“It is.”
“And those boots look as soft as butter.” She gestured for her daughter to sit. “I have hot chocolate. I cannot believe that it is almost Christmas. You did not spend Thanksgiving with me, but I am hoping that you will be around for Christmas.” She handed Athena the steaming cup before sitting around her desk.
“How was it?”
Debra ducked her head into her cup. “Milton spent the night.”
“Mom - are you blushing?”
“I am not!” she retorted. “I am almost sixty years old and I have been wooed before. I am not an innocent.” She smiled. “But it was wonderful.”
“Any wedding bells in the future?”
She shrugged. “We are thinking about that, but I refuse to get married a second time and my only child, a beautiful woman is still single.”
“That’s what I am here to discuss.”
Her mother’s eyes brightened. “You met someone.”
“You can call it that.”
“Darling you are not making any sense.”
Athena put the cup of hot chocolate on the table next to her and drew the platinum necklace from around her neck. Unclasping it, she took off the rings and put them onto her finger.
“What is that?”
“What does it look like?”
“You are engaged?”
“Look closer Mom.”
Debra abandoned her position at her desk and came around to where her daughter was. “Those are two sets of rings.”
“Yes.”
“You are married?”
“Alan and I have been secretly married for two months.”
“Who?”
“Alan McGregor.”
Her mother stepped back in shock, a frown marring her brows. The knock sounded at the door, but she ignored it as she stared at her daughter. It was Athena who had to go and open the door.
“I am sorry to interrupt but Mrs. Lincoln is asking for her package and I cannot find it.” The assistant told her.
“Mom…!”
“It’s in the armoire behind the bookcase.” Debra said automatically.
Athena closed the door as soon as the woman left. “Are you going to say anything?”
“What do you want me to say?” Her mother demanded, putting her hands on her hips. “My only child got married two months ago and I was not a part of it. Why all the secrecy?”
“Will you please sit?” Athena asked her quietly.
Debra glared at her for a moment before going around the desk and plopping down on the chair. “This had better be good.”
“I don’t know if it is. You know who Alan is.”
“I do.”
Athena nodded and told her where they had met. “I thought it was just a fling. I never indulged in one-nighters but that night I could not help myself. It was as if we were drawn to each other by an invisible force.”
“I know the feeling,” Debra said reluctantly.
Athena nodded. “Here was this white guy with blonde hair and blue eyes and a billionaire to boot and I had sex with him. I thought that I could get it out of my system and be done with it.”
“Obviously it did not happen.”
Athena shook her head. “I could not stop thinking about him and no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I could not get him out of my head. I told myself all the reasons we could not be together and none of them mattered.” She took a deep breath. “I guess maybe I should have gone away and tried to forget him….”
“It would not have made a difference.”
Athena looked at her mother gratefully. “It would not have mattered and I soon realized that.”
“Honey, it sounds like you have found that rare thing. So why hide it?”
“His parents….!”
“They do not like you.”
“They don’t know.” Athena told her about their beliefs and Debra bristled.
“They are racists. Oh honey what on earth have you gotten yourself into?”
“He loves me Mom,” a smile parted her lips and a glow came into her eyes. “He adores me and everything he does is aimed at pleasing me. We are one – I don’t know how much better I can explain it but that is the way we feel.”
“Then why is he afraid to tell his parents?”
“He loves them and he knows that when he tells them, there will be a rift maybe a lifetime one and he is delaying the inevitable. But I have a feeling that things are coming to a head soon. We spent the holiday weekend together at this isolate cabin and mom,” she clasped her hands together. “I thought I was in paradise. There was no one to disturb us and we were all into each other. I came off the pill.”
“You want to get pregnant.”
“I want his baby,” She put her hand on her stomach, her expression dreamy. “I want….” She looked at her pocketbook as her phone started to ring. “Sorry. I have to take this.”
“Go ahead.”
Her smile widened when she looked at the LED. “Hi darling, I was just talking about you.”
She listened for a moment. “I told my Mom.” She listened again and then laughed. “Not Chinese this time. Mexican! You never had that? You are missing out. I see there are things you still have to learn.” Her expression softened. “That sounds great and we are not watching some old black and white film. Something gory and bloody.” She listened again and then laughed. “Okay darling see you later. I love you too.”
She hung up and saw her mother staring at her dazedly. “Mom?”
Debra came from around her desk, the tears shimmering in her dark brown eyes as she knelt in front of her daughter. “I am so happy for you.” She whispered.
“Thanks Mom. I did not think happiness like this exists and I keep expecting something to go wrong.”
“It does not matter as long as you have each other, and love does conquer all. There will be problems and oppositions but as long as you have what I just saw on your face, you will be more than okay.” She got to her feet and pulled her daughter up for a hug. “Tell that husband of yours that I want to meet him.”