Page 59 of Mia

“Let me build my stamina back up and I got you. Don’t take it easy on me either.”

She waved me off. “Never that. There’s no time like the present. Come on.”

She grabbed my arm and lead me over to the treadmill to start my workout. Stepping on the machine, I pushed every bad thought out of my head. It was time to focus so I could get back to business.

After spending hours in the gym with my brothers and Kaylynn, I felt a little renewed. My body was sore, but in a good way. We had a lot of talks and plenty of jokes were cracked. I missed them.

When I walked to my house, I could smell something heavenly coming from the kitchen. My appetite was slowly returning, and it was something I missed. Once upon a time, I could fuck up a plate. Every Sunday dinner, I had at least three helpings of Grams’ cooking. This smell, however, I knew anywhere. It was my mother.

When I walked into the kitchen, she was standing at the stove cooking her famous chicken and dumplings. It had been my favorite comfort meal since I was a kid.

“Hey, Ma,” I said, taking my Air Pods out and placing them on the counter.

She looked over at me and smiled. “Hey, baby.”

She opened her arms, and I went into them for a hug. I felt her inhale deeply as she rocked me from side to side.

“You had a good workout?” she asked, cupping my face.

“I did. How did you know?”

“Titan. I came to check on you this morning, but he said you were gone. I’ve been trying to give you two some space, but he updates me. I’m glad you got out of this house.”

“I needed it.”

She smiled. “I know, baby. You hungry?”

“I could eat.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Sit down and I’ll make you a bowl.”

I took a seat at the island while she grabbed dishes to fix my food. While she moved about, I watched her. She seemed tired, like she hadn’t been sleeping much and had a lot on her mind.

“You okay, Ma?” I asked. “You seem a little off.”

“I’m fine.”

She placed the bowl in front of me, then turned to the fridge to grab a ginger ale. When she set it down, I gently grabbed her hand.

“Mommy.”

She sighed. “I just have some things to think about, baby.”

“Like what?”

“Life, Mia. I’ve been doing this a long time. Nothing scared me more than seeing you laying on that ground covered in blood. Feeling like I was gonna lose you. . . my heart couldn’t take that. I feel like it’s time for me to retire. I wanna spend more time being your mother and not your co-worker.”

“Ma, you’ve always been my mother and a damn good one. I wouldn’t be the woman I am without you. You’ve always been my strength and the strongest woman I know.”

“Thank you, baby. But I’m tired. I don’t regret giving my life to this cause, but I need to take some time to just be Maddie. When this is all over, I’m taking a nice long vacation out of the country. Nothing but blue beaches, all the drinks I can handle, and absolutely no stress. Plus, this man of mine has been begging for my attention.”

I almost choked on my food. “Man! What man do you have?”

“Don’t worry about all that. Just know mama gotta have a life too.”

“Nah, Mommy. I need to know who you are dating and when did you have time to get a man.”

I needed to know this information. Once she stopped fucking with my dad, she moved off the compound and into a penthouse apartment in the city. Then they started messing around again, and she was back and forth. Now that things were officially over, she was back at the penthouse full time. Now I see why she wasn’t worried about Senior’s ass.