36. Ian
Chapter 36
Ian
L ast night when I was working in my office is when the idea came to me. I want to spend as much time with Mia as I can; to have the type of relationship with her that my parents have with each other. To do that means either I need to no longer sleep or relinquish some of my control over what occupies my time. Gallo Enterprises.
If you’d asked me last year ago, or even last month, if I’d ever do this, I would have told you that you were crazy to even ask. But now? Now, all I want is to build a life with Mia. A life like I’ve watched my parents build, with kids, laughter, and love.
After I sent emails to the different executives in my corporations about their additional responsibilities, an enormous weight was lifted off my shoulders. It was quickly replaced by the weight of knowing that Mia may not feel the same way about me, but I would spend the rest of my life trying to convince her we were meant to be together, if that’s what it takes.
Finding her in my bed last night and the emotions that overtook me cemented my plan.
I was going to work my ass off the rest of my life just to make her smile and hope that she loved me, too.
Waking up with her on my chest for the second day in a row, that is a surreal feeling. Hearing her tell me she loves me?
Epic.
“Ian, I don’t know what to say.”
I tilt her chin up so that she’s looking directly at me. “Say you love me again. Say you’ll stay. Say I’m not the only one that wants this.”
I watch as a myriad of feelings cross her face until she settles on a soft smile. “I do love you. I will stay. And, no, you’re not the only one that wants this.”
Our lips crash and the addicting honey flavor of her lips is familiar and comforting. She kneels up, wrapping her arms around my neck as I pull her into my arms.
This.
This right here.
This is why I’m doing all of this.
Just to be with her and to feel like this for the rest of my life.
While Mia is in the suite down the hall showering, I text Mr. Sutherland, letting him know that I’ll be running two hours late. It’s almost nine o’clock and I should have been in the air already for my three-hour flight to New York to make my one o’clock appointment with him, but my world exploded this morning. In a good way.
I’ve made arrangements with Paula, my house manager, to have Mia’s things moved from the suite down the hall to our room. Mia agreed to it… once I convinced her that my room was now our room.
“When are you leaving?” Mia asks me as she walks into the dining room. She’s wearing a white sundress with ladybugs on it and her hair is damp.
“Soon. I wanted to see you before I left.” I stand up and pull out her chair. “Here, eat. Paula made French toast.”
“Smells delicious.”
I kiss the top of her head and sit back down. “Are you sure you don’t want to go with me? I promise to get you home by bedtime.” I try to coax her into coming to New York with me. I just don’t want to be without her after our talk this morning.
She laughs at me. “No, I’ve already told you I can’t go. I have too much to do with my shop opening soon. I get the keys in nine days, and I have about two months of stuff to get done before then.” She takes my hand. “But I’ll be here when you get home.”
“Promise?”
“Always.” She lets go of my hand in favor of eating. “When are you going to be back?”
“Since I’m flying solo, I’ll be back tonight. The meeting is at three, so…” I look at my watch, calculating how long it will take for me to sign a thousand papers, “I should be back before nine."
"It must be nice having your own jet.” She teases me.
“It is.”
I watch her finish her French toast, internally debating on whether to tell her about the woman claiming to be her real mother. If it was me, would I want to know?
Definitely.
“Listen, Mia. Something happened the other day that I want to tell you about.”
She suddenly looks worried. “Okay.” She wipes her mouth with her napkin and places it on the empty plate.
“It may be nothing, but someone called the country club and managed to get Mrs. Wilcox on the phone. She claims to be your real mother.” She opens her mouth like she’s about to say something, but I hold up my hand to stop her. “It’s probably nothing, but just to be sure, I’ve ordered an extensive background check on her. I should have that back either today or tomorrow, and it’s completely up to you if you want to see it or not.”
Mia looks out the windows facing the pool deck and then out to the ocean. It’s a cloudy day, and the surf is rough. She takes a few minutes to think about what I said, and I let her process it all.
“Thank you. I appreciate it. Will you let me know when you get the information?”
“Of course.”
“I got a text on my old phone from someone claiming to be my real mother, too.”
“You did? When?”
“The other day I found it. I texted back that they were only trying to get money from you and that it wasn’t going to happen.” Mia looks up at me. “Do you think it was the same person?”
“Can I see your phone?”
She pulls her phone out of her pocket. “The text is on my old phone, but I saved the number in here. Don’t ask me why. I have no idea.”
I take her phone and send the number to my security team that’s doing the background check. “Mia, you saved the number because you want to know that you can reach out when you’re ready. It’s okay to want that connection.”
She nods, “Maybe.”
“Have you ever tried to find your real parents?”
Shaking her head, “Nope. They didn’t want me. I don’t need them. Simple as that.”
“But now you may want to at least have some questions answered?”
She’s staring off into space again, not really looking at anything. “Yep. Maybe. I don’t know.”
I smooth down her drying hair and kiss the side of her head. “Whatever you want, we’ll do. As soon as I get the information, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you.”
I can see the clock on the wall in the kitchen and I know I need to go, or I’ll be even later than I told Mr. Sutherland. “I’ve got to go.”
“I know.” She smiles up at me as we walk to the front door. “Get out of here, Mr. Gallo, or I will not get anything done.”
“I’m going. I’m going.” I pull her into my arms. “But I’ll be back as soon as I can. Wait up for me?”
“Definitely. Wanna have another dessert date tonight?”
“Absolutely. I can’t wait.” I lean in and kiss her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She says with a smile that must match mine.
I could get used to this.
I think it’s just as hot and humid here in New York City as it is at home in Florida. Even at six o’clock at night.
The signing went just as planned. Mr. Sutherland had already signed all the places he was supposed to by the time I got to his office; he was just waiting for me. It felt like he was in a hurry to get home, so I didn’t waste any time.
Once the deal was done, we talked for a few minutes, shook hands, and then he rushed home to be with his wife, Misty. I’m rushing home to my girl as well when usually I’d enjoy my time in New York City. Now, all I want to do is get home to Mia and our dessert date tonight.
As we’re getting ready to take off, I power up my laptop to go through the things that need to be completed now that the deal is done, and Sutherland Park Manufacturing is now a Gallo Enterprises subsidiary. An email from Mrs. Wilcox catches my eye.
Re: Lynn Yates – Extensive Background Check Results
I debate for a few seconds if I want to read this before giving it to Mia, but ultimately decide that if this is a quack, I’d rather know ahead of time and prepare her than to let her read it first. I open the email and click on the attachment and a picture of Lynn Yates appears, and it is a spitting image of Mia if she was twenty years older.
A DNA test will have to be obtained before I’ll let this woman anywhere near Mia, but my gut is telling me that this is really Mia’s mother. Scrolling through the information, nothing concerning jumps out at me.
Lynn Yates seems to have a quiet life living with her retired military husband just outside of Daytona Beach. She supports all things military, which has my utmost respect, and she owns her own house. Like the earlier report, it shows that she’s worked for the county for a long time and has what most would call a quiet life.
Why would she have given up Mia for adoption, then? Could it be because she didn’t want a girl? Do people even do that? That can’t be right. Lynn Yates’ life seems like the perfect setting to raise a family, yet she gave her daughter up to live a life of foster and group homes. Mia could have gone down a completely different path or even been abused, but she was one of the lucky ones, and that was no thanks to Lynn Yates.
I slam my computer closed, disgusted with what I’ve been thinking for the last hour. How could anyone do that to a child? No, I need to clear my head before I let Mia read this.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to see my mother’s smiling face on the display. She has always had the best timing.
“Hello, Mother.”
“Just calling to check in on you, since you never call me.” She starts right off with a guilt trip that I completely deserve because she’s right. I usually talk to her a few times a week, but just haven’t had the time. Another reason for my new business plan.
“I’m sorry, Mom. It’s been a busy few days. How are you?”
“I’m good. So is your father. We’re just over here planning your engagement party for Friday. You are still engaged, right?” she asks hesitantly.
I smile at the image of Mia and I in bed this morning. “Yes, Mother, I am.”
“Good, because I really like Mia and I can’t wait to welcome her into the family.”
“Me, too. Listen, Mom. I want to ask you a question.”
“Anything. You know that.”
“This may sound strange, but why would a mother give up a child and then go on to raise two other children?” The silence on the other end of the phone is deafening and I pull it away from my ear to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. “You still there, Mom?”
“Yeah, I’m still here. Why do you ask?”
Hesitant to divulge Mia’s past, but determined to figure this out, I decide to confide in my mother. “Mia grew up in foster care and now someone has reached out saying she’s her real mother. After reading the background check…”
“She has other children.” Mom states correctly.
“Yeah. It appears that Mia has two younger brothers.”
“I see. Well, I will tell you that her mother, if this really is her mother, did not decide to give up her first child easily. There had to be a really good reason for her to do that. For a mother who is naturally inclined to protect her children, there must have been a really good reason for her to decide to give up her first child, as handing over a helpless infant to someone you don't know takes a level of courage that most people in this world don't possess. If she gave up Mia, then she actually did one of the most selfless acts a human could possibly do, Ian.”
I say nothing as I’m processing what she’s telling me and she’s not wrong. I wasn’t thinking of it like that. Giving up a child is a selfless thing to do, if for the right reasons.
“Ian, when you have your own children, you’ll understand better. There’s nothing greater than the love between a child and a parent. It’s a bond that you just can’t understand until you’ve experienced it from both sides.”
“Is that a hint, Mother?” I tease.
“Yes,” she laughs, “I want grandkids. Hurry up and marry the woman, son.” She pauses, “I can hear the judgement in your voice, but give the woman a chance to explain herself.”
“But Mia had a horrible life and no one to protect and love her.”
“Yes, that’s probably true, but if her mother hadn’t put her up for adoption, how much worse could it have been for her?”
“I see your point. Thank you, Mom.”
“Anytime. Do you think she is her real mom?”
I open up the email again and Lynn Yates’ picture pops up. “Yeah, I do.”
“Does Mia know you’re looking into this?”
“She does.”
“Good. Honesty is the only way to start a marriage.” The guilt of my fake engagement to Mia weighs heavily on me. Especially the lying to my family. I’m hoping to rectify that soon, though.
“How did you know Dad was the one for you?” I don’t think I’ve ever asked either of them this question before.
“He made me feel seen and loved.”
“It’s that simple?”
“Yes, it is. Is that how she makes you feel?”
I chuckle. “I do not know how to explain how Mia makes me feel.”
“Then, that’s love, Ian.”
I think I’ve always known it’s love, but hearing my mother tell me… cements it into my soul. I do love Mia.
“Why don’t you two meet us at the club for breakfast in the morning? I’d love to see you both.” Mom asks me.
I think about my schedule and it’s pretty opened, “Sure. I’ll check with Mia, but I think we can make that happen.”
My mother sounds happy, “Great. Then I’ll see you around eight?”
“Sounds good, mom.” I hang up and text Mia letting her know about our breakfast date with my parents.