I nearly tripped over my tongue trying to disagree. “No, not at all. I mean, sure, we’re living in the same house and our business has changed. It’s exciting doing something different after all these years.”
“I’m not talking about business,pigebarn.” Her eyebrows lowered to her nose in a scowl. “I’m talking about the way you call him Mattie and he calls you honeybee.”
I shrugged indifferently, praying she’d buy it. “We’ve always called each other that.”
She chuckled with a knowingness only a mom can have. “Sure, when you were kids. Suddenly you say his name with a softness I’ve never heard before. What’s more interesting is how he says your name with a tone of reverence.”
“We love each other,” I blurted out. I slapped my forehead with my palm. “Damn it, you played me.”
She shook her head but was smiling when she did. “I wasn’t playing you. I just know you have trouble thinking on your feet. You’ll always tell me the truth.”
I dropped my hand and let my head hang sheepishly. “Mattie said we should wait to tell you until after your surgery, so we didn’t upset you.”
“Tell me what?”
I sighed because she had me and she knew it. “He finally admitted his love for me, and not just as a friend.”
Her eyes rounded, and in the next breath she had me in her arms, crushing the air from my lungs. “I’m so happy right now.” Her words were clipped, and her tears wet my cheek. “He’s a different man than he was a year ago. That’s all because of you.”
I kept my head on her shoulder since Mattie was looking in through the patio door. I finger waved to make it look like we were just having a mother-daughter moment.
“I haven’t done anything, Birgitte. He’s changed all on his own. It was time to grow up, and he knew it.”
She leaned back and wiped her eyes. “You sure as hell have done something. You’ve stuck by his side through all his silliness, immaturity, lack of judgment, disrespect, and inappropriate behavior. Most women would have been long gone by now.”
“Solid proof that I’ve never been too smart.”
She grabbed my arms and shook me gently. “Stop that. You know how we hate it when you put yourself down.”
“You and your son.”
“That’s one thing he’s doing right then. I hope he’s getting this new part of your life more right than wrong.”
I nodded with embarrassment because I didn’t know how many of our secrets to admit to her. “Mattie admitted he couldn’t keep swallowing the words back, no matter how much you and Theo disapprove of us being together. He can’t pretend he doesn’t love me anymore.”
She took my face in her hands, her lips turned down in a frown. “We don’t disapprove of you being together, my love, not at all. What we disapproved of was his unwillingness to be the kind of man you needed. Theo understands now that his interference was the wrong way to approach this. I’m glad you found your way back to each other, regardless of our interference in your lives.”
I put my hand over hers and offered a smile. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Let’s face it. Our situation has never been normal. There isn’t a playbook to help us navigate it. All we can do is what we think is right at the time. That’s all you and Theo were doing. I don’t blame you for not wanting him to end up with me, but sometimes you can’t fight what the heart wants.”
She dropped her hands and took a step back. “No,pigebarn. You have it all wrong. We didn’t want you to end up with the man he was. You’re too good, too kind, too sweet, too trusting to be with the man he used to be.” She was shaking with anger, and I tried to calm her by holding her shoulders. “He might be our son, but you are also our daughter. We only wanted what was best for you. Five years ago, that person wasn’t Mathias.”
“And now?” I felt the tremor in her shoulders before she answered.
“Now I think you make a beautiful couple. I wish you all the happiness in the world together. You’ve found your way to each other again, even though you had so many barriers to overcome. When it keeps coming back to that same person over and over, that’s when you know it’s true love.”
“Thanks, Mor,” I whispered.
Her eyes widened again, and she pulled me to her, holding me tight. “Thank you for making this old lady’s day, Honey. I’ve loved you as my little girl since the day I set eyes on you. I’m happy to know you feel the same way.”
I held her tightly and sighed. The word had slipped out before I realized it, but the funny part was how happy it made both of us. “I’ve always thought of you as my mom. I guess it’s time to start showing you.”
She laughed softly, but she didn’t let go of me. “You’ve always shown me your love. I know it’s silly to let a little thing like titles make me weepy, but I’ve always wanted you to call me Mor. I understood why you couldn’t, though.”
“I love you, Mor. Just hold on to that until I see you Tuesday morning, okay?”
She nodded quickly, and I wiped her eyes. “I will. I do—every day. You’re so precious to us. I hope you know that.”
“I do,” I promised, wiping tears off my face.
