“I’m so sorry, Elias. I should have fought him harder.” She wept quietly.
“No, Mom. This isn’t your fault. If you had fought him in court and won, he would have taken me from you. I know that now.” Too bad he hadn’t figured it out before he’d hit his teenage years and believed the lies his father told him about his mother abandoning him, and how Eddie had rescued him from the system.
He frowned. “Was I ever in the child services system?”
“No, why?”
Another lie. “He told me you’d given me up to child services, and he was the one who rescued me.”
Naomi groaned. “He lied to you, sweetheart. It’s not true. I swear I never abandoned you.” She sniffed. “I didn’t fight hard enough to keep you out of his clutches. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that.”
“Mom, don’t. It’s behind us, all right? We mended our relationship after I left the military. Besides, we have more important things to discuss.”
A slight pause, then, “Like what?”
Elias turned to Iona with his eyebrow raised in silent query. He wanted to distract his mother quickly. If he didn’t, Joe would get on the phone after sending Elias’ mother off on an errand. At that point, Joe would verbally tear a strip from his hide for upsetting his mother.
Iona nodded.
“I’m dating someone, and I’d like to introduce her to you.”
Naomi gasped again. “Really? Oh, Elias, that’s wonderful news. Who is she? Do I know her?”
He laughed. “You know who she is, but you’ve never met her.”
“Wait. Are you talking about Iona?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I knew she was special to you, even though you denied it repeatedly. I know you too well, Elias. When can I meet her?”
After another glance at Iona and receiving permission, he said, “What about right now?”
“Are you here? Elias, where are you?”
“I’m not near your home, Mom. I’m a few hours away. What about a video call with both of us?”
“I’d love that. I want to see your face to make sure you’ve forgiven me for the past.”
His gut knotted. “Mom, come on. You know how I feel. It’s in the past.”
“Doesn’t sound like it based on the question you asked me.”
“I want you to focus on something good, so I’m going to switch to video call.” He pushed the button to activate the camera. Elias smiled at Naomi Crane. “There you are. You look good, Mom.”
His mother blushed. “Thanks, baby. Now I know your eyes need to be checked.”
He chuckled. “Nope. Just had a checkup, thank you. My vision is perfect.”
She rolled her eyes. “Wait until you hit 40. That will change.”
Elias shifted the camera to include Iona. “Mom, this is my girlfriend, Iona. Babe, this is Naomi Crane, my mother.”
Iona smiled. “I’m glad to meet you, Mrs. Crane. Elias has had nothing but good things to say about you since I met him.”
Elias sat back and watched an expert communicator at work. Within a matter of minutes, Iona and his mother acted as though they had been best friends forever.
About half an hour into their conversation, his mother glanced to the side and beamed. Joe must have walked into the room. “Hello, sweetheart.”
