I sat forward on the settee where she was asleep with her legs on my lap. That day mom had approached me with a smile and before I could get two words out she’d brought up the issue again. What was is she’d said? “Son, now that you have found your mate, why don’t you take Sabrina as well? You know she’s been waiting for you.”
“Mom, we’ve already been over this, I don’t think of her that way. T0 me she’s just the child you brought home years ago, nothing more nothing less. I’ve never seen her as anything more than that.”
“I know but, she’s so pitiful; have you even seen her since you came home? You two use to be so close. And now with you getting married I can’t imagine how broken hearted she must be.” I’d missed it that day because my mind had been on other things, but now that I think back on it, that didn’t seem like the mother I know and love.
Mom wouldn’t be so callous as to ask me to take another woman to my bed just days before my nuptial ceremony. No way, it can’t be…I moved her feet off of me as lightly as possible so as not to wake her, then pulled the light Afghan over her to keep her warm. It wasn’t exactly cold here but she was still getting use to the change in weather.
All in all she’s acclimated herself rather nicely to being here. Too bad I’ve had to curtail her enthusiasm so soon after we arrived. I had a few words with her staff who were ensconced in my palace since I had yet to take her to hers. I wasn’t quite ready yet for the separate living quarters. I gave them strict orders not to leave her alone before giving her guards the same speech.
I didn’t send a servant to warn mom that I was coming as protocol dictates that I should, and I didn’t walk over. Instead I just appeared in her living room, shielding myself from her as I stood in the middle of the room and watched her, looking for any signs that something was off.
“Do you think she’s ill? Or that something is wrong with the baby? Oh no!” She put her hand to her mouth as dad walked over to comfort her. “Now-now, don’t go borrowing trouble. It could be just as he’s said, that he’s giving her time to get use to being here. You must remember, she’s been raised to think of us as the enemy, it can’t be easy for the poor girl being here.”
“You’re right, of course you’re right. I just feel so odd, like I haven’t done my duties as a mother in law. I wonder what she must be thinking. He wouldn’t even let us give her the welcome she’s due.”
‘”Now dear, he did say we can do all of that the day of the ceremony, make it less taxing for her, and the monarch already okayed everything.” He rubbed her shoulders and kissed her forehead as their conversation left me confused. This did not sound like the same woman who’d bombarded me that day.
“I know, but I wanna see them so bad. And what’s with your son not even dropping in to say hello to us? Does he have any idea what we went through those few days before the mating, worrying, scared? Wait ‘til I see him, that little scamp…”
“What’re you going to do love, box his ears? He hasn’t allowed that since he was a wee one…”
“And speaking of wee ones, has he given any thought to my grandson? A nonna and her grandson should meet first thing…
“He hasn’t even taken her to meet the monarch yet… come to think of it, that is rather strange. Maybe we should try again to see them?” She was nodding her head before he was through talking. Shit, she’s going to make me pay for this. I’d been wrongfully accusing her when I should’ve known better.
“No need for a sneak attack!” I materialized in front of them and they both turned with a start. “Boy, how long have you been there? Spying on your parents, you ought to be ashamed…” She hugged me even as she scolded and I hugged her back with relief. Happier than I would’ve thought possible that she hadn’t been the one to act so poorly towards my wife that day.
“Didn’t I teach you any better? What if your mother and I had been…?”
“You can stop right there dad thanks.” Geez, it’s like being seventeen again. Just to test the waters, to be absolutely sure, I had to try. “How’s Sabrina?”
“Who cares? I’m sure she’s fine, now tell me about my new daughter in law, I’m dying to meet her.” She looked around behind me as if I were hiding Natalia in the folds of my robes.