Page 32 of Falling for My Ex Next Door

Chapter Ten

Jacob

As soon as morning came, I received a call from my mom. She was quite upset and claimed I had abandoned and forgotten about her.

“That’s not it, Mom, I’ve just been too busy with work lately.” I tried to convince her.

“You should have called to let me know that. You are so far away, yet you do not try to stay in touch with your family.” She wouldn’t buy my excuse.

“I’m sorry-”

“You being sorry alone won’t do. I want you to come home one of these days. We can spend some time with both your father and Daisy.” She cut me off.

“I’ll see whether I can reschedule-”

“It’s not a request, Jacob Bradley. It’s an order.” Her voice was sharp.

Oh boy!

“Yes, Mom. I’ll let you know when I’ll be coming.” I tried to assure her.

“Good.” She said, firmly.

I sighed. Situations like this were inevitable when you had a karate guru as your mother.

“How are you doing, by the way?” I asked.

“I’m alive, that’s what matters.” She answered curtly. It was clear she was still angry with me. My mom could be very sweet, but she wouldn’t pardon you easily if you made her upset.

“I know you are still angry with me, Mom. I’m sorry.”

“You know, sometimes, I think your father made a mistake sending you to that place.” She began. “Now, you’ve drifted further apart from your family and...” She suddenly paused.

“What’s it, Mom?”

“You are still single.”

Voilà!

“You are in your thirties.”

“Early thirties.”

“Makes no difference still. You should be a married man at this age, with two or three children.” She said, arrogantly. “Do you not have any woman you are seeing?” She asked.

“No, Mom.”

“I wonder why,” She said with a childish inclination, still sounding very conventional.

“Really! Mom.”

“I would have arranged a match for you with a woman if only we weren’t in the twenty-first century.” I knew she was being honest.

“Thank goodness, we are not in the Victorian era,” I said, jokingly.

She chuckled.

“But seriously, you must get married soon. Do you know a man’s life expectancy these days?”

---