I walked some more, picked the pillar nearest to my destination, and leaned against it, watching the carousel as bags tumbled down and people jostled for space. I'd helped her pack myself, so I knew it would be a dark blue hardshell bag with flower stickers.
And then I saw Margaret in full mom mode. She wore a navywindbreaker, teal scarf, olive pants, and practical sneakers. There was a short-brimmed straw hat with a teal ribbon on her head. Her face was a little more tanned than when she'd left.
She looked happy, and I was glad.
She came barreling over with the energy of a ten-year-old, crushed me in a hug before I could say a word, and nearly squeezing the breath out of me.
"My girl," she said. "Look at you. I missed you so much."
"Missed you, too, Mom. But you better not tell Katrina you didn't miss her."
She drew back and held me at arm's length. "Oh dear. You know I missed all my girls equally." She inspected me, head to toe, like a customs officer. "You look tired. Are you eating enough?"
I nodded. "I've been busy at work." She didn't need to know the asshole on the news had beaten the shit out of me. Whatever meager evidence I still had on my face and neck was buried under a coat of concealer.
Her luggage dropped onto the carousel. I rushed over to grab it.
As we walked to the parking lot, she peppered me with rapid-fire questions. "Have you talked to June or Rachel? Are my plants still alive? What is your lawyer friend saying? Should I bake her a pie? Is Katrina's house okay? We should go visit her over the weekend to help out. Don't you think so?"
I answered each one with minimal words. I had to lie again about my non-existent friend. Said she left for New York. In reality, Milo had taken care of the insurance company, and the guy apparently hired to create an accident. I didn't know all the details. I just knew he'd handled it as part of the job, and Margaret had nothing to worry about. All we had to do was to look for a new insurance company. He'd even given me a few recommendations. The ones that hadn't been involved in any shady business or had no connections with people who thought they were special because they sprinkled money out of their asses.
Finally, we got to the parking lot.
Milo stood beside the car, leaning against the driver's side door, arms crossed on his chest. His hair caught the light streaming inside through the gap in the wall, and his face was softer, more open, than I'd ever seen it.
"Is that him?" Margaret nudged me. "The young man you're seeing?"
I'd told her ahead of time I'd be coming with someone. I didn't elaborate further. "Yes, that's him."
She didn't say another word. She walked straight to the car and stopped three feet away, assessing. She might have been a retired guidance counselor, but she still had the eyes of a hawk.
Milo straightened up as we approached, and for a moment I worried he'd bolt…or salute her. But he didn't. He stepped forward, nodded at my mother, then offered his hand for a shake.
She grabbed it with both her hands instead. "Nice to meet you, young man."
"Likewise, ma'am." He darted forward, seeing me rolling the suitcase. "Let me help."
I noticed how awkward he looked all of a sudden, how he wasn't sure where to stand or how to move now that he was out of the shadows. It was almost comical, watching him try to play at being a normal boyfriend.
Once the luggage was in the trunk, he opened the back door for my mother.
I slid into the passenger seat and waited for him to get behind the wheel.
"So," Margaret said as we left the lot and merged with the airport traffic, "what do you do, young man?"
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror, then back to the road. "Security."
She leaned forward, hands on the headrest. "Military?"
He shook his head. "Private sector."
"He's on leave now, Mom," I added.
Margaret seemed satisfied. "Well, thank you for driving us. I've lived in this city all my life, but I hate driving here. Every year it's worse and worse on the road."
"It's all good, ma'am. I got it," he replied.
"Oh goodness," she exclaimed. "I forgot to ask your name."
