Another reporter from the New York Times was called on. “Were you scared?”
“Only afterward.” He smiled. “I didn’t think about what was happening. I just did it. When the whole thing was over, I practically collapsed when I realized what I’d done.”
A barrage of questions followed. Finally, the mayor took back the mic. “We’ll adjourn now to a small reception so the people who were at the gala can thank Paul personally.”
He didn’t know about the reception, didn’t want it, but he followed the mayor up the steps to City Hall. Paul hoped that Hayley would come to the reception. They’d just reached the door when someone walked out from behind a pillar next to him.
“Witja, syn.”
Paul stopped short. His head snapped to the left. Dear Lord in heaven. Dear God. As if in slow motion, he made his way over to the woman who’d somehow gotten this close to him. She’d changed. Her gray hair was in a bun. Her face was lined. But her eyes were exactly the same, except they were filled with tears. His clouded, too.
“Hello, Matka.”
* * *
Among the invited guests to the reception, Hayley climbed up the steps to the entrance where she caught sight of Paul, off to the side of the doors with an older woman. He hugged her. Tightly. When he stepped back, he kissed both cheeks then took her hand and entered the building.
Shocked at his display of affection, at delaying the mayor’s agenda so abruptly, Hayley wondered who the woman was. She followed the crowd inside, but lost track of Paul. She climbed the spiral staircase in the massive rotunda, amidst priceless pieces of art and arrived on the third floor. She entered the east chamber of the hall. Since the location had three chambers, there was plenty of room for any number of guests. People milled around; they were starting to get restless.
Because Paul was nowhere in sight.
* * *
His mother grasped onto his hand as he led her to a private anteroom. Then he hugged her again. She might look different but she smelled the same. Like lilac talcum powder.
Drawing away, she raised her chin and cupped his cheek. “We will speak in English. I have missed you so much, my son.”
They sat on two chairs separated by a table. Over it, he took her hand again. “I’ve missed you, too. I’m so sorry, Matka.”
“I am, too.”
“You didn’t do anything. Pa kicked me out. And I’m the one who stayed away all this time.”
She gave a quick shake of her head. “I should not have let your father disown you.”
“He had all the power.”
“He did, because I allowed it. That was the way of the time. Now, I have taken power back.”
Paul couldn’t help a smile. “Well, good for you.”
“And he regrets what he did.”
“Does he?” Paul was skeptical of that.
“So stubborn, both of you.”
“No, not any more for me. I’m delighted to see you.”
Aides poked their heads in again, and he’d shooed them away several times. But then the mayor entered the room. “I’m sorry, Paul. But everyone is waiting for you.”
“Matka, would you come out into the reception area and sit at a table? Let me do what I have to do then we’ll go somewhere.”
“I will.”
The two of them walked out into the east chamber. Politeness won out over curiosity, and no one swarmed them. He took his mother to a table and got her seated. A passing waiter handed her a glass of punch. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He hurried to the front of the room. People gathered around immediately. This was going to be a long afternoon. His head swirling with thoughts of his mother, he forced himself to greet the guests.
* * *
Hayley caught sight of the woman who’d been with Paul and wended through the crowd to where she sat. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
“No, dear. You may sit.”
She studied the older woman. Beautiful gray hair, lovely face, and…those eyes. Oh, Dear Lord in heaven. They were Paul’s eyes. This had to be his mother. “I’m Hayley Casella.”
Her face lost its warmth. “The one Paul went to jail with.”
“You know about that?”
She leveled her chin. “I read it on the computer.”
“You’re his mother, aren’t you?”
“How did you know?”
“He told me his family lived here.”
For a moment, Paul’s mother didn’t answer. As if she couldn’t. “When did he say that?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “When we were in jail. That whole ordeal must have upset you, Mrs. Covington.”
“My name is not Covington.”
“Oh.” Hayley sipped her drink. She wouldn’t pump his mother. She’d just make small talk. “What kind of boy was he?”
“The second oldest.”
“Of how many?”
“Five.”
“Five children. How nice. I only have two brothers.”
“Are you close to them?”
“Yes, though we don’t see my older one.”
“Why?”
“He left home because of a conflict with my mother over two decades ago. My other brother and I never saw him again.”
The woman frowned. “That is hard.”
“Would you mind telling me about Paul as a child, as a teen?”
Privacy took second place over a mother’s chance to brag. “He was a good baby…in kindergarten, he won every prize they gave out. The rest of his schooling went the same…he was our first to go to prom. He had a steady girlfriend and we liked her. His first tux was white with…”
Hayley listened raptly. She devoured news of the boy the man she cared about used to be. So much so she didn’t notice the crowd thinning. And Paul approach them.
“Hayley, what are you doing?”
She smiled up at Paul. “Your mother was telling me about your childhood. It’s sweet that…”
“Matka, let’s go!”
Hayley’s heartbeat sped up. “Is something wrong?”
Matka frowned. “He is angry.”
“I can see that.”
“I’m tired and I’d like to leave.” He nodded to Hayley and took his mother’s arm.
“Paul, you are being rude.” His mother glanced over at Hayley. “It was nice to meet you.”
“Same here.” Hayley stood and walked away without saying anything more to Paul. First, she was hurt. And second, she didn’t appreciate being treated like a criminal.
What the hell just happened here?
Chapter 6
* * *
I’m at the lake house. I thought we were meeting here tonight.
Paul ignored the text. It was childish, but he was still mad at her. How dare she subject Matka to interrogation about him?
Paul, his mother said on the way out of City Hall. That woman wasn’t doing anything wrong. I got nostalgic and wanted to talk about my boy.
He refused to discuss Hayley with her. His mind had gone into overdrive, first with the shooting, then the commitment to Hayley, then the Medal of Honor and Matka showing up. Hayley’s digging was icing on the cake to a mind overcrowded by emotions.