I’m slowly making progress with the casino. I even have a poker tournament scheduled for this weekend. It’s amazing what a little time can do. It’s been almost two months of silence, no one coming after me for money, and no one trying to kill me. It’s been heaven. Working has always brought me so much pleasure, long hours is nothing if it means I can increase profits. It just brings me closer to my end goal, to be free of the Sterns. I say that with confidence, but at the same time I can’t help thinking of Zander. I haven’t seen him since I saw him at the strip club.

I’m setting my event schedule for the following week when there is a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

I look up and see my mother walk in. I jump up and run over to her.

“Mom, what are you doing here?”

“Did you think I was going to stay away much longer? I missed you, Chéri.”

“Me, too, Mom, God I’ve missed you.”

I release her, and she looks around the room. I can see she’s taken back to another time. I haven’t changed anything in the office, it looks just like my father left it.

I see a tear fall from her eyes.

“I haven’t been in this room in a very long time. It still looks the same as it did then. Oh, look at these pictures. Those were some fun times.”

“Mom, look at this one. Do you remember that night?”

I show her the picture that Catherine’s in. “Yes, I took that picture. Have you met Catherine yet?”

I didn’t tell my mom about Catherine’s visit. I didn't need her to be anymore worried than what she has been.

“Yes, I’ve met her.”

“Is she still as beautiful as she used to be?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Is she still as ruthless as I remember?”

“Yes, I think she is.”

Mom turns and looks at me. “What has she done?”

“Nothing, Mom, she was nice enough. She just reminded me that I owe her family money or she will take the casino from me.”

“Bullshit. What else did she want? If that’s all she wanted, then she would have sent one of her goons to warn you.”

“Mom, let’s not worry about that right now.”

“No, Murphy, I want to talk about it now. I know you’ve been hiding things from me. I can always tell when you’re lying. And seeing Kyle when he came home proved it. I would have been here sooner, but I had to make sure Joe could handle everything while I was gone.”

She sits down, crossing her legs. “Now tell me, Chéri, what did Catherine want? And don’t lie or hold anything back.”

I sit down and tell her everything about Judith, all the way down to Catherine. I even tell her about the attacks on me and Catherine’s proposal. She takes it all in better than I would have imagined.

When I’m done, she takes a second, then asks, “What about this son of Catherine’s? Are you interested in him?” She then waves her hands and says, “Never mind. I know that look.”

“What look?”

“That look of you trying to hide your real feelings. That means you do like him and you’re trying to find a reason not to.”

“Mom, it’s not like that.”

“Sure, it’s not, Murphy. You are your own worst enemy. Every time you like a guy, you get this light in your eyes, and then it vanishes and is replaced with fear. You, my dear, have a horrible poker face.”

“All right, fine, I like him, or liked him. I haven’t seen him in almost two months. I think maybe he’s done, which makes my life a whole lot easier.”

“And the men outside? Are they his?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Kyle, he told me all about Zander. He said he felt safer leaving you because he knew Zander was watching out for you. The way I look at it is, if he still has his men out there watching you, then he still cares. Tell me, is he as good looking as Kyle says he is?”

I laugh. “I’m afraid so, he’s very much dream worthy.”

“And what about the rest of him?” She wiggles her brows at me.

“Mom, I am not discussing that with you. But I have an idea I don’t have to. I have a feeling Kyle filled you in, didn’t he?”

“Most definitely. You can’t hide a man like that.”

So, I tell her everything about Zander. I tell her how he makes me feel and how safe I feel with him around me. I also tell her how he scares me.

When I finish telling her about all the Sterns, we decide to have lunch. I don’t have time to leave the casino, so we settle on eating at the buffet in the casino. On our way, I introduce her to my employees and some interested customers. Over the last few months, I have mingled with our regulars as much as I can. It has helped a lot with relationships and getting myself known.

As we sit to eat, I tell my mother how I would like to keep the buffet open, but how I would like to also open a more upscale restaurant inside the casino.

I’m trying to eat, but I’ve been feeling poorly lately. My stomach has even revolted on me a few times, which is how I’m feeling right now. I ask Mom to excuse me. I don’t even give her time to react, I run out of there and hit the first bathroom I come across. I throw myself down to the floor, not caring that it’s a public bathroom, and hurl everything I attempted to eat.

I hear my mom calling my name. She finds me and lays some wet, cool paper towels on the back of my neck.

“Chéri, are you okay? What is it? Have you been sick lately?”

Once I’m finished, I stand with her help and wash my face.

“I’ve been feeling bad for more than a week. I think it’s a virus, but it could be all the stress, too. Don’t give me that face. If I don’t feel better by next week, I promise I’ll go see a doctor. Things have just been crazy around here. It makes it difficult because I want to oversee everything. So, I can almost guarantee you it’s stress.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing I came when I did. I can help. We need to get you back in tip-top shape. You’re not doing the casino any good running yourself sick.”

I actually start to cry, which is so unlike me. I hug her so tight and tell her, “Thank you, Mom. I didn’t know until right now how much I needed you.”

“Well, I’m here, so let me take care of you for a while. Now, I know something that might help your stomach. Let’s go.”