Page 44 of Rocking Player
Michael and Jeremy stopped. Sarah helped Tom put the food on plates and Michael rushed over and kissed my forehead. “Where were you?”
“My sister called from London.”
“How is she?”
“It’s late in London, but she’s good.”
Michael walked us over and his mother must have given him a look as he said, “Georgie has five sisters, Mom.”
I took a seat next to her and poured the wine for us as Michael passed his father a beer. Jeremy took a water on his own and we all sat as Sarah said, “That’s great. I always wanted a daughter. It must have been great growing up with all those people around you.”
“My parents pretty much adopted all our cousins at some point in their lives, so our house was always full.”
“A house full of love. That sounds lovely.”
Tom led us in a short prayer. It was good to have sisters and male cousins with cars when my mom wasn’t available to help me. Michael had his parents still, so he’d not quite understand.
As we finished, we started eating, though I'd just cut my meat as I said, “When my parents died, I became the makeshift mom of the group as I’m the oldest woman. Everyone in the family usually calls me. Plus, with raising Jeremy, I always had to make good decisions that help everyone lead their best life.”
I took a bite and the steak was perfect.
No restaurant quite got the mix of fire and meat right, but Tom had a gift. I gave a thumbs-up. Sarah asked me, “What about you? What is it you want now that you have Michael?”
I finished my bite and it took a minute. I then raised my eyebrow and asked, “What do I want?”
Sarah held her napkin in her hand and had her elbows on the table as she smiled at me and said, “Yes, sweetie. You have the ability to do anything in the world you desire.”
At least we weren’t prim and proper like the private schools had taught me. I glanced at my plate and said, “I just want my son to have the best opportunities he can have.”
Tom then said, “Jeremy was telling us he plays little league.”
Pushing Jeremy if he didn’t want it would just make us all miserable. “The pressure of being Michael Irons' son, now that it’s known, has to be hard to live up to.”
Tom shrugged and said, “Not impossible if that’s what he wants.”
“True,” Michael said but then patted my knee. “That’s Jeremy’s choice.”
Agreement was good. This was easier than deciding where we lived for a decade.
Sarah ensured we all had napkins and then settled. “Other than marrying my son, tell us more about yourself. What did you major in college, dear?”
I finished my next bite and remembered carefree college. Time had flown and the memories were almost like another life. “I was finance major, though I never used it much.”
Tom asked, “Why not?”
Right. For the second time in days, I’d actually answer with the truth. I normally avoided it, but the last thing I needed were Michael’s parents to think I needed Michael’s money, and that I was some gold-digger. I folded my hands. “I was working but then my parents died, and I had an inheritance and a newborn.”
His mother sipped her wine then said, “Giving up everything for a baby and not having help must have been hard.”
My mom’s death replayed in my mind. I had had such a round belly and waddled around making all the decisions about her burial, and every minute of the way on my feet I'd wished things had been different.
“I gave birth alone. It was hard. I wanted my mom with me, but she couldn’t be there.”
“Well you have us now,” Sarah said.
My shoulders relaxed. Michael gave me a smile and said, “And Mom, Georgie was a financial analyst. I’m hoping she can help me manage my portfolio.”
“That would be nice.” My lips curled at the idea other people might carry some of the load.
