by Celya Bowers
He nodded as if he actually believed her. “Good. And to show you there are no hard feelings, how about lunch today?”
Madisyn was sure it wasn’t as innocent as he made it out to be. “It’s a nice thought, Mr. Bridges, but you have a lunch meeting with Mr. Simpson, Mr. Brandt, and Mr. Danvers upstairs from eleven to two.”
But he would not be outdone. “Well, we’ll have to make it another day. I’m sure one of these days I won’t have a day full of meetings.”
“I appreciate the thought.” She rose again. “If that’s all, Mr. Bridges, I have some reports to assemble.”
“Yes, for now.”
She left the office and headed back to her desk. At lunch, she was going to give Keisha a piece of her mind. Her usual visits several times a day were definitely off limits until Madisyn’s new boss calmed down about his job. There was nothing worse than a new boss desperate to make a name for himself and failing.
Madisyn hoped he didn’t take her down with him.
CHAPTER 4
Monday afternoon, Aidan opened his front door. The guard on duty had informed him his mother was on her way. He watched the woman who’d given him life as she approached on the circular driveway.
Anna parked the rental car and got out. She straightened her cotton dress and patted her hair. As if she’d let one hair get out of place. She noticed Aidan standing in the doorway. “Don’t just stand there, boy. Come give your momma a hug.”
Aidan shook his head. He was at least a foot taller than his mother, but even now she could put the fear of God in him at times. But being raised to be a good son, he walked to his mother and gave her a hug. “Hey, Mom. I’m glad you could make it. Ready to go spend some of my money?” He walked to the car. “Pop the trunk and I’ll get your bags.”
“Ha. I only brought one bag.” She reached inside the car, pulled out her favorite carry-on bag and handed it to him.
“Mom, you never bring just one bag,” Aidan said. He took the bag and headed inside with his mother behind him. “What gives? You know you always bring enough clothes for at least a week.”
Anna laughed. “I thought I’d do a little shopping for me while I was helping you stock your kitchen. You wouldn’t begrudge your mother a few outfits for dropping everything and flying down here, would you? Your brothers say I should let you fall on your face.” She patted him on the cheek. “You know I couldn’t do that to you.”
Aidan was thankful his mother never listened to his brothers. Kyle and Scott were always trying to mess up his game. “They’re just jealous because they’re already married.” He closed the front door and placed the bag at the bottom of the stairs. “I’ll take your bag up in a little bit. Would you like something to drink or eat, or do you want to lie down and take a nap? It’s a long flight from Chicago.”
His mother looked at him sideways. “Aidan, I’m only fifty-five, not seventy-five. I do not need a nap. Nor do I need to eat. What I need is to call my husband and let him know I arrived safely. Then we’re going to that computer and figure out which store we need to go to first.” She pulled out her cell phone, punched the speed dial option and said, “Hi, baby. I just made it.”
Aidan decided now would be the perfect time to take his mother’s bag upstairs to her room, while she was on the phone with his stepfather. He hated the way they ended their conversations like teenagers in heat.
He placed the bag on the luggage stand in the corner of the room, then glanced around with pride. He’d spent most of the day cleaning the room and it looked better than anything on Home and Garden TV.
He walked downstairs just as his mother was ending her call. “Lester sends his love.”
Aidan rolled his eyes at the ceiling. “Yeah.” He took a seat on the sofa. “Ready to go look at what I found?”
His mother joined him on the sofa. “Actually, I want to talk to you about Lester first.”
Aidan drew in a breath. “Not now, Mom. Can’t we do this later?”
“No, we’re going to do this now. You treat him like he’s your pedophile uncle or something. Lester has done nothing to you. In fact he’s been in your life most of your thirty-three years. Do you think your father would have been around this much? Let me rephrase that. Has your father been in your life at all?”
“He would if you’d let him,” Aidan countered. “I know you left Dad to be with Lester.”
Anna nodded. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but I think it’s time you know the truth.”
“What is there to know?” Aidan asked impatiently. “I remember it like it was yesterday.”
“No, you don’t. You don’t know the reason I left your father.”
“We left on a Friday morning,” Aidan said. “Dad left for work and Lester came over and got us. We never went back home again.”
“Do you remember what happened prior to Lester coming to get us?” His mother fumbled with her hands.
“I remember hearing you moving something around in your room,” Aidan said, remembering the day his life had changed completely.
“That something moving around in the room was me. Your father beat me before he went to work that morning. That was the last straw. He hit me a lot, Aidan.”
“That’s not true,” Aidan countered. “He would never hurt you.”
She grabbed his hand and forced him to look at her. Her eyes filled with tears. “Your father had been beating me since we married. I was taught a woman always stayed with her husband no matter what, so I did. Your brothers were older and could see what I was going through. But you were only eight. Lester rescued us from a horrible life. He saved you. He saved all of us.”
Aidan didn’t want to believe it. “Why did Dad tell me you were sleeping with Lester behind his back?”
“I’m going to let you figure that out on your own. I know you love your daddy, and you should. But you should also give your stepfather some respect. He sacrificed a lot for us, so I won’t have you disrespecting him anymore.”
“Mom, I don’t disrespect him. I appreciate what he’s done for you. And us,” he added when his mother gave him the look. “I’ll reserve judgment until I know the whole story.”
“If you know the whole story you might not like the ending,” his mother warned. She reached for a Kleenex and dabbed her tears away. “That was a very painful time for me. No one understood what I was going through. I couldn’t go to my parents, my friends, no one. Except Lester.”
Aidan let her words sink into his brain. Would his father have treated his mother so terribly then have lied about it? Why would he have lied to him all these years? “Was I the reason Lester didn’t come with you?”
“Yes.”
How could one word make him feel like a Class A jerk? “It wasn’t my intention to make him feel like he wasn’t wanted. He’s welcome here anytime, Mom.”
“Well, he doesn’t feel very welcome here. All I’m asking you to do is treat him better. You’ll never understand how hard it was for me to end my marriage, and I’m not going to say I did it for you boys. I did it for me, too. I had hoped you’d come to accept it.” She stood and walked to the stairs. “You know, I think I will take that nap. We can shop tomorrow.”
“Okay, Mom.” Aidan stood and watched his mother walk up the stairs. Once he heard her bedroom door close, he went to the couch. He had to somehow make things right between the two of them. He needed someone with a level head to help him out of this mess. Only one woman sprang to mind. Madisyn.
He reached for his cell phone and speed dialed her number. It was early evening; hopefully she was at home and alone. He listened as the phone rang and rang. Most likely she was out. Just as he was about to hit the end button, he heard her soft voice.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Madisyn. It’s Aidan. You got a minute?”
“Sure. Is anything wrong? I haven’t had time to pick up the books or the supplies yet. I probably can’t pick them up until the weekend,” she said on a rush.
“Whoa, Mad
isyn. Calm down. I called to talk, if you don’t mind and aren’t busy. I didn’t call to talk about the program. I need some advice. Some female advice.”
“Of course. I’m good at that. Advice, I mean. I have four brothers and they’ve all come to me at one time or another for help with a female. So, what did you do?”
“Well, the female in question is my mom. I upset her by talking about my dad. So what can I do?”
“Since I don’t have the whole story, I really can’t say, Aidan. I take it your parents aren’t together?”
“No, they divorced when I was eight. My stepdad is cool and everything, but you know how it is.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of how little boys love their father and no matter how happy your stepfather makes your mom, he’s still not your dad.”
Aidan was speechless. She actually understood what he felt when everyone around told him to get over it. “Yes, that’s true, but I hurt my stepdad’s feelings.”
“That’s a toughie,” she said. “Do you like your stepfather?”
“Of course. He helped me pick Oklahoma State from all the rest. He kept me on the straight and narrow path when I was away at school. I actually have a degree in business. When all my teammates were dazzled by drugs, money, and the limelight, he made sure I understood the consequences. He’s very supportive, treats my mom like a queen and he adopted my brothers and me when he married Mom. He doesn’t have any kids of his own.”
“Hmmm,” Madisyn murmured. “It sounds like you really like him and he obviously likes you. I don’t really see the problem. As my father has repeatedly told me, ‘Any man can plant a seed, but a real man will help it grow.”’”’
Aidan thought about her statement. True, his father hadn’t been very communicative with Aidan or his brothers over the years, except when he needed money for his many vices. It had been Aidan and only Aidan fighting to keep the lines of communication open. Was his little boy heart ruling his adult heart? “That’s true. But still…”
“There’s no ‘but still,’ Aidan. You have to give your stepfather his props, as my nephews say. You’re giving all the accolades to the wrong person.”
It made so much sense when she said it. His mother had been telling him the same thing for years. Why was he holding onto the past and refusing to see what was right in front of him?
* * *
Madisyn had begun to worry. Aidan was very quiet on the other end of the phone. She had probably just lost her volunteer status. Could she be fired from her volunteer job? “Look Aidan, if I overstepped my bounds, I apologize.”
“No, no, Madisyn. Actually, you just told me the same thing Mom has been telling me for years. Looks like I have some crow to eat.”
It sounded as if he had a truckload of crow to eat. “It’s never easy to say ‘I’m sorry,’ especially when you don’t realize you’ve hurt someone dear, but it’ll all work out. You’ll see.”
He chuckled. “So have you always been this ray of sunshine?”
She thought about it. “Yes, I guess so. I get it from my mom. Being the wife of a coach, you have to always have hope even when there’s no hope at all. She could find something good in just about any situation. And since I’m the only girl out of five children, I had to adopt that philosophy real quick.”
He laughed harder. “I bet you could hold your own against your brothers. Are they older or younger than you?”
“Both. Michael, Marcus and Myles are older, and Monte is the youngest. He’s still at home.”
“I guess your folks had a thing for the letter M?”
“Yeah. My mom’s name is Margaret.”
Aidan mumbled something under his breath. Was he was speaking to someone? Was it a female? Why was she so concerned if it was? She shook those thoughts away. She was getting in way over her head.
“So what are you going to do?” Madisyn asked, hoping for a safer topic instead of asking him if he was alone.
He sighed. “I don’t really know. Probably talk to Lester, that’s my stepdad, and hope it’s not too late for us to mend our fences.”
“I’m sure it’s not too late. Parents are forgiving. I bet your stepdad loves you to pieces.”
“Why do women always say that?”
Madisyn giggled. Talking to Aidan was like talking to one of her girlfriends. No pressure. Just talk. “I guess we’re natural nurturers.”
“Well, I’m glad you are. Goodnight, Madisyn. Talk to you soon.” He ended the call.
Madisyn placed her phone on the counter and resumed her reading. She’d hoped for a peaceful evening, but had gotten something more. She’d gotten a new friend.
* * *
The next morning Aidan woke up in his king-sized bed with a plan. First thing he had to do was to clear the air with his mother, then talk to Lester.
He decided to take his mom out for breakfast of her favorites. After he dressed, he headed downstairs to the kitchen to call the restaurant to reserve a table. But he was surprised. His mother was fixing breakfast. “Hey, I was going to take you out for breakfast. Where did you get food?” He greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek.
“I remembered that store on the corner, so I bought a few things this morning. You know I don’t play that fast food breakfast stuff. Thank goodness you have a griddle.”
He knew he didn’t have a coffee pot, since he wasn’t a coffee drinker, but his mother enjoyed a fine cup of java with her breakfast. “Sorry, Mom, no coffee pot.” He sat down at the table.
She sat a plate of food in front of him. “I know that, honey. I didn’t just meet you. Put that on your list of things to buy today. I got a large cup of coffee at the store.”
“Mom, you know I hate shopping,” Aidan complained as he ate a forkful of eggs.
“Yes, but you know I won’t always be here to do this for you. So this is going to be your lesson in shopping.” She sat down across from him.
Aidan shrugged, knowing better than to contradict his mama when she was in this mood. Besides, after being enlightened by his conversation with Madisyn the night before, he owed his mother more than shopping. “You’re right, Mom. I have to start sometime.”
Mother and son finished their breakfast in silence. Aidan formulated his thoughts, then broached the subject. “Mom, I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday. You know, about Lester.”
“What is it?”
“I was wrong and I know I can’t make it up to you guys in a day, but I want you to know that I realize how much I have been hurting the people who have helped me the most.”
“Oh, baby. I’m so proud. You took the first step. The rest will be easy.”
He laughed. His mother and Madisyn must be two of a kind. “I hadn’t realized you were such an optimist.”
“Comes with being a parent.”
* * *
Two hours later Aidan and his mother shopped at the popular Kitchen Store located near North Park Mall. The Kitchen Store was stocked with everything a gourmet chef could possibly want. Aidan was definitely out of his element.
His mother picked up a large blue pot and shoved it at him. “See, baby, this is what you need. Big enough to make stew, spaghetti, or pasta, and your lady friend can knock you out with it if you get out of line.” She laughed as she added it to their cart.
Initially the idea of accompanying his mother to the store had been scary, but as usual she was right. No one in the store recognized him. It was kind of humbling and gave him a taste of what was to come when he retired and was no longer in the spotlight. He watched his mother add pots and pans to the basket. “Mom, do I really need this many pots?”
“Yes, you do. You can’t cook everything in one pot. You need pans, real silverware, not the plastic stuff we used this morning. You just let me do my thing,” she said, moving to another aisle of the large store.
Aidan knew when he was beat; he stood back and let his mother do what she did best. “I forgot I was with the master shopper.”
She made
a face at him. “Don’t you forget it.” She added more items to the basket. “We’re going to need another cart,” she said. “This one is almost full.”
With a sigh, Aidan went to retrieve another cart. He hoped Madisyn was worth all this trouble.
CHAPTER 5
“I don’t know what you get out of volunteering,” Keisha said as she joined Madisyn on the elevator. They were returning to work after lunch on Monday. “I mean, that’s time you could be shopping, or clubbing.”
“I like helping people,” Madisyn said. “You know my dad and his buddies have volunteered to be teachers. Sometimes it’s just nice to help someone in need.”
Keisha grunted. “That won’t work for me. There’re too many men out there that I haven’t met yet for me to volunteer my free time.”
Madisyn shrugged and pushed the button for their floor. “Well, I like it. Even though I haven’t really done anything at the Alliance yet, I know it will be rewarding. I have to go look for books this weekend. Want to go?”
“Girl, please,” Keisha said. “I’m getting my hair, nails and feet done. That’s how I’m spending my Saturday. Then I’m going to the club. You should come out with us one time. I heard there’s a new club opening in a few weeks and some of the Cowboys own it. So you know there will be a lot of available men there.”
Madisyn shook her head. “Clubbing is a little out of my comfort zone, Keisha. I could never wear those slinky dresses like you do.” The elevator announced their arrival on the floor.
“You should try at least once, Madisyn. It’ll be fun. We could make it like a girls’ night and get Chayla to come if Jared will let her out. You’d think they were joined at the hip. I’m surprised he lets her go to spa day without him,” Keisha laughed as she stepped out of the elevator. “Oh, my gosh!” She stopped cold.
Madisyn slammed into her skinny friend, knocking Keisha further out of the elevator. “Sorry, Keisha. What are you going on about?”
“That.” She pointed to the large floral display on Madisyn’s desk.
Madisyn gasped. The massive arrangement was breathtaking. Yellow roses, baby’s breath, and greenery filled the glass vase. Darnell is going to a lot of trouble trying to get me back, she mused. Usually he sent a dozen red roses every time he was in the doghouse.
