After All(85)

"And here is the rest of the gang," she says, letting me go and turning her sights to Emmett, Jackie and Will.

She goes to Emmett first, sauntering over to him and wagging her finger. "I know you from all the pictures in the magazines. I have to say, you're a lot more handsome in person. In the pictures you look kind of, I don't know, gay I guess."

"Mom!" I cry out, completely embarrassed.

"Well that's what happens when you do gay porn," Emmett jokes.

"Emmett!" Now I'm admonishing him. "She'll take you seriously."

"Oh, come now, I know when people are joking," my mother says. "And don't get me wrong, if you were gay Emmett, I wouldn't have a problem with it. For all I know, this could be one of those beard relationships, you know. Like with George Clooney." 

"What about George Clooney?" Jackie asks in a shocked whisper.

My mother dismisses her with a wave of her hand. "Oh, you should hear what the girls at the beauty parlor say. I'm telling you, if you want to know the inside scoop on things, you go down to Barbara's on third street and you'll get all caught up. Of course, they had stuff to say about you, Emmett. I do have to wonder if it's true."

"Like what?" Emmett asks but I detect fear in his voice. I'd forgotten how overbearing my mother can be when she first meets people. It will take her a few hours to calm down.

"They say you're a playboy, you know. Always with a flavor of the month, until you met my Alyssa, of course. Which does make me wonder, what could she possibly offer you that the other girls couldn't? More of her to love, I suppose."

"Oh my god," I mutter, rubbing my palm into my forehead. "Make it stop."

"It's okay," Emmett says to me. "It's a fair statement. I guess I liked to have some fun, no harm in that, but when you meet the right person, nothing else really seems to matter anymore."

His words sound more flippant than serious, so I'm trying not to let my heart get carried away again.

"They also say you like to get in fights. I heard you were arrested in LA. I have to say, good for you. I like a man who can fight for what's right." She's smiling and then suddenly stops. "But if you really do turn out to be an asshole to my Alyssa here, I'll be the one fighting you, so don't even think about it. I know your type."

Emmett looks both insulted and scared.

I try to give him an apologetic smile and then point to Jackie and Will who have been standing behind me this whole time, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"And these are my friends Jackie and Will," I tell her wearily.

"Oh, Will the boss," my mother says, fixing her attention on him now. "My, you're a handsome one too. I suppose I should thank you for keeping my daughter employed for this long, I know what a pain in the ass she can be."

"Yes, she is, but we love her anyway," Will answers with a wide smile. "I suspect she gets her tenaciousness from you, though."

"You have no idea," she says with a wink and then starts back to the house, waving her hands in the air for us to follow, her bracelets jangling.

I let out a heavy sigh. I think I forgot to breathe that entire time.

Jackie looks at me, shaking her head while biting back laughter and then pushes me toward the house.

This isn't the house that I grew up in. My mother had that until I left home and then promptly sold it. This place is a small two-bedroom, located far up on the hills above town. It's at the end of a cul-de-sac too so it's extra isolated and has beautiful views of the town and both lakes. I worry about her living alone all the way up here–though my mother acts bossy and tough, she's really quite fragile at heart–but she's stubborn and says she's going to stay here until she dies or she gets bored. Whatever comes first.

Because the house and property are small–the backyard is just a slice of yellowed grass and porch before it drops off down ragged clay cliffs and gullies–there isn't much of a tour. Thankfully my mother has already prepared dinner for us, so there isn't a lot of sitting around and having small talk.

We eat in the narrow dining room, my mother at the head of the table, and she calls us to say grace before we feast on her famous lasagna recipe. My mother has never said grace a day in her life, so I think she just decided to do it for the sake of Emmett.


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Then I know it's true when she tells him she hopes it reminded him of growing up.

"Come again?" Emmett asks as she passes him a dish.