I was wrapped in a towel, moisturizing, when the bathroom door opened.
'Jacqueline? There's a strange man at the door.'
A jolt of panic gripped me, then let go when I realized it couldn't be Fuller.
'Does he have red hair?'
'Yes.'
'That's Latham, Mom. My boyfriend. Didn't he use his key?'
'He tried to. I had the chain on.'
'Can you let him in and tell him I'll be right there?'
Mom gave me a small frown, but nodded. I slipped on my bathrobe and wound the towel around my wet hair, turban-style.
Latham and Mom stood in the kitchen, Latham in his work clothes -- gray pants, red tie, gray jacket. Mom stared at him like he was something she'd stepped in.
'Hi, Jack. I thought I'd stop by, take you out for a bite.'
My mother smiled politely. 'We have plans already.'
I shot my mom with laser eyes, but she pretended not to notice.
'We weren't planning anything special, Latham.' I smiled smoothly. 'We'd love to have you join us. Right, Mom?'
Mom managed to fake an enthusiastic smile. 'Absolutely. It would be just lovely, Nathan.'
'Latham,' he and I said in unison.
'I'm sure Alan won't mind either.'
Shit. How'd I forget about Alan?
'Your boyfriend?' Latham ventured, looking at Mom.
'Jacqueline's husband,' she answered, primly.
'Ex-husband. He was good enough to accompany Mom into town.'
'He's helping me with the transition. Wonderful man.'
'Transition?' Latham raised an eyebrow at me. I felt like going back to my bedroom and hiding under a pillow.
'Mom has decided to move in with me after all.'
Latham, to his credit, barely flinched. I held his hand, gave it a hard squeeze that I hope conveyed everything I was feeling.
He didn't squeeze back.
'Well, that's wonderful. Jack has wanted that for a long time. She speaks the world of you.'
'How sweet. It's a shame she never mentioned you.'
I gave Latham another hard squeeze, and then released him to escort my mother before this got worse.
'Excuse us just a moment, Latham. Girl talk.'
I steered Mom into the bedroom and shut the door.
'What is it, Jacqueline?'
'Cut the BS, Mom. You're acting horrible.'
'Horrible? How?'
I raised an index finger, in scolding mode.
'I'm serious. I happen to love this guy. If you keep--'
'You love him? You never told me you loved him.'
'I never had the chance, Mom. You only started taking my calls recently, and then the conversation has mostly been about you.'
I regretted it as soon as I said it, and my mother's reaction held no surprises. She seemed to grow smaller before my very eyes.
'You don't want me here, do you?'
'Mom . . .'
'I would have never chosen to come up here if I'd known you were in love with this man. Has he asked you to move in with him?'
'Mom, we can talk about all of this later.'
'If you love him, why did you kiss Alan this morning?'
It just kept getting better.
