“Yes, Natoi.”
“Mrs. Green is on the line. She has a few things she wants to go over with you before you two meet today.”
I rolled my eyes for what had to be the eightieth time that day and picked up the phone for Mrs. Green. At least she would be a distraction from my messed up personal life.
****
“Hi, Mama!” Diego’s excited voice rang out as soon as I stepped through the door.
I smiled, tossing my blazer over the arm of the chair and setting down my bag to open my arms wide for him. He ran into my arms, giving me a big hug. He wore his favorite firefighter pajamas. It was just about seven-thirty when I arrived home that evening. Diego had already had his dinner and a bath, thanks to my mother.
“Just in time to read before bed.” My mother smiled as she emerged from the kitchen.
“Thanks so much for staying late, Ma. How was he?” I asked, standing.
“My grandson was perfect as always.”
“Grandma said you had to work late so you’d take me to the movies another time. It’s okay.” He shrugged, looking up at me with those saucer-sized eyes of his and grinning. My heart almost stopped beating at the huge hole in his mouth left by his three missing teeth. He was growing up so fast.
“I’ll make it up to you, baby.” I squatted to get eye level with him. “Say goodnight to your grandmother and then go pick out the book you want to read tonight and I’ll be right in.” I stood and watched as he ran to hug my mother. She planted a warm kiss on his cheek, promising to see him the next day. She was the one who picked him up from school and kept him until I got in from work. My mother and I definitely had come a long way. I now trusted her with my most prized possession.
“What’s with the long face?”
I blinked, and turned from Diego’s retreating back to glance at my mother. “What long face?”
“You’re looking a little off. You alright? Did you eat yet? There’s some baked chicken, potatoes, and string beans. I kept your plate warm in the oven.” She started opening the oven and pulling out an already prepared plate.
My stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten since I’d had a muffin that morning. My lunch had been interrupted by Gabriel and I’d been too agitated to even think about food afterwards.
“Thanks, Mama,” I said, standing at the entranceway to the kitchen. “I’ll eat after I put Diego to bed.” I worried my bottom lip. “I need your advice on something.”
My mother gave me a shocked look. I could hardly believe it either. Growing up the way I had, had drilled into me one thing which was to never depend on my mother. Even after all this time, I rarely asked her for advice.
“Sure. What’s going on?” She wiped her hands with a dish towel and tossed it on the counter then looked on at me, tension evident in her forehead crease.
“I’ve been seeing someone.”
“I know that already.”
I grinned. “He wants to take me out this weekend … with Diego.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah,oh.What do you think?”
“Hmm.” She paused, her eyes going to a corner of the kitchen while she thought about it. “You really like this man.”
It wasn’t a question but I nodded anyway. I obviously liked him a whole lot if I was even considering inviting him out with my son and I.
“And he’s already met Diego. Brought him toys. That boy sleeps with that firetruck every night.”
I laughed. Diego loved the firetruck Carter bought for him a few weeks back.
“But is it too soon? We’ve been seeing each other for a little over a month and a half. You don’t think that’s too fast?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think, sweetie. Do you think it’s too fast? Could you see a future with this man?”
Yes.I didn’t need to think about that one. In a perfect world, I had no doubts about Carter and I. But we didn’t live in a perfect world. The only world I ever knew came with complications and drama.
