With a rap on the door, I blinked my eyes open. Sitting up slowly I gazed at Peach beside me, she stirred sleepily though she did not wake. I was filled with a dizzying mix of emotions; from adoration and delight to a sense of dread and guilt.

What had we done? All the restraint and boundaries we had talked about were for nothing now. Would she still go ahead with the plan?

My thoughts were interrupted by another insistent knock on the door. Now was probably not the time to wake her and discuss our situation. I quietly shifted out of bed, I really wanted nothing more to stay there with her. She looked divine in the morning light as she slept peacefully. She looked so happy and content, I also felt the same warm glow in my heart, though the confusion with our situation still plagued me.

As I crossed the room I quickly collected up some of our discarded clothes and moved them to a chair. I grabbed a robe and headed over to the door. I was met by the face of my cousin Nial, the least favorable sight this time of the morning. He craned his neck and peered into the room. He was acting a little more shifty than usual.

“Well morning. It’s uncharacteristically late for you isn’t it? Have company do you?” he asked with a snarky tone.

I made certain to close the door a little tighter to prevent him barging in. I also felt the urge to lie outright about Peach being here. Though that obviously didn’t make sense, she was supposed to be here and it was about time I convinced people of that.

“Yes I do. My fiancée obviously. So keep your voice down, she’s sleeping,” I replied with a touch of irritation. Nial was a creature of constant and persistent annoyance. He was like a porcupine reversing through life with little regard to who might be in the way. It was usually best to side step him, especially if he was in a hurry to get anywhere. But not today.

“Sure, sure. Well lovebird, when you’re ready there’s an emergency downstairs. Your mother has had a bit of an accident, she needs to go the hospital and I’m up to my eyeballs with work.”

“Seriously, is she okay?” I asked with horror. “You could’ve led with that for fuck’s sake, Nial.”

“Calm down. It’s nothing horrific. She took a fall and hurt her wrist. She’s asking for you now.”

Curse you, Nial. I was quite sure he had left out the seriousness of the accident intentionally in the hopes of scaring me. My thoughts rushed back to Peach, I didn’t want to abandon her here, alone. But it would not be the best time for Peach to meet my mother. Nobody liked going to the hospital, least of all my mother. Maybe I could let Peach sleep contently, I would be back soon enough and we could talk about last night.

“Fine, let me get dressed I’ll be right down.”

Nial nodded and turned to leave with an odd expression, which I promptly ignored. I’d given up long ago trying to figure out what was going on in his devious mind. My only concern now was my mother. I peeked in on Peach one last time after I was dressed and ready. She slept soundly, purring like a kitten, so I closed up the bedroom door quietly and headed downstairs.

I found Mother in the kitchen, though I heard her before I got into the room as she shouted at our housekeeper to stop fussing over her. Gertrude stood behind my mother at the kitchen table with what was obviously an ice pack, a towel wrapped around it. Gertrude shrugged at me as I entered, her eyes widening. A silent warning to brace myself.

“Ethan, finally! Where were you in my hour of need?” my mother asked angrily.

“Don’t worry, I’m here now. Let’s get you taken care of. I’ll bring the car around.”

“Fine,” she replied, waving away any assistance offered to help her to her feet as she clutched her left arm.

“Good luck,” whispered Gertrude on our way out.

“We’ll be back soon. Gertie, would you do me a favor and make sure Peach is looked after? Let her know there was a bit of an emergency.”

“Peach is here?” my mother interrupted rudely.

“Not now, Mom,” I replied frustration setting in.

Gertie patted my arm. “Go, Mr. Dalton. I’ll take care of things here.”

“Thanks, Gertie. Come on, Mom. Let’s get you to the hospital.”

Mom stubbornly shunned help to be buckled in despite her grimace of pain as she stretched with her remaining good arm. She didn’t seem very cooperative or responsive until we were finally on the road. I had always known her to be a proud and stubborn lady in the face of adversity. And her aggravation was certainly shining through at full wattage today.

“So what happened mom, are you going to tell me?”

“Bah, I just tripped. What a great day to be out of action. This is a disaster! We’ll never get everything done on time. What will people think?” she exclaimed.

“Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine with the reunion. They’ll take care of it, while we get you sorted. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“I do worry, that’s clearly labeled in my job description, can’t stop a habit of a lifetime. Like, I worry about you. Practically can’t sleep for the anxiety you put me through. Case in point, who’s this new lady friend of yours? Was she visiting last night? Why didn’t you introduce us?”

I took a moment to consider my response, my mother was maybe the most perceptive person I knew, I would have to take care and tread lightly over shrewd land-mines she’d set for me.

“She’s not exactly new, but yes she’s at the house. Actually, I can’t wait for you to meet her. I just didn’t think you would want more than me at the hospital.”

“You’re probably right, the fewer people fussing around me the better. Can’t stand all that bellyaching.”

I nodded and kept silent, trying to keep a straight face. But I needn’t have concerned myself. Mom was already returning the conversation back to the reunion. She proceeded to run through a long checklist of arrangements and things that were so important, you’d think national security was at stake. Had the catering confirmed their schedule? Had cars been arranged for everyone flying in today? Had the right wines been moved from the cellars to the right coolers? On and on she went, but I knew better than to interrupt. This was her way of dealing with things out of her control. Instead, I calmly reassured her with each item.

We eventually arrived at the hospital. I dropped her at the main doors and quickly parked the car. She waited impatiently at the entrance till I returned. I could see her reluctance to step inside. This hospital had bad memories. What one didn’t?

I escorted her inside then walked ahead to reach the front desk, thinking things might go a little smoother if I was the one doing the talking, picturing my mother’s demanding tone of entitlement and the inevitable looks of disdain from the nurses. Given half a chance she would be ordering them around much like the staff at home.

There was a growing sense of commotion around us, staff were dashing out of sight with hurried voices, their shoes squeaking on the polished tiles like we were at a basketball court.

Thankfully with Mom’s private care we were quickly settled in a quiet room of our own. Before the nurse left she mentioned that there had been a fire at a restaurant nearby that of course would take precedence and we would have to bear with them.

My mother clicked her tongue and sat on the bed. I chose not to chide her. She wasn’t a cold hearted woman, maybe a little distant at times, especially since dad had died, but the more nervous she got, the more she withdrew or lashed out.

“You know, the last time I was here was with your father.”

Startled that we were both thinking of him, I turned to look at my mother, her stern façade suddenly fading. The lines on her face softening, her mouth no longer in a stern line. I remembered that day clearly. It was the day I had lost two loving parents. My father’s Lou Gehrig’s disease defeated him that day with respiratory complications, this in turn had overcome my mother.

“Yeah, I know, Mom.” I went to sit beside her.

“I know I’m tough on you, but I want you to be happy, you know that don’t you?” she said taking my hand. “All this nonsense with the inheritance. I don’t know… when your father was around everything made sense. Keeping with tradition. And together we always knew what was right. Now everyone seems to have something different to say, I don’t really know where to turn and who to trust anymore.”

“Mom you can trust—”

She shook her head needing to finish. “You have to find someone real in this life Ethan, someone you can trust completely. Is this Peach of yours the real deal?”

The word trust stuck out to me with a sudden tinge of guilt. I thought back to Peach and the lies I’d willfully fallen into. I’d dove right in like it was no big thing, without considering what dangers may be lurking at the bottom of the pool. But was I really lying? Maybe only to myself, I just hadn’t want to admit it. The force of the realization struck me, a fog lifting. Peach wasn’t a mirage, she was very real. Right in front of me, ready for the taking.

“Yeah Mom, I’m crazy about her. You’ll see,” I replied, considering for a moment if this was a good time to unveil everything and get it all out on the table. As I hesitated the doctor burst into the room apologizing for the delay.