“Darling, shouldn’t you be leaving?” Mother comes over to the coffee dispenser beside me to make her coffee.
“You’re right,” James replies behind me.
I turn in time to see him stand from the table. He ruffles my son’s curls, causing Noah to laugh. “Papa will see you tonight, little man.”
I smile as I watch their interaction. James walks over to my mother and leans down to give her a kiss. She turns her face at the last minute, causing his kiss to land on her cheek instead of lips he was aiming for. His brow pinches slightly when he leans up, but he doesn’t make a comment. When he comes over to me, he gives me a quick side hug.
“And do not stop at any stores on your way home, Mr. James. Noah doesn’t need any more toys.” I wag my finger playfully at him.
His puppy dog frown has me laughing. He holds up a hand as if he’s making a pledge.
“I will not go out of my way.” He promises. “But if there is one on the way, I can’t be held accountable.”
I shake my head as he scurries out of the kitchen. Making my way over to Noah, I take a wipe from his pack and clean his face and hands. The moment the house alarm alerts us that James has left, my mother speaks.
“I’ve never met a lazier and more wasteful man.”
This has been an everyday thing. The moment James leaves the house, she starts complaining. He’s either lazy, wasteful, bothersome, needy or childish. All of her complaints are bullshit by the way.
“He doesn’t want to do anything but work and come home. Ronald used to love going out of the country. He’d take me to parties and business brunches. I can’t get James to even go to corporate events if he isn’t obligated to go.”
Rolling my eyes, I pull a laugh from my baby boy. “Not everyone wants to be seen, Evelyn. James enjoys being home and spending time with you.”
She should be happy the man even wants to be in her presence. The others figured out early on that she’s about as pleasant as a thong made from sandpaper.
She scoffs. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand. All the times I’ve tried to teach you the correct way of life, you never listened. Now you go off and marry some broke nobody and have to run to me of all people for comfort.”
Evelyn doesn’t know anything about Nico, not even his name. She does not know I’m married to a literal billionaire. For one, it’s none of her business, but also, she never took the time to ask me anything about my husband. Hell, she barely even looks at her grandson.
“I think James is nice, and from what I’ve noticed, he seems like one of the only husbands that you might not have to worry about cheating on you.”
Four out of the five ex-husbands she’s had since she left Daddy has cheated on her. Not that she cared. Mother isn’t in this for love. She’s in it for the money. As long as she can still blow half of her husband’s salary on her jewelry and clothes, she doesn’t care where he sticks his dick.
Her gaze narrows at me. I take Noah out of his new highchair. He rubs his eyes, letting me know it’s time for his morning nap.
“That’s your problem,” she sneers. “You’re still young and dumb. Is that why you’re running? Did your husband cheat on you?”
I don’t speak. It’s not like she cares or will help. If I told her Nico was beating my ass, she would still tell me to go back to him because I can’t stay here.
She continues. “At least Marcus knew how to be discreet. And he wouldn’t have knocked you up with some child. One thingthat boy and I could agree on was children was not for us.” She says this so casually as if her child isn’t staring her in the face.
I rock Noah in my arms as he lays his head on my shoulder. “Despite me being here and no longer with Marcus, you of all people have no right to talk to me about him or his cheating.”
She stares at me for a moment as if she’s confused. Leaning her back against the kitchen counter, she takes a sip of her coffee.
“Are you still upset about that little incident? Seriously, Tiffany, that was years ago.”
Her dismissing such a major part of my life as little, pisses me off.
“Not everything can be so easily dismissed and forgotten, Evelyn. I know that’s your specialty.”
She watches me over the rim of her coffee cup. For most of my life, I’ve craved that mother-daughter bond. The one I’ve witnessed between my best friend Mira and her mom. I don’t think I will ever not desire that connection, but every year that passes I realize more and more that I’ll never receive it from my mother.
Finally breaking the stare off, she shrugs. “You still think I owe you something, little girl. My only requirement was to bring you into the world. I did my part. Grow up, Tiffany.”
“I did,” I snap. “I just happened to do it while you were running from your responsibilities, so you missed it.”
She chuckles, tossing her long weave over her shoulders. “Is that supposed to hurt me? Was that you putting me in my place?” She turns and places her coffee mug down on the counter behind her before turning to face me with her arms folded across her fake chest. The twins were a gift from husband number two.
