Page 87 of Fierce-Ivan

“And you needed to talk?” she asked.

This was her baby that everyone said was so close to her. It told her that her son was losing his heart to his girlfriend and she couldn’t be happier.

“Maybe.” She listened while he told her about what happened with Karen’s finger last week and the week that followed and ended with how dinner went last night. “I feel like Aunt Jolene with my meddling. I should have minded my own business.”

She started to laugh. “Don’t feel bad. It sounds like it all ended well.”

“I hope so. We’ll see how next week goes. I understand she’s protective of her mother.”

“Are you concerned that she might not come back? That she will want to stay close to her mother?”

“No,” he said. “I might have thought Karen wanted it in the beginning, but I started to realize it was more that Kendra was used to it. Or having to do it for years. It was just the two of them. Kendra has told me before her mother has pushed her to have a life and move on.”

“That’s good,” she said. “Do you think that is why she’s been single for so long?”

“That’s my guess. I know she’s feeling guilty and I hope it gets better. It’s only been a few months so I shouldn’t be concerned.”

“But you love her and of course you are concerned,” she said.

“Maybe.”

“No maybe about it,” she said. “You called me so that means it’s serious in your eyes.”

He laughed. “You can think what you want. You’re not going to tell Aunt Jolene about this call, are you?”

“I have no intention of telling her,” she said.

“But that doesn’t mean your sister won’t get it out of you in her sneaky way,” he said.

“It’s in the O’Malley genes,” she said. “We can all be sneaky in our own right. Just like you said you were yesterday.”

Her son sighed. “True. Thanks for listening, Mom.”

“Anytime,” she said.

They hung up a few minutes later and Shay was thrilled to know something her sister didn’t and she wasn’t sharing!

27

Learning Experience

Kendra always wanted to know what it felt like to have a big holiday and she was getting that wish.

Somewhat.

Most holidays were just her and her mother. At least for the past several years.

She was going to ask Ivan to come to Easter dinner, but Shay Andrews called her at work and asked if she’d come with her mother to their house for an Easter brunch. They didn’t normally have a big dinner since they all went to Jolene’s later on to visit.

There was no way she could say no and knew her mother would love it too.

More so because it would prove to her mother that she was trying with Ivan.

That some of the guilt was gone for not being there when her mother got hurt. She started to realize she’d overreacted big time, but she couldn’t help it.

And Ivan had been great too.

He hadn’t pushed or made her feel bad. Not after their dinner at her mother’s where she felt like a fool and hated having it thrown in her face she was just like her mother.