Worth Gold

26 | Seeking Silence

Danielle stayed under the table, swiping the corners of her lips with her thumb and forefinger after quietly helping Antonio cover up his lower half while his upper half remained calm. This was the cost of spontaneity: embarrassment. She was in panic mode but let's not say she'd learned her lesson.

"M-Mother," Antonio ran his fingers through his hair in attempt to neaten it out. "I wasn't expecting you."

"You never expect me," Suzanne got comfortable in the chair across from Antonio. She looked over to the big screen in his office and smiled tightly. "Your receptionist told me you're in a meeting. Is it over already?"

This was Danielle's cue. She took her earring off and pulled the classic, "Found it!" trick that was never ever convincing.

Suzanne's lips forced into a fake smile as she looked Danielle up and down. Shorts with a suit, no shirt under the blazer and... what was she doing under her son's desk?

"You must be Danielle?" Suzanne would've extended her hand but she knew better than to touch a hand that had been doing Lord knows what to her son under there.

"Ye- Yes, ma'am," Danielle glanced at a flustered Antonio as she chewed on her lip.

Suzanne wasn't impressed. Quite frankly, this wasn't who she'd thought she was. Yes, pictures could be deceiving but the latest articles that had come out about Danielle proved exactly what Suzanne had seen in person. She'd come to talk to Antonio about her new findings but that would have to wait.

Danielle didn't appreciate this woman's scrutiny. Suzanne had this disgusted look on her face which she hardly managed to mask with that fake smile, and, even though she was seated and Danielle was standing, Suzanne managed to look at Danielle from the tip of her nose.

"Mother, Danielle and I were in the middle of a meeting," Antonio spoke.

"Clearly," Suzanne's tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Danielle adjusted her blazer out of embarrassment. How could she have even thought this was a good enough outfit?

"Darling, this is my mother, Suzanne," Antonio said.

"That's Mrs Gold," Suzanne's fake smile broadened, mocking Danielle.

"What brings you here, mother?" Antonio cleared his throat.

"You still haven't come over to see your father and I wanted to talk to you about... information that literally landed in my lap this morning. From your sister, of course," Suzanne glanced at Danielle.

"I'll head off then," Danielle took it as her cue to leave. "It was nice meeting you, Mrs Gold."

"No, no," Antonio took her hand in time. "Stay. Our meeting isn't over."

"Your mom wants to talk to you, Toni," Danielle freed her hand. "I'll wait for you at the house."

"Don't leave on my account, darling," Suzanne got comfortable in her seat. "I'll leave you two to... carry on in a bit. I'm actually glad I came. Heaven knows when I would've gotten to meet the woman who literally has my son bursting at the seams."

"Mother," Antonio scolded lightly.

"No, really. I find it very amusing," Suzanne turned to Danielle. "What was your meeting about, may I ask? Biology or..." she waved at the screen on the other side of the room. "Fluff?"

"Danielle was telling me about her aspirations," Antonio answered on her behalf.

"Aspirations," Suzanne's face lit up with fake excitement. "Ah, to be young. I remember when I had dreams..." she looked at Danielle. "If I was on my knees for those dreams, it was to talk to the Lord."