“Neither did you and Daddy before you ran off and eloped.But wait, you were knocked up with Luis, weren’t you?”
I know my words sting her.My mother has always tried to convince us that she became pregnant right after they married, but we always knew better.She liked to play the I-was-a-virgin-until-I-got-married card on us kids.
“He’s a playboy, Bianca.You’re just another notch on his bedpost.Everyone knows how athletes are.Don’t be childish and naïve.”
“I’m well aware of his past.”I stand and push back my chair.“If you can’t accept us as a couple or Vinnie as my other half, then we can’t have lunch anymore.You either accept him or lose me.”
I don’t wait for her to answer before I stalk off.I’m going to let her stew on my words and whine to my father about my disrespectful behavior.He’ll set her ass straight.He always does.She’s too quick to overreact and try to get everyone to do what she wants without thinking of our happiness first.
I refuse to let her talk poorly about Vinnie or his family.I’m well versed in the Gallo family after a quick Google search.I won’t let Vinnie pay for the sins of his father, a man I actually like and who has, indeed, changed.
I’m halfway down the block, weaving in and out of the people wandering on the sidewalk when I realize I told my mother I was falling in love with Vinnie.
I hadn’t been entirely honest with myself before that moment.I told myself I liked him or we were probably just a fling.But when he asked me to be his girl, and after our time away, I knew there was no one else I wanted to be with.
The man was about to give up a huge professional football career for me.Who does that?Only him.
“Bianca.”I hear my mother’s voice above the chatter on the streets.“Stop!”
I turn, finding my mother running in her high heels, waving her hands in the air.I almost keep walking.I’m sure she’s chasing me down, ready to twist the dagger in my heart a little deeper.
“Baby,” she says, trying to catch her breath when she finally makes it to me.“Forgive me.I was wrong.You were right.”
This may be the first time in my entire life that my mother has ever said those words.“About all of it?”
She nods.“It’s wrong of me to judge him on his father’s past or his own.I can see you’re happy.Happier than I’ve seen you in a long time.”She reaches out and cups my cheeks in her hands.“All I want is for you to be happy.”
“I am happy, Mom.Vinnie isn’t who you think he is.He’s kind, caring, selfless.He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner.”
Her eyes water, but she shakes away her tears.“Come back to the restaurant and tell me about him.”
I almost say no, worried it’s a trap, but I know this is my one shot to explain everything to my mother and get her to back off for good.“Fine, but you’re not allowed to say anything negative.”
She takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.“I promise I’ll listen with an open mind.Please, baby.You’re my only daughter, and I want to know what’s happening in your life.”
“Okay, Mom.I’ll go back with you, but if you say something again, I’m done.”
She nods.“Okay.I can’t imagine you not being in my life, sweetheart.If you love him, I love him.The last thing I want is for our relationship to be strained like your father’s was with his parents.”
“That’ll be entirely up to you.”
She grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together.“Let’s start over.Tell me about your trip,” she says as we walk back toward the restaurant.
I spend the next two hours telling her all about the real Vinnie Gallo.How he almost gave up his career for me, how he whisked me away to a private island to help me through the stress of finishing my current work in progress.I tell her everything… Well, not about the sex.There are some things that aren’t meant to be shared, especially with my mother.
