“He says hello. Has a little summer cold, so I left him with some chicken soup and the television remote. He’s in heaven right now.”
“I’ll bet.” The silence rose between them until Morgan couldn’t take it any longer. His mother was so not the silent type. “Okay, just say it. I know you’re dying to tell me whatever’s on your mind, so go ahead.”
But his mother fully intended to have her moment, so he waited while she finished drinking her coffee.
“As I see it, Leo is a nice man who didn’t have to invite me into his home. I’m a stranger and mean nothing to him. Unless you do.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. We barely know each other, and the times we do talk, we usually end up arguing.”
“Uh-huh.”
Her enigmatic smile only confused him further, so he changed the subject. “What would you like to do for the rest of the day?”
She brushed her hands together. “I think I should go home.”
“Mom, your train ride was almost four hours, and we’ve spent less than one hour together. Come on, it’s fine. Do you want to go to a museum or something?”
“I should’ve called you first, so you were expecting me. It’s totally my fault for surprising you.”
“It’s not a big deal.” Morgan chewed his lip. “I can cancel the barbecue. You’re more important.”
“Don’t you dare. Why don’t you order in one of those pizzas you’re always telling me are so good, and I’ll take some home to your father? That plus a glass of wine will make for a nice visit, and next time, maybe you can come see us?”
Relief settled in his chest. He didn’t really want to cancel, but he knew it took her so long to come down to see him, and he didn’t want to look ungrateful.
“That’s perfect. Thanks, Mom.” He picked up his phone and opened the delivery app. “Pepperoni or mushroom?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Why not both? Let’s live a little dangerously.”
Visions of Leo came to mind. If only that didn’t mean something totally different to him. “Both it is.”
***
By four o’clock the pizza had been finished, along with a glass of wine that put Morgan in his happy place. His mother had wrapped up two slices of pizza to take home for his father and insisted she’d be fine taking a car by herself to Penn Station.
“I’m sixty-eight years old, not six, and manage every day to get where I need to go all by myself. Don’t worry.”
“Okay, but please text me when you get on the train and when you’re home.”
She kissed his cheek. “Now who’s being overprotective? I’ll let you walk me to the street.”
The car was due to arrive in two minutes, so they hurried out. Too late, as the door slammed shut, Morgan realized he’d left his keys inside the apartment.
“Shit. Oops, sorry.” He glanced at his mother, who laughed.
“Not like I haven’t heard it before. What’s wrong?”
“I locked myself out.” He huffed out a sigh.
“Oh, dear.”
Outside, he propped open the front door so he could get back into the building.
When the car service drew up to the curb, she asked, “Do you want me to stay and help you?”
“Nothing you can do. I’ll have to go to Leo and get the spare.” God, he was such an idiot. “It’ll be okay.”
“Okay, well, don’t forget to give him some of the cookies I left. It’s the least I can do, considering he was so nice.”
