Richard shook his hand with a firm nod. When he turned to Lenora, she barely placed her hand in his, offering him a tight smile.
“Could you excuse us?” Rory asked.
Luke and the others nodded okay, and Rory gestured that James, and his parents should follow her back to the house. They followed her.
She noticed the skeptical look her cousin gave her as she passed her and entered the house.
“Exactly what kind of hold do you have over my son?” Lenora attacked her the minute the door swung shut to the living room.
Rory drew back.
“I’m his fiancé,” Rory said in defense.
“Are you?” Lenora shot back, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Lenny—”
“Mom.”
Both Richard and James said in warning.
“Why are you here, Lenora?”
“I am here because my son is choosing to forego our family tradition of having Thanksgiving at home with us to come all the way out here to be with you all because you are threatening to call off the wedding.”
“I did not threaten your son, Lenora,” Rory returned, offended. “James is old enough to make his own decisions, something that you seem to have a problem with so much so that you had to fly all the way here to try and control what he does.”
Lenora pulled back as if she had been slapped, eyes wide.
Rory was sick and tired of sugarcoating things to please this woman. It was too much. She needed to speak her piece.
“So, you’re blaming me for the problems you’ve created in your relationship now?”
“Mom, that’s enough,” James spoke forcefully.
Lenora looked at her son incredulously. “You’re reprimanding me after what she’s said, after what she’s done?”
“What have I done, Lenora? Hmm? Other than loving your son and planning to have a life with him. What have I done?” Rory asked, her voice steely. “You know what, why don’t you talk about the fact that you don’t like me? You have never liked me because I’m not from your world; I wasn’t on your list of potential matches for James. No matter how hard I’ve tried to fit in, change, or be less of myself to please you, it’s never been enough for you. Then you go ahead and give your son a prenup for me to sign because you think that I am with him for his money.” Rory looked at the woman disbelievingly as an angry tear ran down her cheek. “I don’t need his money; I have my own. As of last week, I’m two million dollars richer.”
“I don’t care how much money you may or may not have; you are simply not good enough for my son,” Lenora sneered.
“LENORA, THAT IS ENOUGH!”
Everyone turned surprised eyes to Richard.
“Rory, I am sorry for my wife. Sometimes she seems to forget that James has a life of his own, and I am apologizing for myself for letting it go on so long.”
Rory scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. Not once had she ever heard or experienced Richard come to her defense against all that his wife had said or done to her.
“I realize now and appreciate that you are strong and determined. You’ve stood up to her in more ways than one, and I want you to know that despite my wife’s objections, I am happy that you will be a part of this family. My son needs someone like you.”
“Um…Thank you?” Rory gave him a look of unsurety.
Lenora shot daggers at her husband, but he felt her gaze on him. He seemed impervious to her implicit threat and disdain.
“We’ll be leaving you guys for now. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about…to work out.” Richard looked from her to James, then to his wife.
“Your family is very lovely. I hope you won’t mind having us here for Thanksgiving.”
