Accidentally Loving Mr. Step-Father (BxB)

Chapter 31: The Inevitable

Chapter 31
Mickey 'Mike' Hollister
The Inevitable

I start to fumble my fingers as I wait for my mum to enter the room. Yesterday, I was okay. I was thinking of words that I would say to my mum, but it all faded when Dad said she's on the way. Dad told me she has a good news to bring. Mum and I are not on good terms, so it's a mystery to me what good news she has brought with her. It could be bad for me. Or for Eros. Or for Brad. I don't want to argue with her. Mum's attitude is like one of those slutty bitch in High School, like Chelsie's, so I expect that she'd throw a big mess of a party, telling everybody 'how I stabbed her back and stole Eros away from her', at least, that's what I thought she would bring up. I mean, I did not exactly steal Eros away from her. It's jusr that our feelings grew for each other and blossomed and that's it. So what could possibly the good news is?
Soon enough, mum enters the room with a genuine smile plastered on her face. That or she's good at faking a smile. Most probably the latter. But still, mum isn't the one to fake a smile. If she doesn't like it, she shows it. Sometimes, she would say it in a funny manner so it would sound like a joke and everybody would believe her.

"Hi, Mike." Mum says as she stands in front of me, her hair is in a ponytail style and it's very neat. She's wearing a pink elegant dress and I wonder why. "How are you?"

I don't know how to reply. There's a lump forming at the back of my throat and I try to gulp, but it seems it's stuck there and I nearly panic as I watch her take a seat on the edge of the hospital bed. I avoid her gaze, looking around the room but her. I now regret this talk. I should have thought of this a little longer, and now, I'm stuck in the mess that I have created.

She looks at me, waiting for me to open my mouth and answer her. She places her hand on my knees and my whole body tenses again. I should not be feeling like this. When did it start to happen? Before, I'd just ignore her and everything would be normal. I'm not used to this. She must be acting.

"Hi," I finally say, acknowledging her presence by nodding at her. "I'm fine, you?" Oh the small talks.

"Not so," she admits, giving me a shy smile. I furrow my brows at her, confused as to why would she admit such things. Usually she would snap and say she's fine. She never admitted. But this is a first. I guess there's everything for a first time. "I feel like shit. Because of what I did."

I know what she's referring to. The house. The house that she sold without Eros' permission. I suddenly hate her again.

"But now, everything's fine." She says, smiling up at me again. "I took care of it. The reason I've been away, well, let's just say that I have worked hard and forced myself to get it back. That's the good news, though."
I narrow my eyes at her suspiciously. Her? Did a hard work and force herself to get the house back? That makes me almost huff but resist it since I'm being a nice person and a nice kid so I'm going to do what I suppose to do and force myself to do it. She laughs as she shakes her head.

"You really hate me, don't you?" She says sadly, looking down at her lap. "Ever since you were a kid, you've always wanted to be with your Dad. That made me mad. Because you were supposed to like me as much ad you liked your father. But no, you wanted to be with him. And I did everything I could to make you stay by my side. What made me angry was, everything I did for you and yet, you've been very distant to me. I'm your mother yet it felt like you never cared for me. It felt like I was a ghost to you. All my efforts to raise you well were worth it. I know, I know I don't have the right to say this, because you won't believe it anyway, but... what I taught you, you've always carried it with you. And that makes me proud of you. I'm sorry if I never showed my emotions when you're in front of me. But now, I'm putting my pride aside and I want you to see how vulnerable I am. No mother wants to feel this way. I got mad at you because... because you... you..." She sighs as a tear slips her eye and she uses her hand to brush it away.

I'm stunned. Everything happens around me keeps shocking me. For the first time, my mum cries. And I feel guilty about it. I mean, I know that I'd prefer Dad over her, but is it really the reason? Now, to think all the things, my mum and I never have a good quality time. Not until Dad and her separated. She just busied herself with house chores whereas I grew up in the world where everything's free. I never thought I'd been hurting her. My eyes soften a little as I watch my mum cries her heart out. I reach out to her hand and grip it. Mum looks at it and sniffs.

"I'm sorry, mum," I say with sadness evident in my voice, also covered with guilt. "I never knew you felt that way." I admit, not looking at her eyes again, but I keep a grip on her hand. Hesitantly, I ask, "But... did you love me?"

"Of course I loved you," mum says without any hesitation. "You're my son. I loved you. I love you. And I will always love you. At first, when I heard you got shot, my whole crumbled. And at that time, I was working, earning a money so I could get the house back. I hesitated to come because your father was here. And I knew that you'd prefer his comfort more than mine. So I did not go. But I mustered a courage to go here ad your father and I talked. And I decided to let you go. Not because you turned 18, but because you have the right."

My eyes pool with tears as mum's tears to continue to flow out of her eyes. I pull her and give her the biggest bear hug to let her feel that I do love her.

"Another thing, I was desperate," she continues, looking up at the ceiling. "The reason why I want to have a man in my life is for you to have a father that could take care of you. So you don't have to choose him over me, or so you don't have to stay away. But none. Believe me, those men I've been with? I didn't have feelings for them."

"You didn't?" I ask, wide eyes. Out of nowhere, I blurt out, "What about Eros?"

"Eros, psh!" She says, rolling her eyes. "I know that guy wants to be with you more than me. Plus, I just like him. Not like like, but like as a friend. Something along like that." I can feel my cheeks reddening as he states that Eros wants to be with me instead of her. "Oh c'mon, I know there's something going on with you guys. I saw you guys kissing once. I know that you're happy to be with him. And to be honest, I'm happy that you chose Eros. He's a nice guy. And I feel bad because I kind of used him so I could, you know, make him your daddy. But I guess it turned out different. Instead of him being your daddy, he became your sugar daddy."

"Mum!" I whine, putting my face in my hands, hiding my face from embarrassment. "Stop it. He's not my su... He's not!" Mum laughs loudly and shakes her head in amusement. "To be honest, mum, you're not mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?"

"You know, because of Eros..."

"Psh, stop." She says, putting her finger in the air, indicating me to shut up. I do. "I'm happy you and Eros are together. I'm not mad at that. And if you're thinking I'm getting jealous, God no, I swear. Eros is like, hmmm... Friends with benefits?"

"Mum!"

"But we never had sex, though!" Mum laughs. And that makes me think. Did they have sex? Is mum just joking me? Did they do it? As of reading my mind, mum continues. "No, really. We didn't. Plus, I still kind of like your Dad."

"Ew," I grumble, rolling my eyes and grimacing. "So mum, we're okay? Just so you know, I love you. Because your my mum. And I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't mean to. I'm glad that you're my mother even if I didn't show it to you."

We hug each other for a moment and Mum kisses my temple, ruffling my hair. The feeling of being loved by a mother overwhelms me. I never felt so happy, like, so, so happy before. It's like I'm in Ethiopia where sadness doesn't exist. She pulls back and ruffles my hair again. I pout at her and she tweaks my nose.

"You're still the same brat that I gave birth to," she chortles, patting my head.

"But you love me,"

"I do," I state, laughing with her.