54. Cooper
54
Cooper
“ W hat the hell do you mean ‘She can stay’ ?”
Trin is fuming after finding my mother in our room. Carmen stormed off before the welcome bags were ever passed out and apparently she ended up in the wrong room. Our room to be exact.
After secretly getting my vasectomy reversed I didn’t know how I was going to avoid Trin during a romantic week away under the heat of the Spanish sun. However, this is an opportunity I could have only dreamed of.
I need to avoid my wife for four more days. That puts us at the day before the wedding. If I’m being technical, and following the doctor’s orders to a T, with the time conversion it should put me in the green at four that evening. Smack dab in the middle of the rehearsal, right before the dinner.
A thrill runs through my veins as I recall walking in a straight line once or twice before. How important is a wedding rehearsal anyway? They’re all the same, right? Trin and I didn’t have one. Granted we got married by my brother in a hospital room but still, ask any cop who’s ever pulled me over after dark. We can forfeit a few minutes for a coat closet rendezvous or sneak back to our room for a quickie.
“Wipe that god damn smirk off your face and get your mother out of our room!”
“Go take your bags up to her room while I talk to her. Let me see if I can calm her down.”
“Ugh fine but I swear if she tries to ruin this -”
“She will be fine. Go settle in and I’ll be there in a few.”
“Coop, I’m serious. I will not bite my tongue if she tries ruining Luna and Theo’s big day.” The promise is in her words and I know she has years of pent up mama Carmen rage that’s just begging to be released.
“I don’t doubt you for one second, zhena. Now run along and let me handle this.” I give her ass a little tap encouraging her to go as she scoffs and rolls her eyes.
Standing by the door I watch as Trin drags her suitcase down the hall and around the corner. Waiting until she is out of sight before I open the door and step inside to try and talk my mother off the ledge.
“Mom, you have to let me stay here.” I beg as I close the door.
“Ay dios mio Cooper. Leave me alone and go be with your esposa .” The way she says “wife” in her mother language has me cringing with annoyance but I know she doesn’t really mean anything by it.
She’s been a single mother nearly my entire life. She immigrated to America after I was born with nothing but a few hundred bucks and a teething baby in her arms. She’s dedicated her entire life to caring for others and being needed. Our mother has been the center of our worlds. The most concrete person in our lives, but now we’re grown up and this wedding is just another reminder of that.
“I need to stay here. I can’t be around Trin right now. Please ma.”
She stops digging in her suitcase and turns her suspicious gaze onto me. “Why? What’s wrong? You’re not getting divorced already are you?”
“God no. Katrinia and I are NEVER getting divorced.” I assure her in a tone that is very matter of fact.
“Good. The only thing worse than marrying that girl would be divorcing her.”
“Ma, come on. You don’t mean that. You know how much I love that girl. I have always loved that girl .”
“I know.” She sighs, shaking her head. “It just seems like so much is changing. I thought we would have some time together as a family once Theo came home.” Looking down she gets back to fiddling with things in her bag.
She’s never been able to call what Theo went through what it really was. Prison. In her eyes we are still her perfect baby boys who can do no wrong. Though we’ve both strayed from the righteous path more than once, I know we have both finally found our way.
“Well, pouting in here isn’t a very good way to spend more time with us.”
“?Hijo!”
“Don’t tell me I’m wrong.” I cock a brow making her scoff. “Luna’s really great. You should give her a chance. She reminds me a lot of you, you know.”
“Oh yeah? How so?” Her hands fly to her hips as she turns to face me.
Taking her hand I pull her down to sit next to me. “She’s really smart and strong. She isn’t afraid to call Theo out on his shit or stand her ground. Luna is a force, she’s good for him, mom. But it’s her heart that reminds me so much of you. It’s so big and she loves with the whole damn thing. She sees everything good in Theo and she understands and forgives everything else.” I take her hand in both of mine. “Come on. This tension is really stressing him out. Give Luna a chance. Her parents aren’t here, she needs you.”
“How come you are pushing so much for Luna? You never shoved that Russian girl down my throat.”
“Because I’m an asshole and no one, not you or even el diablo, would stop me from loving her.” I tease her with the truth, poking her shoulder, “So stop calling my wife ‘that Russian girl’.”
“Fine. I’ll just get used to being obsolete. You boys don’t need me, work doesn’t need me, Tony doesn’t need me.”
“What do you mean work doesn’t need you?” I pull her in for a side hug.
* * *
Mom broke down and let it all out. How hurt she was when Theo didn’t come home for his first Christmas out. How everything seems to be changing so fast she feels like she can’t keep up. Inevitably getting to how the owners of the resort brought in a younger graduate to have her train. Basically, giving her one final task as they nudge her towards retirement.
I think a good cry was exactly what she needed. Now, at least, I understand her bad temper lately.
In the end she agreed to stop taking her feelings out on the girls and enjoy the rest of the trip. When she admitted to feeling bad about her fight with Tony there was a knock at the door.
The sucker decided to show up anyway and that’s where I left my mother and went to go find my wife.
With Tony showing up I can no longer hide away in her room, so I’m going to have to be creative. I definitely didn’t think the timing of this reversal all the way through.
I’m more of a creative person and I was inspired by the idea. I didn’t take into account that Trin has been doing nothing but talking about how romantic this trip to Spain was going to be and how her suitcase is so light because it’s basically full of lingerie and bikinis.
Blowing out a breath, I run a hand down my face before starting up the massive curved front staircase. On the hunt for room eleven.