Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

SIMON

A fter being in the doghouse with my mother for the past week, I decided to take matters into my own hands and go visit her. It was a warm, sunny afternoon. I pulled into the driveway lined with trees. The perfectly manicured lawn in the front and the large cobblestone driveway that used to be filled with cars from the many visitors to the house. The estate was beautiful. I had fond memories growing up here. The huge trees were perfect for climbing. My sister and I begged our parents to let us have a treehouse. They wouldn't let us build it and my dad wasn't exactly handy, so they hired someone. Our treehouse was the penthouse of tree houses. In a way, I was bummed because I wanted that rundown, barely hanging in the tree kind of thing. But ultimately, it turned out to be a great place to hide. Our friends loved it as well.

It wasn't only the physical structure that enamored us. It was the fact that it was ours, a secret place where we could be kids, away from the prying eyes and strict rules of the adult world. We hosted tea parties, Marsha's idea, plotted daring escapes, and shared secrets in the safety of our little fortress.

As I parked my car, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I sat there for a moment, caught in the web of old memories. It was hard to connect that world to my present reality—the sharp suits replacing scraped-up knees and dirty shorts, board meetings taking the place of make-believe adventures, and freedom to be anything and anyone stolen away. I had to fill the very big shoes left behind by my father's sudden death.

With a heavy sigh, I stepped out of the car and approached the front door. The familiar smell of roses from the vast garden adjacent to the driveway filled my nostrils, bringing back even more memories. It was strange how some things remained constant while others changed drastically.

I rang the bell, and after a few seconds, the door swung open. There stood our family butler, Charles, who'd been with us since as far back as I could remember.

"Is my mother home?" I asked.

"She's in the garden," he replied. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No thanks. I'm going to find her."

Through the massive window, I spotted her in the gardens trimming her rose bushes. Watching her there, I was reminded of all the times I'd seen her do the same thing when I was a boy. I'd sit in the breakfast nook of the kitchen with iced tea and my homework while she clipped her roses and made everything look perfect. She'd always come inside with a few and put them in a vase on the table where I was studying. Then she would sit with me and offer to help. I'd always taken the help, even if I didn't need it. We'd been very close when I was a child. Marsha was always out with her friends, being a teenager, and I was with my mother.

She could hire a gardener, but she insisted on taking care of the roses herself. Landscapers kept the weeds at bay and the grass neatly cut, but she handled her roses. My father used to always compliment her on her gardening abilities. She used to have an herb garden, but she let it go some years back.

I was about to go outside when I heard the front door open. I turned to see who it was and was surprised to find Lennon, an old friend from high school.

Lennon looked up and grinned. "What are you doing here, you ugly bastard?"

"Me?" I approached and we gave each other a friendly greeting. "This is my mother's house. The better question is what are you doing here, Lenny?"

Lenny chuckled. "I ran into Sandra a few days ago in the city, and she mentioned how I should come by and pick up some roses for my girlfriend."

I laughed, clutching my sides. "Girlfriend? What girlfriend? You're the biggest player I know!"

Lenny shrugged. "Not anymore. This girl is different."

"I think I've heard that before," I said.

"What about you? Married yet?"

"Hell no." I scoffed.

We goofed off as we headed to the yard, where my mother, Sandra, smiled warmly, the brim of her hat casting her face into shade. She greeted Lenny first, giving him a warm hug. I tried not to be sour about the fact she seemed more excited to see him than me. When she finally gave me a hug, she paused to smooth out the collar of my shirt and gave me an affectionate motherly smile.

"I didn't know you were coming by," she said, touching my cheek before pulling her hand away, as if remembering I was a grown man and not her little boy. Still, I didn't mind it. I longed for her affection.

"I just cut these," Mom said and handed some roses to Lenny.

"These are beautiful," he said. "Thank you, Sandra."

"Of course." She smiled. "Why don't you bring your girlfriend to Connor's tenth birthday party the day after tomorrow?"

Again, I felt the sting, like maybe she was trying to find a better son. Someone that fit in better with what she expected of a son.

Lenny was friends with Connor's dad. I completely forgot about that and felt like an ass. My mother turned to me with a half-smile. "Are you going to be attending the party?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Good."

"And I'm going to bring my girl, too," I said. I wasn't sure why I said it, but I did. And now I couldn't take it back. They were staring at me like I was crazy.

"A girl?" Mom asked.

"Woman," I clarified.

"Who is she?" Mom asked.

"Is it serious?" Lenny asked. "When did it start? Are you pulling our legs?"

I laughed. "Not serious. But I know you'll like her. She's very likeable."

Lenny rolled his eyes. "Is she like that one chick that got pissed because she got her heel stuck in a grate?"

"No." I chuckled, shaking my head. "She's nothing like Tessa, thank God."

"I'd hope not," Lenny teased. "That was a disaster."

Ignoring him, I turned to my mother and smiled. "She's amazing, Mom. Truly."

Mom looked at me with surprise morphing into what I hoped was approval. "Well, I can't wait to meet her." She turned to Lenny. "Get those roses in water."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm going to go inside and get us some lemonade," Mom said. "I have some sugar cookies as well."

"She hasn't changed at all." Lenny laughed as Mom walked into the house.

"Nope."

"I was always jealous that you had such a nurturing mother," he said. "Fresh cookies, homemade lemonade, and she was always around."

I snorted. "Yeah, well, she's not like this all the time. Being her son isn't easy. It comes with a lot of strings."

"Strings?" Lenny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Expectations, judgment, the whole shebang." I sighed. "But that's mothers for you."

"I guess." He shrugged.

We took a seat at the patio table knowing my mother would insist we sat down to enjoy our lemonade.

"So, this woman of yours, what's she like?" he asked.

"Well," I began, feeling a smile creep onto my face. "She's smart, funny, and a real badass. Trust me, she's nothing like the other women I've brought to family functions."

"What's with the tension between you and your mom?"

I took a deep breath. "Apparently, I ruined her little dinner party."

"What'd you do?"

"I showed up," I said with a grimace.

I filled Lenny in on what went down the last time my whole family was together and how I wasn't looking forward to seeing them all at Connor's birthday.

"They're still pissed I fired Matthew," I said. "They want money. That's it. They don't give a shit about me. They have their hands out all the damn time. It isn't that I'm greedy, but it pisses me off they expect it. They sit around and don't do shit and I bust my ass. Why would I give them money?"

Lenny grimaced. "That sounds rough."

"My mom is pissed at me because I make the rest of the family uncomfortable," I complained. "I'm not trying to make them uncomfortable, but they sure as hell don't have a problem running their mouths and my mom just sat there and let it happen."

He nodded. "It's messed up."

"It is," I said, feeling validated for being so pissed at the crap my family slung my way.

"Don't bring your bullshit to your nephew's birthday," Lenny warned. "Even if someone tries to provoke you, leave it alone. Don't ruin it for the kid. He's one of the good ones. You know?"

I nodded in agreement, though a part of me bristled at the idea of letting anyone get away with taking a jab at me without jabbing back.

"But what about you?" I asked, changing the subject. "Who's the lady?"

"Anna." he grinned. "She's a kindergarten teacher. Beautiful. Smart. We get along so well. She makes me laugh."

"Man, I'm having a hard time seeing you settled," I said with a laugh.

It was strange to see him so serious about someone, but I could tell it was genuine.

"Yeah, well, life gets strange sometimes." He laughed in response, scratching the back of his neck. "But she's worth it. She makes me want to be a better man, you know?"

I nodded. "I get it."

Mom reappeared then, carrying a tray laden with glasses of lemonade and sugar cookies. "Alright, boys," she announced, placing the tray on the table between us. "Dig in."

We both thanked her and helped ourselves to the refreshments. The lemonade was sweet and tangy, just how it always was, and the sugar cookies were soft and crumbly, melting almost instantly upon hitting my tongue. The sense of nostalgia nearly overpowered the simmering frustration I had for my family's antics.

"That's damn good lemonade," Lenny murmured appreciatively, even as he reached out for a second cookie. "Man, I've missed this."

"Always has been," I agreed, trying my best to keep the conversation light. "Mom always had a knack for making lemonade."

"Well, I'm just glad you boys appreciate it."

I took another sip of the lemonade. The cold liquid running down my throat was somewhat soothing, making the tension between me and my mom feel a little less uncomfortable.

"Family gatherings can be difficult," Mom said out of the blue. "But they're important. It's about connection. Families are messy, but at the end of the day, that's all you really have."

I didn't miss her subtle message. She wanted to make sure I behaved myself. "I wish everyone felt that way," I replied.

"You're right." Mom nodded. "Everyone needs to make an effort."

"I plan on going to the party," I said. "I've got a gift."

"Good." She smiled. "I am looking forward to everyone being together. Connor is going to be thrilled."

"I hope so," I said, returning her smile with a less than enthused one of my own.

I wasn't eager about going to this gathering, but for Connor, my baby nephew who always looked at me like I was the most awesome person in the entire world, I would put on my game face. He didn't need to know about the family tension and money battles. He just needed to know his uncle came to his party.

Lenny seemed to sense my thoughts as he patted me on the shoulder, giving me an encouraging look. "You'll be fine, man. Just remember why you're going."

Lenny said his goodbyes and left with his bouquet of roses. I stayed behind, helping my mother clean up the garden tools and put them away in the shed.

"Simon," she said as we finished up. "I'm glad you're coming to the party. It means a lot to Connor."

I nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for almost not going because of the drama with Matthew. "I know. I'll be there, Mom."

She smiled and gave me a hug. "I'm proud of you."

I hugged her back, feeling a lump in my throat. "Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it."