Page 34 of Fated Secret Baby

“Well, it’s about time you invited me over. I thought you were never going to apologize,” my mom says as she breezes in. She takes off her shoes, and I see the moment she notices Calista. She freezes, staring at Calista like a cat.

“Sit down, Mom,” I say softly. “Calista and I would like to talk.”

Robotically, my mom comes to sit on the couch.

I sit next to Calista and take her hand. “Calista and I are fated mates,” I say. She can sense it, but I want to tell her, just to be clear.

My mom’s eyes widen. “No, you’re not.”

“Mom. You can tell.”

“I…” She frowns, then focuses. Her eyes pop open, and she looks between the two of us. “How?”

“I think the words you’re looking for are ‘congratulations, I’m so happy for you,’” I hiss sharply.

She sucks in a breath. “No. I will not say that.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s going to steal you from me!”

My mother’s shriek is shrill, and it makes my skin itch.

But Calista floods our bond with calming energy. It’s all I need.

“Mom,” I say with all the kindness I can muster. “Do you think that I can’t love you and Calista?”

She splutters. “Well. You made it clear the other day that you were choosing me or her! And you chose her!”

“No, Stop twisting my words.” I shake my head. “I said that if you didn’t stop meddling in my personal life, I would need to keep you away from it.”

“You would abandon me! For her!”

“No. I love you. I will always love you. But you do not get to interfere in my personal life. Calista is my fated mate,” I say slowly. “She is the greatest gift that I have ever had. She’s going to be part of my life forever. And I want you to be part of it, too.”

My mother blinks.

“I love you, Mom,” I tell her. “I want you to be a part of my life… of our life.” I look at Calista, and then back to my mom.

She looks at the two of us. “She hates me,” she says, pointing at Calista.

Calista shakes her head. “Esther, I do not hate you.”

“Then why do you want him all to yourself? You’re going to make him move back to Florida with you.”

“What?” Calista asks. “I have never once asked your son to move to Florida, and that is not our plan. That has never been our plan. I love your son. He’s my whole world. Don’t we have that in common?”

I look over at Calista. She winks at me. “He’s a wonderful man, and a credit to you for raising him. I love him, and I want you to be part of our life.”

“No, you don’t,” my mom sniffs. But I can tell that some of the steam is leaving her argument.

“Yes, we do,” I insist. “I don’t want you to interfere in my personal life. But I do want you to be part of it. I love you, Mom, and loving Calista doesn’t make me love you less.”

She sniffs again and looks between the two of us. The silence feels heavy, and I shift, a little uncomfortable. Finally, my mom speaks. “Fated mates?”

“Yes. You can sense it, can’t you?”

She nods. “I can. I just never thought it was a real thing.”

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