My Secretary....is also a What????!!!

Mother's Comfort

(Maria POV)
It was mid morning by the time both of them left....... And I didn't know what I was to do about their proposal.... For me to be their date for the Christmas party two weeks from now.....
Are we a couple? Or triple?. And on top of that their mother was going to be there... With the way they talked about her...she seemed like a fairly good person. But I didn't know if she would approve of me....
Gracious!!!! Taking battle decisions are easier than this....

I got up from the couch I was sitting on when the bell rang snapping me out of my thoughts...
I let in Lisa ( my previous landlady....). And hugged her tightly when she uncovered a batch of freshly baked choco chip cookies.... Her cookies were to die for!!!! .
I was happily munching on a few of them when she asked me carefully
" Maria is something bothering you? ",
Am I that transparent?... I thought looking at her shocked.
"No your not transparent.... I just know you a little more than normal...that's all..... Your constant pulling of the threads of your poor shirt is clue enough that something is on your mind...
Do you want to tell me what's on your mind?" She said answering my silent question.
Do I tell her????.... I asked myself putting my head in my hands.
"Is it the men who took you out yesterday?" She asked
Pulling my hands from my face and lifting my head to meet her eyes
I simply nodded and she said
" Maria, I have watched you for more than eight years now.... And I know how much you keep to yourself...... Form a shy young soldier to a good sergeant to a brave Commander.... But at the same time I also saw a girl who completely forgot herself and blocked her own emotions from herself.
I dont know what happened in your life...... And I don't judge you for it.... I am just asking you not to let it hinder you even now...
The best and only way to move forward is to let go of the past.
Forgive the people who hurt you not because they deserve it....but because you refuse to let them hold you forever. Dont let your past make you blind to the blessing that you have in front of you now.
Those men love you with all that is in them. In the time that you were away they had cone here, talking to all the children that you babysit, they even went to the place where you teach the children to sing..... When I confronted them about it.... They told me that it made them feel somehow closer to you..... They have spent countless nights just sitting in the corridor of your flat. I wanted soo badly to give them your house keys...... But didn't as I knew you wouldn't like it.
They love you truly with all their hearts Maria, don't let your insecurities make you blind to the love that is in front of you.
Just let go and accept what is in given to you.
It's better to experience and fall rather than regret on not taking that chance... ".
By the time she finished I was crying and she was holding me... It was such a new experience for me.... Cause I had never had the love or care of a mother.
It clogged up me throat with my overflowing emotions.
Hugging her tightly I whispered " yes mom".
When she pulled away from me and looked at me,.... is when I realised what I had said and I was going to say something when she kissed my forehead and whispered.... " I love you, my daughter. Always "
And that started both of our waterworks.

Wiping our tears and laughing at each other, my mom said "now call them"
Nodding I picked my phone and saw mom leaving giving me a last wink.
Laughing I called Jace and waited for him to pick up.
"Hey angel, what happened? Are you OK?... Do you?....."
Chuckling at his worry I interrupted him and said
"Jace!. Nothing is wrong..... Can I not call my boyfriends without there being something wrong?"
"Boyfriends? " he asked dumbly
"Yes.... Boyfriends... If that is OK with y'all....... " I sassed.
"YES!!!!! JAKE! SHE ACCEPTED!!..." He screamed probably through the other phone that he had.
"Maria, what's Jace screaming about????... " Jake asked breathlessly probably because if his running from his office to Jace's,
"I want y'all to be my boyfriends........ If that's OK ??. " I said
"Baby that's great!!... Thank you. Does that mean that you will come as our date for the party?. "
"Yes Jake... I will come as your date for the party." I replied....
Smiling fully for the first time in a long while.