Plus, I was still holding out hope that, perhaps, I could convince Coralie to stay in Harmony instead of moving to New York. I wasn’t going to talk to Mom about Coralie’s plans until we had decided as a couple.
When we got back to my apartment, Mom said she was going to go lie down for a bit and asked me to come get her for dinner. I cooked some filets mignons for us as well as mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. I figured if Coralie discovered that I’d cooked meat on her pans, she’d probably murder me. But this was my last night as a single guy in my apartment, and I was going to celebrate it with food I actually wanted to eat.
Tomorrow, I’d start my vegan diet.
I didn’t have to go in and get Mom. She must have heard me and smelled the food because, just as I was plating her dinner, the bedroom door opened and she emerged with a smile. “This smells amazing,” she said. She hovered over her plate, closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath.
“Thanks,” I said with a genuine smile.
She glanced up at me. “I bet Coralie is going to be so grateful you’re such a great cook,” she said as she gathered up the utensils I’d laid out, a napkin, and her plate.
I snorted.
Mom frowned. “You don’t think so?” she asked as she waited for me to finish plating my food. We both walked over to the dining room table and sat down.
“Naw, it’s not that.” I scooted my chair closer to the table. “She’s vegan.” I paused. “And starting tomorrow, I’m vegan as well.”
The laugh that emerged from Mom’s lips was loud, and it startled me. She tipped her head back, and her chest rose and fell with the sound. “What?” she finally asked, her eyes brimming with tears. “You? Vegan?” She snorted. “You came out wanting red meat.”
I frowned at her. “I can be vegan.”
Mom reached over and grabbed a napkin to dab her eyes. “Yeah, sure. That’ll last an afternoon.”
I folded my arms across my chest and narrowed my eyes as I studied her. Sure, I liked meat, but if Coralie wanted me to be vegan, I could do it. It offended me that my own mother thought this was something I was incapable of.
Mom cut a piece from her steak and slipped it into her mouth. I didn’t respond right away, so she glanced over at me with her eyebrows raised. “What?” she asked through her food. Then she sighed. “You do realize that being vegan means you can’t eat this.” She motioned toward her steak. “You can’t eat eggs or fish or dairy?” She raised her eyebrows. “These are the foods that make up your food pyramid.”
I narrowed my eyes but turned my attention back to my plate. “If Coralie wants me to be vegan, I can be vegan.” I cut off a chunk of meat and ate it. “Marriage is all about sacrifice, right?”
Mom nodded. “Yes. You will need to make sacrifices, but that doesn’t mean the other person should ask you to change.” Mom’s gaze was on me now. “Did she ask you to change your diet or did you volunteer?”
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I sat there, chewing my food while I studied her. How did I respond without raising any red flags? I had already resigned myself to this marriage. I didn’t need my mother poking holes in it. Not after Ella had done the same.
“She suggested and I agreed,” I said as I cut off another chunk of steak.
“Just like she made a suggestion for you to get rid of perfectly good things?” She waved her hand toward the guest room.
I didn’t like where this conversation was going. “She wants new things. This will be our home. I’m not going to ask my wife not to make it her own.”
Mom’s hand reached over and covered mine. Her eyes were wide as she studied me. “If you are okay with this, then I’m okay with it.” She sighed. “I just don’t want you to make concessions if you don’t want to. A marriage won’t last if you lose who you are.”
She held my gaze, and I could tell that she wanted me to know she was genuinely concerned. I didn’t want her to think I was upset, so I just patted her hand with mine.
“I’m happy, Mom. I want to make Coralie happy. I’m okay with what she’s asking.”
Mom searched my gaze and then nodded. “Okay.”
We ate in silence for a few minutes before Mom glanced back over at me.
“Is the offer to go tonight still on the table?”
I was in the middle of taking a drink from my glass. I finished swallowing and set the glass down as I glanced over at her. “You want to come to my bachelor party with me?”
Mom shrugged. “Why not? I could use a night out and some whiskey.” She smiled at me. “Plus, I want to meet your friends.” She held up her hands. “I promise not to get in the way.”
I chuckled. “I’m getting married tomorrow, Mom. I’m sure we’ll keep things pretty tame.”
She grinned at me. “Hopefully not too tame. It is your last night of freedom.”
