Page 81 of The Honeymoon Affair

‘I don’t need to. You should have confidence in me to know my own mind, Mum.’

‘I do have confidence in you. Honestly I do. But you’re in a vulnerable state. Steve treated you terribly. That’d leave any girl a bit shaken.’

‘I admit I was very shaken, as you put it, over Steve. But that doesn’t mean I can’t fall in love with someone else.’

‘You deserve someone to love you the way you should be loved,’ says Mum. ‘And I truly want to believe that Charles Miller is that man.’

‘He is. I promise you.’

‘Darling, if you’re happy, I’m happy. I don’t want you to think otherwise.’

‘You do, though.’

‘I’m concerned for you, that’s all. You’re my only daughter.’

‘Your engaged and very happy only daughter,’ I assure her. ‘Trust me, Mum, Charles is a wonderful man. Please don’t worry.’

‘Mothers always worry about their children.’

‘Did you worry when I got engaged to Steve?’

She’s silent.

‘Did you?’ I repeat.

‘I liked Steve,’ she says slowly. ‘He was a very attractive man. All the same, a little bit of me thought that perhaps you could’ve done better.’

‘Mum!’

‘I know, I know.’ She sounds harassed. ‘I mean . . .’

‘It doesn’t matter.’ I put her out of her misery. ‘After all, we split up. And I’ve done much better now, haven’t I? I promise I’m not on the rebound. Please don’t worry about me.’

‘If you’re happy, I’m happy,’ she repeats, this time with more conviction.

‘I’m very, very happy,’ I tell her.

‘Well then, lots and lots of love and congratulations.’

‘Will you tell Dad or will I?’

‘I will. It’d take a while to get him from the barn.’

‘That’s fine.’ I glance at my Gucci watch. ‘I have to be at work in a few hours from now. I’d better get some sleep.’

‘OK.’

‘I’ll talk to you again soon. Give Dad a hug from me. And a big kiss to the boys and Azaria.’

‘Take care,’ she says. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

I do love my mum. She’s always looked out for me, even if sometimes we see things differently.

But now I’m looking out for myself.

#Engaged #Again

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