, I wanted her to feel like I was there for her. She was a widow after my father died and far as I knew, she never dated. It was just us. I didn’t want her to be alone so I almost took my father’s role as her emotional support system. It never got that serious in the beginning but now she was actually fucking with my family, my future child and the woman I loved. I could be a good son without letting her walk all over me.
“You’re out of your mind,” I told her.
“You’re wasting your time with a woman who will never amount to anything close to what you do.”
“You’re a meddling bitch,” I spat.
She looked like she was about to pass out.
“What the hell did she do to you? What has she got you smoking? What’s she been telling you to make you act like this?”
“You’re wrong about her, mother and you’re wrong about me. I wish I was good enough for her. I try every day to be the man that she deserves.”
“Don’t be a fool. She is nothing. She is no one. She’s wasting your time. It’s stupid to continue entertaining her. It’s time to get serious. Stop having fun with this girl and marry someone reasonable.”
“I am a fool. I’ve let you meddle in my life for too long. At first, I didn’t want to disappoint you after dad died. Now, I just want my life back.”
“Charles!”
“I’m done, mother. I love you but I can’t let you do this to me anymore.”
She was rattled. I didn’t want to disappoint her, but this was the only way I was getting to her. This was a step too far. She couldn’t come into my life and tell me the woman I loved, who was carrying my baby that she wasn’t worthy of doing so.
“I can’t let you make a mistake like this. What would your father think?”
“He would have loved Brenna because I love her, mum. And it's not a mistake, it’s my future. Brenna’s pregnant. We’re having a baby.”
She froze.
“You’re what?”
“She’s having my child and I’m marrying her, mother. I’m not asking for your approval or even your opinion. It’s happening.”
“I forbid it, Charles. That tramp will not become part of our family.”
I took a deep breath. “That tramp is carrying your grandchild. You can accept that or never get to be a part of their life.”