by Dyanne Davis
“Then she should look into your eyes,” Mia had said. “You’re very special.”
He hadn’t known how to answer her and she’d gotten out of his car without kissing him and shoved him away, laughing.
“I think you behave as a dog so that no one will know how truly wonderful you really are.”
He’d never heard these words spoken about himself before. He’d wanted to run after Mia, beg her to tell him how she knew he was special. But he’d only sat in his car thinking, Wow she thinks I’m special. I must be. He knew without a doubt that she was special. And if she thought he was also, it had to be true. Damien had set about trying for all these months to prove her right and his parents wrong.
During the months they’d been separated, his mother had laughed every time she saw him, repeatedly reminding him that she’d warned him. But he hadn’t given up on them. If some other woman had told him to wait around for her, Damien would have had a different woman the moment the words left her mouth. But not with Mia. With Mia he’d not wanted anyone but her. And he’d waited for her, the wait tearing him apart, his mother’s taunts piercing him afresh each night and day. Still, he’d waited.
And now, he thought with a smile, she was going to marry him. He grinned. He had to be special for her to marry him. He couldn’t wait to touch her in all the ways he’d wanted, to kiss her body from bottom to top, to make her scream out his name. The one thing he’d listened to his mother about was how he would need to be patient. He would remember that Mia was a virgin. He would take his time. She was inexperienced but she wanted him, she always had. That much he knew. He could hardly wait until the day they became man and wife.
* * *
“Are you ashamed of us? Who in the hell do you think you are? You think because someone’s letting you get your ass up on stage and sing that you’re a hot shot now? You’re still Damien Terrell, my son, my blood, and you can stop this act. We both know as soon as you hit it, you’re going to be back in the streets looking. God hasn’t made the woman who can take care of us the way we need.”
Charles leered across the table. “There is not one woman that can keep men like us satisfied. I ought to know, you’re my son. Hell, it’s in your blood.”
Damien glanced at his mother, wishing for more times than he cared to remember, that his father wouldn’t just say whatever the hell he thought. But the man had no moral filter. And it didn’t help that his mother had been content to play his door mat since way before Damien was born. Still, he wished that his father didn’t constantly throw it in her face that she’d not been enough for him.
“Okay, I’ll set it up with Mia. She’d love to see you again,” Damien lied. “Dinner tomorrow night.”
He got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and hoped that Mia would still think him special after spending an evening with his parents. How he’d kept them apart all this time had taken a bit of ingenuity. Now he’d been called on it. He didn’t have a choice, for despite his misgivings, he did love his parents.
Chapter Seven
Damien was nervous as he closed the door of the car and walked around to the driver’s side. His father was bringing his mother and meeting them at The Pasta Place, a new trendy restaurant with great food, reasonable prices, and a dance floor. He was hoping all of that would make for a fun evening.
“It’s going to be okay.” Mia stroked his arm. “We should have done this already. Keefe’s been after me to meet your parents.”
“Can you just imagine what would happen if the six of us got together, Keefe and Ashleigh joining us? Naw, Mia, I think it’s going to be hard enough with the four of us.”
“Who are you avoiding, Ashleigh or Keefe?”
She was teasing and he knew that but he glanced over at her just to make sure. “Baby, you know that I don’t…that it doesn’t bother me being around Ashleigh. Does it bother you when we’re all together?”
Mia squirmed. She’d only been kidding and now he was asking her a direct question and they’d promised not to lie. “Maybe a little. I’m working on it.”
“You have nothing to worry about. Believe me, if I didn’t look at another woman once while I waited for you I’m definitely not going to look now.”
An unwelcome thought flashed across Damien’s mind and he remembered his father saying that he would. Well, he wouldn’t. He didn’t want anyone but Mia.
“I know. I just think that as we get closer to the day it gets a little scary and I worry.”
“Do you worry that you’re making a mistake?” He held his breath waiting for an answer.
“Of course not. But I suppose I worry that you might think you’re making one.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “Damien, I want to be married for keeps,” Mia whispered. “I have no plans on ever getting divorced.”
“Divorced, Mia? Damn baby. Where did that come from? We’re not even married yet.”
“Come on, I’m serious,” Mia insisted. “I hate the word divorce. My mother was divorced so many times that…I…I just want you to be sure I’m who you want. Am I?”
He glanced sideways at her, then pulled into the drive of the restaurant and parked. “Come here, Mia. He looked into her eyes, took her hand and placed it over his heart. “What do you think? I love you, Mia. I promise you that that will never change, no matter what.”
* * *
“Mia, it’s good to see you again. We’ve been asking Damien to bring you over.” Kathy smiled at her.
“What are you talking about, we? The way you sound Mia will think we live together or something.” Charles cocked his head in Kathy’s direction. “That’s not true. We get together and kick it every once in a while, nothing more, just a little sex. No big deal.”
Mia glanced at Damien and saw that he was trying to behave normally. The only thing that gave him away was the tenseness she detected in his jaw. Okay Mia, she thought to herself, this is going to be your new family. You’re going to be an expert at familial relationships. She laughed to herself. Oh yeah, she was an expert alright. The only thing she knew for sure was how to get good grades and give the right answers—enough to earn a degree. She doubted if anyone could ever really understand people. Still, she had to do something.
“Kathy, that’s a beautiful necklace that you have on,” Mia remarked, attempting to change the conversation. “It’s very unusual.”
She saw the grateful smile Damien gave her and the sneer that Charles cast her way. Him, she didn’t care about. The man was continuing to be unpleasant and this time he didn’t even have the excuse of too much to drink.
Kathy fingered her necklace. “Damien gave it to me several years ago for Mother’s Day.”
There was a pleased look on Damien’s face. His gaze fell on his mother and he smiled warmly at her until he caught his father’s glance and looked hurriedly away. Mia took a bite of her salad, wondering if by changing the conversation she’d inadvertently made it worse.
“Why would your mother need jewelry? She doesn’t go anywhere but to work.”
“Lay off, Pop,” Damien muttered. “I think it looks nice on her and so does Mia.” He turned to smile at her. “I’m glad you like it.” He leaned in closer, kissing Mia’s ear. “Be nice and for your first Mother’s Day, I’ll buy you one.” he whispered low, so that only Mia heard.
Mia felt the inevitable heat sear her as surely as if Damien had caressed her. Smiling at him, she wanted to tell him to stop his wicked looks but she loved them and she loved him. And in time she would learn to at least tolerate his father.
“Kathy, I was wondering if you’d like to get together with me one day next week, just the two of us, so we can get to know each other better, maybe take in a movie or something?”
“I’m sure you have a thousand things to do before the wedding. You don’t have time to spend with me,” Kathy answered.
“Of course I do. You’re going to be my mother-in-law. I’ll make time.”
“And what about me?” Charles asked. “A
re you going to make time for me also?”
Mia knew he was baiting her, and her mouth dropped just a little. She took a sip of her water, her eyes searching out Damien’s.
“Why are you looking at him? Can’t you answer for yourself?” Charles insisted.
“Of course I would like to get to know you better, but next week I want to spend time getting to know Kathy a little better.”
“I don’t understand why I can’t be included.”
“Chuck?”
“Don’t Chuck me.” Damien’s father turned to Kathy. “What? He’s my son as well as yours, probably more so. He’s more like me than you. He has balls. Or at least he used to until about a year ago.” He sat back in his seat and glared first at Mia, then Damien.
“Pop, stop picking at Mia. You’re spoiling for a fight and you’re not going to get one. Not tonight anyway. Mia asked Mom out for a movie, not you. Leave it at that. God, I don’t get it, if you and Mom hate being around each other so much, why do you bother?” He shook his head. “I pray before I die I can figure it out,” he said disgustedly.
“Come on, Mia, let’s dance.” Damien said as he stood and held his hand out.
She gladly accepted. She was literally trembling with anger. On the dance floor she asked, “What in the world does your father have against me?”
“It’s not you, baby. He’s just being ornery. Usually he charms women. I don’t know why he’s not trying to charm you.”
“He couldn’t if he tried.” Mia spoke without thinking and her words sounded harsh. She looked away when Damien stared at her.
“Mia, I don’t blame you for being pissed. I’m just asking you to try, okay?” Damien sighed. “I’ve taken a lot more from your brother,” he said in a firmer voice.
“So is this payback?” Her eyes filled quickly with tears and she blinked them away. “Did you put your father up to this?”
Damien pulled away an inch or two to study Mia. “I knew getting together wasn’t going to be good. We’re fighting, and I don’t know why. If anyone other than my father was treating you like that I would have slugged them already.”
“So your father can do what he wants?”
“Mia, think about what you’re saying. Let’s not go there. No family feuds. It’s only going to escalate. We both come with people that the other may not like but we have to try and get along. I’m not trying to continue the fight, but at least my father talked to you. Your brother has only glared at me for the past month and we both know the reason for that.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“Don’t you think we should?”
Mia saw Charles heading for them and knew what was coming. “Yeah, I think we should.” She held Damien tighter. “I don’t want to dance with him,” she whispered as Damien looked in the direction of his father.
“Please, baby, one dance. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
Mia gritted her teeth and held on to Damien. She loved him, surely she could dance once with his father.
“I want to cut in,” Charles said with a swagger in his voice as well as his step. “Maybe that’s how we should get to know each other, Mia. If you like Damien’s moves, you’ll love mine. I taught him everything he knows.”
Mia shivered and glanced at Damien who had a pleading look in his eyes. “Of course.” She attempted to smile. “If Damien doesn’t mind.” She looked at Damien and he nodded his head. She went into his father’s arms thinking she would have her revenge when and if her mother arrived. She was worst than Charles. She would be all over Damien. A sobering thought hit Mia. She didn’t want her mother’s hands all over Damien.
She looked at Damien watching them dance from the sidelines and she knew. He didn’t want her dancing with his father. That thought made the dance easier. She and Damien had even more in common than they’d discussed.
* * *
Damien stood for a few more seconds watching Mia, knowing that his mere presence would only make things worse. His father would not release her until he left. It was as if he were trying to prove something to him and using Mia to do it.
Looking toward the table, he saw the sad look on his mother’s face as she sat there alone. He walked toward her and sat down. “Why is he being so nasty to Mia?”
“Because he’s about to lose his playmate,” his mother answered.
“What are you talking about?”
“You and him. You’ve been following in his footsteps from the time you were born. He’s your hero. He knows that. He hasn’t grown up and he never thought that you would. He never thought this day would come.”
“What, me getting married?”
“Charles doesn’t care about you getting married. He can’t stand the fact that you’re in love with Mia.”
“Mom, that makes no sense.” Damien stared at her, then at the dance floor. When he caught Mia’s gaze he looked away. “He’s treating her like that because I love her?”
“Yes. When you were with Ashleigh, he knew you didn’t love her. My God, Damien, you were with anything that moved when you were with that girl. But Mia, she goes against everything that he’s taught you to not want. It’s almost like you’re rejecting him.”
“That’s stupid,” Damien muttered.
“That’s your father.”
Before Damien could answer Mia came stomping back to the table. She was angry and looked as if she were going to either cry or pitch a fit. Damien groaned, wondering what had happened. He looked at Mia first and she refused to meet his gaze, so he turned to stare at his father. “What happened?” he asked.
“I told her a couple of jokes,” Charles answered, shrugging. “And she thought I was too close on her. That’s the problem with virgins. They always imagine things.”
Damien closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened them he ignored Mia’s glaring look. He didn’t need it to know that it was time he put his father in his place.
“Lay off Mia, Pop. I don’t intend to tell you again. I didn’t bring her here for you to make her uncomfortable. And I’m not going to ask her to remain here if you continue to treat her this way. She’s trying, why can’t you?”
“I thought I was. Sorry, Mia. I didn’t know you couldn’t take a joke.”
Mia glared at both Damien and Charles and left for the bathroom. She was shaking so hard that she could feel it reverberating through her. She heard Kathy behind her calling out to her but didn’t answer her until she was inside the lounge of the ladies’ room.
“Welcome to your future, Mia,” Kathy said.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Damien. I tried telling you before. He’s just like his father. He’s my son and I love him, but I’m warning you that this is what you have to look forward to.
“I don’t blame Damien for the things Charles said. Why are you?” Mia turned from the sink to face Damien’s mother. “I thought you said you liked me.”
“I do, Mia.”
“Then why are you constantly trying to make me doubt Damien? We’re getting married in just a few more days.” Mia wanted to cry. She’d done her best to like Damien’s mother and in some ways she did, but the woman made her uncomfortable. For some strange reason she reminded Mia of her own mother and that she didn’t like at all.
“Listen,” Mia said, trying again. “You don’t have to worry. Damien would never treat me with disrespect. You heard what he said to Charles. He loves me, he won’t hurt me.”
“Trust me, he will. You’re new, this relationship is new. Yes, Damien is in love with you. In time the newness will fade and he’ll hurt you. Ask Ashleigh. She thought the same thing. Look how the two of you met. That doesn’t bother you? It should. Mia, you met the man when he was at his ex’s home trying to beg his way back in. If she had said yes, do you think you would be here right now with him? He has no idea how to be faithful.”
Mia gazed at Kathy in disbelief. What’s wrong with everyone, she wondered. Even if they�
��re not, can’t parents stand the thought of their kids being happy? A picture of Charles lashing out at Kathy flashed before Mia, making her decision for her. She would not do the same; the woman needed someone to be kind. Mia could do this. It was her profession.
“Why are you saying this?”
“I’m not trying to hurt you, Mia. I’m trying to save you.”
“I don’t need saving, not from Damien.”
“I wish someone had done this for me. You’re going into this thinking that everything is going to be all roses, that the two of you are going to love each other always and that Damien is never going to look at another woman. I thought the same thing about his father.”
“Damien is not his father.”
“That’s what you think. The two of them are alike. He loves his father, he looks up to him and his father intends on making him remember his old ways, their old ways. I’ll admit Damien has changed since he met you but for how long? I don’t believe he can keep this up. Maybe you can be happy, but just don’t count on Damien being faithful.”
“You’re his mother. Why would you tell me this?”
“Because you’re a woman. I can see how much you love Damien. I see the stars in your eyes. I’m just trying to tell you what’s in your future.” Kathy paused.
“Mia, as horrible as it’s been for you tonight, I think it was good that it happened. Charles will always be a part of Damien’s life. If you marry him he’ll also be a part of yours. At least you can see now what you’re in for before you make a mistake.”
Mia ran her teeth back and forth over her top lip in a sawing motion. It was becoming clear that talking rationally to the woman wasn’t working. This was the last thing Mia needed today. She didn’t want to remain in a bathroom with Damien’s mother trying to convince her that things would be different between Damien and herself. She wanted to say, “Shut the hell up!” But if she were going to be good at her job she couldn’t tell her patients to shut up, could she?