It was turning out to be one weird week. First that dramatic and exaggerated end to their months-long mission, and now Kyle's mom wanted to talk to him. Alone. At her office.
Kyle had only gone through this twice before. The summons was serious business. First they'd talked about Kyle moving out of the house. It had been a discussion filled with pertinent arguments why he should stay home. It hadn't worked. One week later, he was out.
The second time, it was about convincing Sam and Jerry not to move out, too. Maxi had barked at the worst tree possible. He couldn't wait for all his brothers to get out of that house.
But now that they were all out and minding their own business, what could she want? It was September so too soon to try to convince him to come home for Christmas. Not knowing was very troubling.
Possibilities swam around his head as he took the elevator to the thirtieth floor of the office building where Maxi spent most of her days. With all her kids out of the house and her husband running amok after someone very capable of killing him, she'd understandably buried herself in work.
Maybe she just wanted to catch up. But then they'd go out to lunch or something or speak on the phone. Maybe she wanted to lecture him about how often they talked because he tried cutting it down to as rarely as possible. Maxi had initially called every day, even more than once per day, but he'd made it clear he wasn't about to change his calling habits just because he was out of the house.
After what happened in France three years ago, things had changed.
What he'd first taken lightly, namely Maxi's assault on him for failing to save Sam, started to sting after a while. And he realized he hadn't forgiven his mother for it. Because Jimmy was right and she had to accept that her actions had consequences. She couldn't just abandon him, be an okay mother for two years, do that, and then expect them to be great.
He still loved her, she was his mother after all, but the desire to keep her safe was gone. Parents were supposed to sacrifice themselves for their children, not the other way around. And he was so done with sacrificing.
The elevator dinged and pulled him out of his brooding thoughts. With a sigh, he stepped off and headed down the corridor that led to his mother and what was most likely an awkward conversation.
"Kyle!" Mrs. Schmidt, Maxi's secretary, joined her hands in joy.
"Hi, Mrs. Schmidt," he answered, focusing on the woman next to her. He'd never seen her before.
With a thick braid of reddish hair, freckles and glasses, she glanced at him as if he were just another guy on the street. Thank God.
"Have you met my daughter, Sarah?" Mrs. Schmidt stood from her seat and bounced around her desk to clasp her chubby hands on her daughter's shoulders.
"Mom," Sarah hissed, her pale blue eyes still on Kyle, this time with a look of embarrassment in them.
"No, not really." Which Mrs. Schmidt of course knew since there was no one else but her who could've introduced them. "Hi."
"Hey," she mumbled, breaking out of her mother's clutches.
"Maxi and I had a running joke when you were younger," Mrs. Schmidt continued as if she totally couldn't tell she was embarrassing her daughter. "That we should fix you and my Sarah up and get you both out of the house more."
"Mom!" Sarah said, her fists clenching.
Kyle smirked because the scene was too funny and it reminded him of a time when things were a lot less complicated.
"But that was of course before any of us knew about Kay," Mrs. Schmidt droned on. "Now what can I say? I guess Sarah missed this train."
Even if he didn't know Sarah at all, the look on her face had Kyle laughing because he felt she wouldn't get offended. And indeed, she rubbed the back of her head and gave him a sheepish smile.
"Don't get it wrong," she said. "They were trying to fix us up. I never wanted to go out with you. I had enough of brooding bad boys in high school."
"Brooding bad boys?" he asked, not sure if she'd just offended him.
"Long story. Not interesting. Not to be told to an absolute stranger."
What a breath of fresh air from the whole I've read so much about you, I feel like I know you approach most people took nowadays.
"Good point," he admitted.
"Sarah, you mustn't be rude," Mrs. Schmidt piped in. "It's not every day you get to meet a..."
Don't say it.
"...celebrity."
Kyle cringed. Sarah cringed. Everyone with some sense for the ridiculous on a two-mile radius cringed. Add this to the ever growing pile of reasons why he avoided his mom's work. He didn't even see the point in having an argument regarding his supposed celebrity status anymore.
So he just shrugged, said, "Nice to meet you, Sarah," and entered Maxi's office unannounced.
The room was huge and mostly empty, all furniture taking up the walls. Only Maxi's massive desk beneath the window and two chairs took up the center of the room. The cabinets and library cases filled with knickknacks and family photos flanked the walls and Kyle, as always, felt like he'd returned ten years in time. There weren't ever new photos of them for some reason.
Maxi raised her eyes in surprise, but then her annoyance turned into a smile. "Hi, sweetheart."
"Hey, Mom." Even if he didn't want to make this longer than it had to be, he sat in one of the chairs.
"Give me a sec," Maxi mumbled, writing something down on the sheet in front of her.
She raised her eyes from her work and pushed it away. Kyle was grateful because he wasn't a fan of awkward silence and his time was limited anyway. As if guessing his thoughts, Maxi nodded towards him.
"How much time do you have today?"
"You know I can never predict that," he answer with a shrug. His watch told the time in more ways than one. And since not even his work schedule was set in stone, his life lately resembled a whirlwind of danger he was strangely okay with.
"Then I'd better get right to the point." Maxi joined her hands over her desk and surveyed him with her light blue eyes. "How long have you and Kay been living together?"
"Um what?" He sure hoped he wasn't in for a lecture about how improper that was because his mother was three years too late for that. "About two and a half years, I think."
"And?"
"And what?"
Maxi let out a sigh. "And where is it going?"
He was either very slow or she was being way too cryptic. "Where is what going?"
"The two of you. What are your intentions regarding her?"
To get home to her and do some very improper things if she really had to know, but he had a feeling that was not where Maxi was going with this. His shield of denial cracked and he finally had to admit he knew too well what she meant. Still, he entertained giving her the honest, immediate answer just to mortify her and end this conversation.
"Why are we having this conversation?" he asked instead.
"Because I don't really see what you're waiting for."
"Mom, we just finished college and started our jobs. We're still getting on our feet."
Maxi scoffed. "This generation and that excuse. You'd better listen to me. You're never going to be ready for anything, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. When I was your age, I had all three of you and had started college as well."
Kyle gritted his teeth, fighting not to point out that she wasn't exactly the best example. Sure, she was okay now, career wise, but she'd made so many stupid mistakes as a teenage mother, she should get off her freaking high horse. Unfit to raise her first child, she abandoned him with her mother and brother. Then she lost two more kids to being plain stupid and paranoid. Nope, not a shining example of motherhood or anything else.
"Yes, and we've finished college."
"Exactly," she pressed on. "And you both have good jobs and a place to stay. You've been living together for over two years and you still don't want to kill each other. So why linger? What's stopping you?"
"Mom, I'm twenty-four."
"And I had been married for five years at your age."
He cringed at the word married. And not because he had anything against commitment, but because he hated having it pushed down his throat by someone who didn't do the word justice.
"Times change, Mom," he finally said. "Kay and I aren't ready to get married."
"But you admit it's heading that way," she said.
He guessed he could be reasonable about that one. "Yes, it will eventually. But it doesn't mean we have to do it now."
"I understand." She nodded sagely and it reminded Kyle so much of Freider, he had to mentally shake himself not to growl at her or something. "But are you sure she feels the same?"
The questions slapped some sense into him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean women after a certain point in their lives have some expectations," Maxi said, leaning back in her chair. "As you've said, you've finished college, both of you have jobs, you live together, so Kay might be expecting you to go to the next level."
"She never even joked about it."
"She wouldn't. It's not something she'd outright say to avoid sounding desperate. But it doesn't mean she's not longing for a ring around her finger."
Kyle blinked, trying to wrap his mind around this. He was so sure he was reading Kay right, but could his mother have a point? Was she secretly expecting a proposal he wasn't even considering?
Apparently satisfied with the effects of her words, Maxi opened a drawer and pulled a small box out of it. "When you do feel ready, or if you change your mind, I want you to have this." She pushed the box across the desk to him.
He took it, though his mind was still spinning, and opened it. Why he was surprised to find a ring in it, he wasn't sure, because it was very obvious.
"This was your grandma Grace's engagement ring," Maxi said. "She gave it to Freider who gave it to me when we got engaged. Now I want you to have it and give it to Kay."
Kyle just stared at it like a moron. It was a delicate white-gold band with tiny gems encrusted on the top half of its surface. He'd never seen his mother wearing that ring. Well, not that he'd paid close attention or anything. It was pretty, but not something he'd have picked out himself to give to Kay.
"Why are you giving me this?"
"I just thought it was fitting for you to have it."
He didn't. "As far as I know, grandpa died before you got married." When Maxi nodded, he continued, "So it made sense for grandma to give it to you. You and Dad are still married. Why are you giving me this?"
Maxi faltered, and at that moment, he realized she knew exactly what she was doing.
"Something you want to tell me?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Maxi swallowed heavily, but shook her head. "That is not something I want to discuss yet."
"Are you and Dad getting divorced?"
For some reason, the thought hurt. Even if he didn't like Freider, even if he could tell from a mile away that his parents were no longer happy together, if they ever were, it was still his family falling apart even more. It was still painful.
"No, of course not," she said too quickly.
"But you're thinking about it."
She sighed and stood. "Just think about what I said."
Yeah, right, like he'd pass on the ring of unhappiness to Kay. His mother was delusional and Kay didn't secretly wish he'd propose. Maxi didn't know her better than he did. Maxi couldn't apparently figure herself out.
"Okay, Mom, I will," he said instead, more than eager to end the conversation and get out of there.
"Thank you. And please don't bring up the whole divorce thing in front of your brothers. It's not going to happen."
By the tired tone of her voice, Kyle was sure it would, and soon. And even if he couldn't blame her, he resented her for it at the same time. For being weak, for letting Freider have his way, for letting her family crumble. Oh, well, it wasn't his problem. And because of her, it had never been. So he just nodded, said goodbye and walked out the door.
He was done with awkwardness for the next few months.
As he walked out of her office and said goodbye to Mrs. Schmidt, he was half-tempted to throw the little box in the nearest trashcan. But whether he intended to use it or not, it was still a family heirloom and someone else might want it. Jerry for example. So he stuffed it into his back pocket and headed for the elevator.
Sarah was already inside and held the door for him.
"Thanks," he said.
"Wasn't sure if I should wait for you," she replied. "You probably want some alone time."
"Not like I ever get what I want," he mumbled.
"Your mother upset you," she said, ever the keen observer.
He just waved her away, because he really wasn't going to mention the word marriage to anyone. If the tabloids got wind of it, he'd be hounded forever and then maybe Kay would really start considering the idea just out of peer pressure.
"It's cool if you don't want to talk about it."
"I'm glad you feel that way because I really don't."
Sarah just nodded and watched the numbers of the floors changing. "I don't mean to butt in. Just want you to know that I'm here in case you want someone to talk to."
He turned to her. "And what makes you think I'd talk to you out of all people?"
"See?" she asked, as if he'd just proven her point. "Rude, brooding, bad boy."
"You've got to be shitting me," he said with a laugh. "You're a stranger. I'm a person who gets stalked for irrelevant information people shouldn't even care about. So excuse me if I don't immediately have a heart to heart with you."
"Sarcasm is just a defence mechanism, you know."
"Not saying it's not."
She was fortunately quiet for another few seconds and they had only ten more floors to go.
"You know, I don't usually talk to strangers," she said, her voice a lot calmer. "But you weren't what I expected."
He turned to look at her. "In what way?"
She just shrugged, running her hands on her plated skirt as if to clean off some invisible lint. "All the photos and news of you are deceiving. And I felt there was a lot more to you than that. It's the only reason I wanted to talk. Because I found you interesting."
"Thanks, but it doesn't warrant a coffee invitation."
Sarah let out a laugh. "I'm sorry, but did you hear me inviting you for coffee?"
"No, I hate coffee anyway, and I was talking about me."
She gawked at him. "You'd invite me for coffee?"
"In an alternate universe where I had more time, maybe. And only because you're a weirdo and I find you interesting, too."
"What about Kay?"
Right. In normal people talk, coffee was a date. He was so used to having female friends, it was easy to forget most people didn't believe in friendship with the opposite sex. Idiots.
"To me coffee is not a date. Dinner is a date. And Kay never had a problem with my friends."
Sarah considered this, her head tilted to the side. She reminded him of Jessie a little, and not because she was a redhead, but because she really seemed to only be interested in talking. Which was a real breath of fresh air.
The elevator lurched.
Kyle propped a hand against the wall and grabbed Sarah's arm with the other right before it lurched again, much harder, then stopped. The light turned off, leaving them in complete darkness.
"Oh, for Pete's sake! Really?" She freed herself from his hold and hit the elevator door.
He looked around, hoping the light would turn back on, but nothing happened. "Hope you didn't have somewhere to be."
"As a matter of fact, I had a job interview."
"Well, shit." He took his phone out and turned on the flashlight. "Here, hold this." He passed it to her and walked to the door.
Without further ado, he snuck his fingers as much as he could between the doors and forced them open. A solid concrete wall was on the other side. A small, reddish light filled the cabin and he let go of the doors.
"Yup, we're stuck between floors." He turned and took his phone back.
Sarah was staring at him, probably trying to compute if what she'd just witnessed was normal or not. He instead turned his attention to the top of the elevator. It was closed up and sealed so getting out through there would mean a lot of propriety damage.
Meanwhile, Sarah pressed the alarm button and waited for someone to pick up. When they finally did, she signaled the problem and got the usual assurance that someone would be right over to fix it.
"Of course you will," she mumbled.
"Do you really need to get out?" he asked.
"No. My interview is in three hours. I ironically wanted some coffee before."
"Then I guess we're stuck here."
♠️♠️♠️
What is this? Me taking advantage of a tiny bit of free time and being trigger happy again.
I'm considering moving this chapter further back into the story, but I think it might be okay here as well. Kyle's voice was a little harder to get into because he's changed so much over the years. Not sure if that was noticeable, but it is to me. Hope I get a better feel for it as the story goes.
Those said, how did you feel about Maxi and their conversation. Can she be right? Is Kyle just oblivious? And what about Sarah? Any predictions regarding her?
I'm just having fun with this for now so more updates may come as I write. I do not have a schedule and I do not promise one.
So surprise updates it is. Please let me know how you feel about the events and the tone of this story. Really important since I'm first drafting it and building on top of these first few chapters.
Hit the star and leave a comment because yay for new book!