Chapter 7
Theodora was so excited that her mother would soon land.
She smiled more than she had since she’d been told of Javier’s death.
She hoped everything had gone well for her mama.
Although her mother had flown around the United States a few times to come and visit her and Javier when they had changed posts, she’d never flown overseas or to another country.
She’d been in and out of Mexico several times, but she’d driven across the border.
For her mother’s birthday last year, Theodora had bought her mama a passport, hoping that she’d save up some money so she could come visit her in Ethiopia.
Javier had rolled his eyes when Theodora first suggested it and mumbled, “Looks like we’re the ones who needs to be saving up for her trip.
” They’d added a little extra to their monthly savings, but the minute they discovered she was pregnant, their savings had been designated toward necessities for the baby.
Her whole body went cold. Without Javier’s income, how was she going to save enough for the baby? Although they had pulled well back on many things so they could put more money in savings, Theodora knew she didn’t have nearly enough. What the heck was she going to do?
“Are you okay?” Clint asked when he stared at her at a stoplight. “Are you going to get sick? Do you need to find a bathroom? I saw one inside the building.”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.” She couldn’t talk to Clint about her financial situation. That just didn’t feel right. She pasted on a smile. “I’m just excited about seeing my mother. I haven’t seen her in over three years…except on video calls.”
“And video calls just aren’t the same as seeing someone in person.
” Clint sounded like he spoke from experience, but she didn’t know him well enough to ask.
Maybe he was talking about his own parents.
Theodora knew that he and his team were often deployed on missions.
Sometimes Javier was gone weeks at a time, and then their only connection was sporadic video calls.
Clint programmed the GPS to guide them to the correct terminal at the airport as Theodora buckled in. He glanced over at her. “You all set?”
The young doctor had always made her feel uncomfortable.
They were close in age, and she always felt like he was hitting on her.
That big, bright white smile he seemed to have when he was around her.
The way he would feel her bare stomach was awkward.
No one except Javier had touched her in years.
Before her husband, she hadn’t dated that much, and having another man’s hands on her so close to her private parts just didn’t feel right.
But he came highly recommended as one of the best obstetricians in the country.
She laid her hand on Clint’s forearm. “Thank you so much for going with me today. I felt much better with you there at my side, holding my hand.”
“Yeah. Sure.” He nodded once and moved his hand to put the car in gear, forcing her to let go.
They’d just pulled out of the parking lot when her mother called.
“We’re on the ground and thank God. This was the bumpiest ride I’ve ever taken.
I’m going to write a letter to this airline and tell them they need to train their pilots better.
We landed so hard, I thought it was going to knock my teeth out. ”
Theodora glanced over at Clint, who was maneuvering through heavy city traffic, seemingly oblivious to her mother’s loud conversation.
Her mother didn’t understand volume control when talking on the phone.
She was sure Clint had heard every word.
“Mama,” she finally interjected. “Are you still on the plane? Or when you say you just landed, does that mean you’re on your way to immigration? ”
“Theodora, my sweet baby girl, can’t you hear me huffing and puffing?
I have to carry my own suitcases because there’s nobody here to help me.
You’d think in an airport this big, there would be people everywhere wanting to help a woman, but no.
If I had requested a wheelchair, there would’ve been somebody right there as soon as I got off the airplane.
They would handle all my bags and a wheelchair to boot.
But no. Since I’m a healthy woman, I’m expected to carry both my carry-on bags and my purse.
Can you believe they charged me extra because I had two carry-on bags and my purse?
And now I’m starting to sweat. Does this place not have air conditioning? ”
There was a lot there to unpack. Of course they were going to charge her extra for that second carry-on bag. You were allowed one carry-on suitcase, a computer bag, and a purse. That’s been a rule for as long as Theodora could remember. “Mama, what did you bring that you needed two carry-on bags?”
“I wasn’t going to put my makeup in my suitcase that they were going to throw on that conveyor belt and shove underneath the plane where they don’t heat it.
I’ve heard horror stories about expensive makeup freezing, and it’s never right afterward.
And because this flight was so long, I had to bring several complete changes of clothes.
I couldn’t decide what I wanted to wear, so I just threw in a bunch of different outfits, and I’d decide after I had been served each meal. ”
“Were you able to sleep?” When Theodora had flown from Texas to Ethiopia to meet with Javier, who had accepted the position with the Riggs Corporation, her seat wasn’t working correctly.
It wouldn’t go back at all. She’d begged the flight attendant to move her, but of course it was a full flight and there were no seats left.
She’d been stuck in the middle seat between two large men who hadn’t used a shower in weeks.
Once they arrived in Africa, she realized those men would fit in perfectly.
“Oh, yes. Those pods are wonderful. I got a single over next to the windows, and after three glasses of wine—did I mention that the alcohol was free? Anyway, after a big dinner with wine, I just flattened out that seat and cuddled into the big blanket and soft pillow and fell right asleep. They were so comfortable I almost slipped them into my carry-on, but those flight attendants were watching me pretty close. Besides, there wasn’t any room.
” Her mother finally took a breath before she continued, “Baby girl, there’s a policeman pointing at my phone and wagging his finger.
I guess he’s telling me that I have to hang up now.
I’ll call you when I get the rest of my luggage. ”
Theodora ended the call and clutched the phone in her lap.
She had already asked a lot of Clint that day by practically dragging him to her doctor’s appointment.
He and Javier were so much alike in most ways.
Now they had to pick up her mother. Javier used to tell her that her mama was easier to take in small doses.
Theodora wondered how Clint would react to her mother.
“Our timing should be perfect,” Clint announced gazing at the clock on the dash. “We should be in front of the terminal about the time she collects all her luggage.”
“Do you still have time to run your errand?” Theodora had almost forgotten about his last stop.
“Yes. When you told me what time your mother was coming, I was able to rearrange my meeting.”
Clint was right. Just as he pulled into the arrival line, her mother called. It took Theodora a few minutes to figure out exactly where she was located, but Clint easily maneuvered to the sidewalk once she found her mother. As soon as the SUV stopped, Theodora jumped out and ran to hug her mama.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Theodora thought she had cried enough, but obviously, she had more tears.
“Now, now, baby girl. Mama’s here and will take care of everything.” Her mother’s arms around her felt warm and comforting. “I’ve buried two husbands…and would like to bury two more. I know how this all works.”
Theodora couldn’t stop herself from giggling. She knew exactly which two stepfathers her mother was talking about. Should her mother ask, she’d help her dispose of the bodies.
They stepped apart and just stared at each other.
Her mother’s hair had recently been bleached blonde again because she had no dark roots.
It had also been perfectly styled, coiffed, and teased so it stuck up at least three inches above her scalp.
It looked beautiful, able to compete with any other Texan woman in her late forties.
Her mother would never admit her real age, which was at least five years older than what was on her driver’s license.
Her mother ran her hand down Theodora’s long, smooth, dark brown hair that hadn’t been touched by a beautician in several years.
Her mama then cupped her cheek. “My sweet little baby girl, we need to get you into the stylist right away. You need highlights to brighten this gorgeous face of yours. We can’t let anyone at the funeral see you looking like this. ”
“Mama, they suggest you don’t do anything to your hair while you’re pregnant because of the harsh chemicals.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’re pregnant.” Her mama placed her hand on her cheek as though she just remembered that fact.
“No need to scold you for gaining so much weight then. But you do need to watch how much you gain because those pregnancy pounds are the worst to lose. Trust me, I know how tough it is to lose that baby fat.”
Her mother looked at a porter patiently waiting ten feet away. “Is there someone here to deal with my luggage? Please tell me you didn’t come here by yourself.”