ADAM
After getting a good look of what seemed like the biggest estate I had ever seen, I glance at my mother.
“Don’t be like that, baby.”
“He’s rich. I suppose that’s a good thing.”
“I don’t care. I didn’t know about that until later.”
“I’m not saying you wanted him because he was rich. I’m saying he might be from another world; you know?”
She pursed her lips, her eyes scolding me.
“Sorry, Mom. I don’t mean to make you feel bad.”
She didn’t reply. The electric gates opened slowly and I drove her beat up truck up the long and winding driveway. My ex had kept the car as well so I had to use Mom’s.
Finally, I parked the car in front of the large mansion and opened the door for Mom. She looked impressed.
“I’m not a savage, Mom,” I joked.
“I know, baby,” she said, giving me a once over. “But you sure look like one.”
“What do you mean? This is appropriate, right?”
Giggling, she fixed my collar, tucked the shirt better and redundantly ran her hand though my very short hair.
“You done, Mama bear?”
“Oh, you’re here! Sorry, I didn’t see Dad’s call until just now,” a girl said, apparently out of nowhere.
I watched with interest how Mom kissed and hugged her warmly. The fact that this girl was the only person in the world as short as my mom was amused me.
“Hey, Lindsey. Mike told us he will be running late.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. He got called to work half an hour ago, something about one of his convict clients. But he promised he’ll be back soon.”
“No problem, honey. Oh, this is my son, Adam.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lindsey.”
She extended a hand confidently, looking directly into my eyes. It could’ve been intimidating for most men.
“Hi,” was all I said. Knowing that I would most likely not like her father, I decided to tread lightly with her as well.
Her reaction was to squint at me, not even bothering to hide it.
“Alright,” she said. “Not a talkative man, then. Shall we go inside, Karen?”
After throwing me yet another scolding look, Mom followed Lindsey up the old stone steps. I did the same, slightly uncomfortable with the situation.
As we crossed through two tastefully furnished living rooms to get to a third one, unnecessarily called a breakfast room, I concluded that I couldn’t let myself like Lindsey yet, despite her apparent qualities.
She might’ve been daring, by all means smart and sassy, all qualities I appreciated in a woman, but who knew what lay underneath that? Maybe she was just a spoiled brat.
Besides, her father didn’t quite strike me as the best man, given that Mother suspected him of cheating.
The best thing was to remain reserved until further notice.
“Dad said we should start eating. He might be having lunch with his associate,” Lindsey say. One look at Mom and I saw her expression change.
I started to say something but she stopped me with a glance.
“Fine,” I said, more to Mom’s silent request.
“OK, then. I shall tell Isabel to set the table,” Lindsey concluded and left the room.
“Behave yourself, Adam. My issues are mine only.”
“You’re right, Mom. But you know I can’t just sit on the sidelines forever.”
“If things go wrong, you can get involved. I don’t want it, but I know you can’t help yourself. But only if things go wrong.”
I nodded. It seemed fair enough.
The door opened again and a Latina woman, neatly dressed in a classic maid’s uniform walked through, her hands perfectly balancing plates like she was a professional juggler. To my surprise, right behind her was Lindsey, bringing the equivalent in glasses and drinks.
OK, another point for her. I still remained unconvinced.
“Thank you, Isabel. Do you need help with the food?”
“No, Miss. It’ll only take a minute.”
The woman left and I suddenly felt awkward. It must’ve been the silence.
I walked to the large windows and looked out over the park behind the mansion. It was nicely manicured, but still had a forest feel. I liked it, I could imagine it must’ve been so calming to walk through that on a warm summer afternoon.
“You know, it’s so beautiful in the summer. Very relaxing to take a walk through the park when the heat is just too much,” I heard Lindsey at my side.
“Not a real forest, though,” my mouth said without my brain’s approval. What?
She smiled. “True. But we don’t have those around. We’re still in the city. This park does the job just as well.”
“I’m sure. And it doesn’t look too bad in the early spring either,” I tried to make up for earlier.
“Oh, so you do know how to speak.”
I raised my eyebrows as she started giggling. I would’ve asked her what she meant, but her phone was ringing.
“Oh, Dad! When are you coming home?”
She walked away, leaving me alone at the window. Mom approached, looking somewhat nervous.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t embarrass you,” I promised her.
“Embarrass her about what?” Lindsey asked.
“Were you trained in stealth tactics?”
She laughed.
“Come on, what’s going in here? Why would Adam embarrass you, Karen?”
Mom forced a smile, probably searching for the right words to change the subject.
“I’m very protective of her,” I decided to give her some of the truth. “And that means I am mostly suspicious of her boyfriends.”
“Oh. Well, I suppose that would make your mother feel bad. You don’t want your Mom to feel bad, do you?”
Was I detecting a hint of patronizing in her voice?
“Isn’t that your father’s job?”
“Excuse me?”
“Adam,” Mom cautioned me.
“Sorry,” I recanted.
“No, please, do tell. What’s my dad supposed to be doing?”
I shot her a look, half telling her to drop it and half challenging her to continue.
“Speak up, son!” she took the bait.
“Look here, little girl, you don’t get to call me ‘son’ on that tone...”
“I can call you whatever I want. You’re accusing my father of something without even having met him. That’s unfair.”
“I don’t need to accuse him of anything. He’s doing a pretty good job himself.”
“Adam!” Mom insisted, but I was too heated up by that point. Lindsey seemed to be the same.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know very well, since you’re arguing so passionately.”
“Oh, you mean that dinner with his ex? That’s his business, he can’t just drop everyone he knows because he met your mother. And it is their job to work it out, not yours.”
She had a point. I wasn’t willing to admit that out loud so I said nothing.
“His ex?” Mother said quietly.
It seemed that Lindsey had just realized Mom was in the room.
“Oh, God. I’m sorry, Karen. You should’ve heard this from Dad, not from me,” she said on an apologetic tone, then turned to me. “And certainly not this way.”
Did she just scold me?
Great. So much for not embarrassing Mom.