Reese turned off the lamp and gathered her close. “Thank you, love.”
Chapter 20
February 15
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, and it was the first time I was able to celebrate it in public with a man. Reese had made reservations at an upscale Italian restaurant in Shelby, and after we shared a romantic candlelight dinner, we went back to his house, where he gifted me a gold bracelet with a diamond heart charm. He’d had the charm engraved with our names and the date. My gift to him was a silk tie in a platinum shade that he could wear for a special occasion. I refused to tell him what that special occasion could be, saying he would have to use his imagination. And I know if he’d asked me to marry him, I would’ve accepted because I love him just that much.
Cherie reread what she’d written. It had been months since she’d written down her thoughts because she was no longer plagued with the angst that had held her captive for so long that she didn’t believe she would ever rid herself of it.
She’d fallen in love with Reese Matthews and could imagine herself married to him sometime in the future. Kayana was happily married to Graeme, and Leah and Derrick were talking about getting married sooner rather than later. Leah had finally given up the notion that she wanted to wait a year after becoming a widow to marry again.
Cherie had just capped her pen when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen and smiled. It was her mother.
“Hello, Mama.”
Edwina’s laugh came through the earpiece. “I don’t know why I love it when you call me Mama rather than Mom.”
“Now you sound like Biggie Smalls when he said he liked it when he was called Big Papa.”
“I don’t know about Biggie, but I’m willing to admit that I prefer you call me Mama.”
“Okay, Mama. How are you?”
“I’m ready to take some time off and head down your way. This cold weather is getting to me. It seems as if we get snow every few days. It’s not enough to close schools, but it’s what I call nuisance snowfall.”
“When are you coming?”
“When do you want me?”
“How much vacation time do you have coming to you?”
“A week, but I’m going to take two. My tips have been good, so I can afford to take the extra days.”
Cherie didn’t know why, but she felt like crying. She couldn’t believe she was going to see her mother again, and this time it would be different from their last encounters. She wanted Edwina to know she could exist in a world that was different from the one she feared leaving.
“I’m going to go online and buy your ticket. You should let me know the date you plan to leave, and I’ll also arrange for a car service to pick you up and take you to the airport. You’ll fly into Wilmington International, and I’ll be there to pick you up.”
“Tomorrow. I’m going to pack tonight, and I’d prefer an early-morning flight. Oh, I forgot. Should I pack winter clothes?”
“It’s a little cool down here, so bring something warm. And whatever you don’t have you can borrow from me. There’s an advantage to having a daughter who wears the same size as her mother.”
“That’s true,” Edwina said, laughing. “Text me after you make the reservations.”
“Will do.”
“Love you, baby.”
It was several seconds before Cherie said, “I love you, too.”
She ended the call and powered up her laptop to search for flights from New Haven, Connecticut, to Wilmington, North Carolina. Cherie grimaced when seeing the inflated ticket prices, but she would willingly to spend twice that much, because spending the next two weeks with her mother was priceless. It took forty minutes for her book the tickets and reserve a car service to take Edwina to the airport. After she received the confirmations, she sent her mother a text with the information.
Her next text was to Reese.
Cherie: My mother is coming down tomorrow for a couple of weeks. I can’t wait for you to meet her.
Reese: That’s wonderful. And I can’t wait to meet her and let her know she has an incredible daughter and that I love her very much. I’ll see you later tonight, and I’ll bring dinner.
Cherie: Later.
