18. 18
Olivia had hoped to avoid the confrontation with her mother as long as possible, not that having Caden spend more time with her was a hard ship. And it wasn’t that she wasn’t willing to stand up to her mother. She just hated doing it.
This morning, when Mama had burst in demanding an explanation, Olivia’s heart had sunk. She didn’t know if this would be enough to run Caden off, but she hoped not. She liked him, more than a little. On the other hand, if it was enough to scare him off, maybe it was better done now, than when she was even more attached.
After her mother left, when he kissed her then carried her into the bedroom, she wasn’t sure which feeling had been more overwhelming, relief or need. When he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, the need definitely won.
Now, she lay staring up at the ceiling, trying to catch her breath and wondering why families had to be hard. They were only trying to protect her, she knew that, but they took it too far.
“What are you thinking about?” Caden’s voice was soft where he lay next to her on the bed.
“Family. I’m wondering why they have to be so difficult.”
He chuckled. “Because they love you and that’s how they show it. I get where your mom is coming from. She has had a lot of trouble from the Kings, or from the men who are no longer Kings and probably for a lot longer than we were aware of. She doesn’t want that kind of trouble for you. Especially not for her baby.” He fell quiet for the space of several moments. She thought he’d finished, then he spoke again. “I thought for sure you were done with me when she had her fit about the Kings. That you stood up for my friends, that you’ve met once, means a lot to me.”
“Of course I would. They’re good guys.”
“I know that, but you have no way to know that. You met them once, mostly for a few minutes at a time. They could be anyone.”
“But I know you. Or I’m starting to. You are a good guy, and you wouldn’t take me around people you didn’t believe were good people, not if you could help it.” She didn’t know how she was so sure, but she was.
She lay there a few minutes longer, trying to relax enough to go back to sleep, but now that she was awake, her brain wouldn’t stop. After a while, she got up again. Picked up Caden’s shirt and put it on as she went into the kitchen. Might as well make breakfast if she wasn’t going to be able to sleep.
“Ijust don’t know how to deal with her sometimes,” Olivia said. She’d waited until he would be between classes before calling Dad. Caden had gone home by then, promising to be in touch when he got off of work. She was getting ready for work herself.
“She’s just trying to protect you. You know that. I know she’s a bit aggressive in making sure her babies are happy, but at least she’s trying.” Dad tried to placate her. But maybe he was right.
If Dad and Caden were saying the same thing, that Mom was only trying to protect her, why should Olivia object?
Because the way Mom was going about it was high handed and controlling? Was that enough?
Yes. It was. Olivia needed her mother to realize that while she could raise concerns, she could ask questions and try to get Olivia to think about the decisions she was making, it was no longer her place to slam into Olivia’s home and demand answers. Olivia was no longer twelve. She was grown and had her own life. She had to make her own decisions and, if it came to that, her own mistakes.
Mom should really understand how this works. It wasn’t like Olivia was her first child. Not even the first child to move out and have a life of her own. She said as much to Dad.
“She knows what she should do. She knows how to do it, but you’re her baby. Her youngest. It’s harder to let go knowing that there’s no one else to turn that instinct to. Try to cut her some slack as she struggles with this.”
Olivia clenched her teeth. And tried to calm down. She didn’t want to be unfeeling but damn. She had a life of her own and Mom needed to respect that too. “I’ll try. I promise. But it would be a lot easier if she didn’t let herself into my house, slam into my bedroom when I’m asleep and demand I get dressed and talk to her. Especially since she had to know I wasn’t alone. There’s no way she missed Caden’s motorcycle parked in front of the house.”
“She did what?”
Obviously, Mom hadn’t told Dad what she was planning or what she’d done.
Olivia spent the last few minutes while she prepared for work filling Dad in on Mama’s visit that morning. He wasn’t as upset about it as she had been, but he wasn’t happy either.
“I don’t know what came over her. I met your young man. He seemed like a very nice guy, well-mannered and well-spoken. Did she even talk to him at the wedding the other night?”
Olivia shrugged, knowing that he couldn’t see her but talking with her whole body was part of her personality. “I don’t know. I know she met him, but I don’t think she spent even five minutes with him. At least not that I saw.”
“And how did your young man take it? Cade was his name, wasn’t it?”
“Caden, but he took it better than I did. I’m surprised there wasn’t steam coming out of my ears. Caden stayed calm. He gave her valid points and challenged her to find any issues with anyone in his club since the trouble last year, as well as let her know that the men who were part of the trouble last year are no longer in the club. I don’t know that I could have been as calm as he was when someone was attacking my family. That’s how he sees the club, not as friends, but as his family and she came in here telling me, and him, how horrible they are and how I need to get as far away as fast as possible.” She shook her head as she stopped talking, trying to keep from losing her temper at Dad. He hadn’t done it. He didn’t deserve to be treated that way.
“You’re right. I don’t know many people who would stay calm when confronted that way. That man of yours seems to be a good one.” His sigh echoed across the line. “I’ll talk to your mother. See if I can get her to see things differently.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I’m not promising anything, mind you. But I’ll try. I don’t know if it will do any good. Sometimes she’s more stubborn than a wolverine.”
“Thank you, Dad. I’m sorry for dumping all this in your lap.”
“No problem, honey. That’s what I’m here for. I’m going to have to run. I’ve got an appointment with a student in just a few minutes.”
“I need to go anyway. I’ve got to leave for work. I love you.”
“I love you too, honey. Have a good day.”
“You too.”
They rang off and Olivia gathered the last of her things and headed to work, still mad about her mother’s stunt, but not quite seething like she had been.