''Come in and don't make me more angry," May snapped for a greeting, opening the door and letting Coulson inside.
He sat on her bed and watched for a moment as she was bustling around the small room, pulling the tights on her legs in the meanwhile, paying almost no attention to him.
''Will you be comfortable in this dress on our workout session?" he asked, scratching his head. She sighed, standing by the mirror to fix her hairstyle.
''I'm sorry, but we'll have to postpone it. I've got an urgent situation."
''How urgent?"
''Very. My mother is in town. And she wants to see me."
Phil remembered Melinda telling him that her mother was angry with her for choosing S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of the CIA and how their relationship has gotten worse since then, although it have never really been good. Both had strong characters, which often led to serious fights between them.
''Where are you suppoused to meet her?"
''Some Italian restaurant on the outskirts of the city, near the hotel she's staying in. I don't even know where it is."
''But I think I do. I can go with you, if you want," he proposed.
May snorted. ''You don't know what my mother is and, believe me, you don't want to know."
''If she's anything like you, I can bet she's a cutie," he grinned and got hit in the face by a pillow. ''I'm being serious, though. I'll go with you. Gonna meet her someday anyway."
For a moment she was looking at him as if he had lost his mind.
An hour later, however, Phil was sitting at a table with Melinda and her mother, and the uncomfortable silence was broken only by the quiet music from the speakers behind the bar and the sound of forks and knives hitting porcelain.
Phil was watching the older woman discreetly, chewing on his spaghetti. Lian May, a former CIA agent, was sitting straight with pride and grace, almost equaling to the queen. Confidence was flashing from her eyes. She looked very much like her daughter, although she was a few centimeters taller than her.
''So, Phil," said the woman, putting away her cutlery after the meal. She wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin, then set it aside and reached for a glass of water. "Like my daughter, you're also in the first year of the academy, am I right? Tell me, why S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
''Well, to be honest, I got here thanks to Nick Fury. He was the one to recruit me," he answered.
Melinda was sitting on the edge of her seat, watching the events in silence. Lian nodded approvingly.
''So, you know Nick Fury? What an honor. It's probably going to bring you many benefits in the future. Speaking of which, what do you intend to do after graduating from the academy?"
''Māmā," Melinda said, and it crossed Phil's mind that her cheeks were a little red. ''I asked you not to ask Phil about everything."
''Oh, stop it," Lian waved her hand, glancing briefly at her. ''I just wanted to know what plans this handsome young man has for my daughter. Because he has to have some, since you brought him here with you."
Melinda covered her face with her hands and shook her head.
Coulson smiled politely and calmly answered her mother's question. This one, and each following, too.
''She doesn't like me," he said some time later when they were returning to the academy. It was already dark and only streetlights were litting up their path.
''Don't take it personally, she doesn't like anyone. Sometimes I feel that she doesn't even like me."
''She's not that bad."
''I don't think you believe what you say yourself," she said. She poked his shoulder. ''You've met my mother. When am I going to meet yours?" she asked, unconsciously touching a raw nerve.
His eyes suddenly became sad. ''Propably never, because my mom's dead," he answered quietly, avoiding her gaze. ''She died when I was ten."
May suddenly grabbed his arm and forced him to stop. Her usual cheerfulness and mischief disappeared from her face, giving way to seriousness. She looked at him with concern. ''I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
''It's okay, you couldn't know." She reached for his hand and folded their fingers together. She smiled gently.
''I'm always here for you," she said. ''You know that, right?"
He raised her hand and placed a kiss on top of it.
''I know. Thank you, Melinda."