“Hi hon,” Nanette gushes, seeing Susie ensconced in blankets on the couch, her brown eyes wide. Nanette runs over to give her daughter a big hug, blonde extensions streaming behind her. “Oh darling, I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry I left you behind!” Nanette sings.
Susie blinks, clutching the blanket closer to her chest. Thank god we weren’t fucking so that at least, my woman is fully clothed still.
“Mom? What are you doing here?”
Nanette makes a pretend-sad face, her overly-glossy pink lips turning down at the corners.
“I wanted to see you, that’s all. I’ve missed you so much, so as soon as the cruise ended, I came over right away. I’m sorry I couldn’t take with us, honey, but you know it was a belated honeymoon of sorts for me and Bernard. Actually, with the way Bernard and I were going at it, it could be a ‘babymoon’ for us, if you get what I mean,” she says with a wink.
Bile rises in my throat because I’m picturing Bernard as a stooped, wizened eighty year old. But who knows? Guys that age can still have kids, and it’s not my place to judge who and what Nanette finds attractive.
“But I’m sorry,” Nanette continues. “I wanted to apologize because I shouldn’t have left you alone for Christmas, Susie-boozie, and especially not for your first year away at college. What a terrible mother you must think I am!”
Susie blinks at her mother, then looks at me, then back at her mom. “Um, you’re not a terrible mother,” she manages. “I don’t think that.”
Nanette claps her hands together. “Oh good! I’m so glad we’re not on the outs, and I just knew this living arrangement would work out. Has it been fun, kids?”
I look over the apartment quickly. Fortunately, there isn’t anything that would give away the fact that Susie and I both occupy the bedroom now. Instead, the bedroom door is firmly shut, and while the apartment’s a little messy, there’s nothing to indicate where anyone sleeps. Meanwhile, Susie gives her mom a tight smile.
“Nanette, I’m not angry, but I’m not not angry either. Sorry for the double negative, but you dumped me here and didn’t even bother to inform Ed. It was a total surprise when I showed up on his doorstep.”
Nanette pretends innocence.
“I forgot? OMG, I could swear that I talked with you, Ed, beforehand. I’m so sorry, I’ve just been so absentminded lately. Maybe it’s mommy brain because I could be pregnant,” Nanette says with a sly smile.
That’s enough. This woman always turns things into a conversation about herself, and I step in.
“Thanks for your concern, Nanette,” I say in a cool voice. “But can we continue this discussion later? It’s getting late, and we weren’t expecting a visitor.”
Nanette merely trills a high-pitched laugh.
“Oh yes. I just wanted to check in on my daughter, but it’s clear you’re just fine, Susie. I’m staying at the Vineyard Hotel a few blocks away, and they have a wonderful restaurant downstairs called Trellis. Could I invite you to lunch tomorrow, sweetheart?”
My beautiful girl manages a tight smile.
“Yes of course, Mom. I’d be happy to meet you then.”
“Great,” Nanette sings merrily. “Let me just use your restroom for one second, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
The older woman disappears into our tiny bathroom, and quickly, I try to think if there’s anything that could give us away in there. But it’s totally normal to have two toothbrushes on the sink ledge because there’s only one bathroom in the apartment. Plus, so what if Susie’s hair products and make-up are scattered around? Again, there’s only one bathroom so they have to be somewhere. Nanette reappears, fluffing out her blonde hair, and smiles.
“I should get going. Goodnight, darling. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then, the older woman kisses her daughter on the cheek and waves goodbye to me before heading downstairs. I close the door behind her, relief making me sag against the frame.
“That was really weird,” Susie says in a slow voice. “Do you think she knows?”
I shake my head.
“No, because there’s no incriminating evidence.”
Susie nods.
“Yeah. This is a small space, so even if we’re up on each other, it’s just what happens when two people are sharing seven hundred square feet.”
I nod.
“It’s a good thing we weren’t in the middle of sexy time, actually,” I quip with a lopsided smile. “You know how often that happens when we have movie night.”
My pretty girl giggles then, her cheeks flushing.
“It does, doesn’t it?”
I nod, growling.
“Hell, another ten minutes and your panties would have been around your ankles, and Nanette would have heard your screams.”
Susie lets out a genuine laugh before wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Well, since disaster’s been averted, do you want to get down to sexy times then, Mr. Turnbull? It could be fun,” she coos in my ear.