Page 5 of Nothing Even Matters
What Do U Want Me 2 Do?
“It’s a madhouse out there,” Nicola D’Amato-Rodriguez met her middle son at the famed Rainbow Room restaurant. She knew people were doing last minute Christmas shopping but she didn’t realize how ridiculous the traffic was. What was normally a 15-minute drive turned into a 30-minute excursion.
She was especially irritated because she always met Eli for lunch during the weekday; a tradition started between the two of them once she created Madre’s. Nicola scaled back her duties to focus more on her nonprofit,Donne Forti, which stood for “strong women.”
It was geared towards poor and lower-income women to attain business skills and interview preparation for the real world. Women also learned how to do taxes, manage money, and create a realistic budget with goals.
After throwing a holiday party for her girls, Nicola rushed over to have her weekly lunch with Eli. She was going to see him in a few days but it was nice to have a private moment alone with him. Between the reality show cameras, magazine covers, and numerous high-profile events, it was rare they were alone anymore.
“My favorite girl!” Eli got up and kissed his mother on both cheeks. He held out her chair and waited for her to sit before he rejoined. “I was starting to get worried.”
“I was starting to get pissed off,” Nicola shook her head and opened the menu, “I’m just glad we’re here. Did you order already?”
“Just wine and appetizers.” Eli perused the menu. “They should be out soon.”
“Good, good.” She nodded. “So what’s new with you, Eli? I see you all the time at the shop but I don’t ever talk to you anymore. You know you can come over and celebrate Christmas Eve with us. Art’s grandchildren are coming over. We’re going to have a big feast with plenty of food.” Nicola batted her eyelashes. “I’m making my famous cheesecake you like.”
“Sounds tempting. Save me a slice, will you? I have plans already.”
“Plans?” Nicola was astounded to hear the new development. “What plans? What’s her name?”
“It’s nobody. I’m going to cook some food and spend Christmas Eve watching nothing but football and maybe some basketball if I’m interested. Just me, my pajamas, and my 72-inch flat-screen.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“Sounds heavenly.” Eli countered. “And then I’ll pick up the kids the next morning from their mother.”
Nicola grimaced hearing her former daughter-in-law. Eli hated her so much, he wouldn’t even refer to her by her given name.
“How is Faye?” She finally asked.
“Faith is fine,” Eli silently corrected his mother, “she’s doing her thing and leaving me alone.”
“I don’t like this relationship between you two,” Nicola shook her head. She was used to calling her Faye, an endearing nickname Eli gave her during their high school dating years, it felt weird to hear Eli refer to her full name as if there was never any love between them at all. “You two act like you hate each other.”
“I don’t hate her. Hating her means I would have to care.”
“Eliodoro, you stop that right now.” Nicola’s voice grew stern and angry, “now I don’t know what’s going on between you two but you will not pretend you have no care in the world for the woman who birthed your babies. She is raising them and doing a damn good job at it while maintaining the shop.”
“I wish you understood when I say I don’t care, I truly mean that.” Eli doubled-down. “She can do whatever she wants as long as I see my babies. Speaking of which, I did receive an interesting visit the other night.”
“Oh?” Nicola looked up. “Who?”
“Amy Sheppard,” Eli met his mother’s gaze before he went back to the menu.
The name caused Nicola to close her menu and set it down in front of her. While Nicola and Amy had never been good friends, the two shared a mutual respect for each other. Nicola knew for Amy to make an appearance, something was quite serious. “Really?”
“She told me Faith was planning to see me personally so I can sign off her moving to L.A. to be with the basketballer.” Eli shrugged.
It was a bold move. While Eli kept uncharacteristically mum about all things Faith, he made it very clear he wanted nothing to do with her for as long as he lived. “And your response was?”
“Hell, no.” Eli stated matter-of-factly.
“I figured as much but that wasn’t what I was referring to.” Nicola mentioned. “She knows she has to go through the attorney.”
“He’s on vacation until the New Year. I consulted with Sebastian and he told me he’s already reviewed the paperwork.” Eli greeted the server who brought the appetizers and poured two glasses of wine. After they gave their orders, Eli waited for the server to be out of earshot. “I have two choices – I can let her go and take the kids or I can fight her.”
“And you’re choosing…?”
