The hard stare she gave me softened a little and a smile crossed her face before she extended her hand. “Maureen Robertson, and you are?” She paused and peered over the top of her Coach frames. “Besides sleeping with my son?” she asked with a smirk and waited.
“Maddie, well… Madeline Emmerson.” I accepted her hand and shook before she shut and locked the door then entered the apartment.
She placed her purse on the counter before pulling her shades off and placing them next to it.
“I assume my son is not here from your little rant when I walked in.”
“Um, no he’s not.”
“You live here?” she asked, looking around as she moved through the living room and kitchen.
“Yes, but not with him. He’s at his place in White Plains. I’m just staying here for a while until I find a place.”
“Hmmm,” she said and pulled out the stool that lined the breakfast bar. “Come sit.” She nodded at the stool next to her.
Thank goodness I was dressed halfway decent in leggings and a pullover.
“How long have you been dating my son? I assume you’re dating if he’s allowing you to stay here.”
“Yes, we are. Well, I mean, I guess we are. It’s only been a few months.”
She looked me right in the eyes with an expression I couldn’t read before she looked me over again. “You’re pretty, but I expect that. He must like you, Madeline. Or do you prefer Maddie?” she asked with a soft smile that made me relax a little.
“Either one is fine.”
She chuckled and looked around. “I haven’t met you yet, why is that?”
I thought about my answer and decided there was no point in lying. “He said we weren’t there yet. That if he took me to meet you, you would expect us to be serious, so he hasn’t.”
“Serious, huh? Do you not consider living with him serious?” she asked, again looking in my eyes like she was trying to see if I would lie. She made me nervous because I couldn’t read her. She was nice enough, but I wasn’t sure.
“I do. I mean we are, but not like he said you considered serious. We’re still new.”
“What do I consider serious?” she asked with raised brows.
“Wearing a ring type of serious.”
She burst out laughing and I was confused.
“Did he tell you that?”
“Yes, why?”
“Oh sweetheart, he really likes you. He doesn’t want me to chase you away, that’s the only reason I haven’t met you yet.”
I frowned, trying to make sense of what she said.
“Not like that. Carlos is a very private man about certain things. Especially his relationships or lack thereof. I harass him all the time about settling down and giving me some grandkids and I told him that the first woman he’s serious enough to let me meet, I would convince to marry him. He said I was crazyand would have them running and not looking back. I take it he meant that. He likes you if he’s afraid for you to meet me. Not that I’ve ever met any of his women before, unless it was running into them out in public by mistake, but trust me, they weren’t worth the conversation I spent on them. I like you. You have good energy.”
“Thank you.” I blushed.
“And apparently, my son thinks so too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. So Maddie, tell me about yourself,” she said with a smile.
“There’s not much to tell. I’m recently divorced and trying to figure out my life.”
“That was honest,” she said with a light chuckle.
“No sense in hiding it. I am who I am and you’ll eventually find out one day. I’m not ashamed of the choices I’ve made in life. I made them, so I have to take ownership.”
