Page 39 of Every Rose

“Are you eating properly?” Since eating properly to his mother meant meals at regular times with many courses, taken in the company of big groups of people, she’d stage a Greek intervention if he knew how many meals he grabbed on the fly. Sometimes he couldn’t remember if he’d eaten sushi, a burger or nothing at all when he finished his shift. He pretty much based meals on whether he was hungry or not.

He sidestepped the question by saying, “I’m healthy.”

His mother was not fooled. She made a snorting sound. “You should get married. A wife and a family would make you slow down. And you’d eat.”

“I’m not even the oldest,” he complained, not that her telling him to get married was a surprise. In fact, she was right on schedule. Her questions had a rhythm as predictable as the tide.Is everything all right? Are you eating? Why aren’t you married?He smiled, hearing Greek music playing in the background, as well as the TV where his dad had one of his favorite cop shows turned up full blast. “I love you, Ma.”

“I love you too, Mattius. So, you’re homesick. I’m not surprised, living out there with all the rain.”

“Do I have to be homesick to call my favorite girl in all the world?”

She laughed, “And I shouldn’t be your favorite girl in the world. I can’t give myself grandchildren!”

Not even going there. “I do like someone,” he admitted.

“It’s about time!” Then she raised her voice and yelled to his dad, “Patros, Mattius has a girlfriend.”

“No. Ma. I don’t have a girlfriend. I like her. I didn’t say she likes me.”

“What’s wrong with her? Is she blind?”

“He’s dating a blind girl?” he heard his dad yell, closer now so he’d obviously come into the kitchen where his mom was. “That explains it.”

He heard the thud andoofas his mom smacked his dad. He felt as though he were sitting there with them in that kitchen. He should take a trip back there when he next got some vacation. They were crazy, loud, interfering and he loved them like crazy. “She’s not blind, she’s busy, I guess.”

“Is she interested in you?” his mom wanted to know.

“Yes, I think so. But she’s another doctor. And she never goes out with doctors.”

“That’s funny, because neither do you.”

“So, what do I do? Drop it because we both have crazy schedules?”

“Is she young enough to give me grandchildren?”

He winced. It had been such a bad idea to call his mom. “She’s young enough, but my guess is probably not. I don’t think she wants kids.”

She sighed. Muttered in Greek. “Good thing I had five kids. One of you better give me grandbabies.”

“Is that all you can think about?”

“No. I can think about lots of things at once. I can think about grandbabies and I can think that all I want is for you to be happy. Will she make you happy?”

“I haven’t even had a date with her yet. Not dinner, or a movie. I don’t even know why I’m talking about this.”

“Why don’t you ask her out? Ask her to dinner? Too bad your brother Alexei only has trucks. But there must be one decent restaurant in Portland. Ask your brother, he’ll know.”

Since a good restaurant could only be a Greek one, he didn’t argue that Portland had great restaurants. He promised to ask his brother for a recommendation. He also chose not to mention that Alexei had met Rose. He preferred not to think of his mother and brother discussing his problematic love life behind his back.

“We’re going to be at the same wedding this weekend.”

“Good. That’s good. Will she bring a date?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think she’s seeing anyone.”

“Then that’s your chance. Weddings always make a woman feel romantic.” Then she turned on the mom voice. “When was the last time you had your hair cut?” She didn’t even wait for him to answer. “You get your hair cut. Get a barber to give you a proper shave so you don’t get all swarthy and Greek by noon.”

“Swarthy and Greek? Women love that.”

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