Page 50 of Half Baked

Now, after my mother’s performance, there was a strong likelihood she’d never kiss me again.

I returned to the table, snatched the bill off the counter, and paid it at the bar. My mother was still in her seat when I went back to grab my coat.

“We’re leaving.”

She looked up at me with wide eyes. “I thought we could get a drink and discuss dinner.”

Gritting my teeth, I said, “I think this is a discussion better suited for somewhere private.”

She heaved out a breath. “Noah, if you’d just—”

“I’ll be waiting in the car.” I couldn’t stand there one more moment and pretend, so I spun around and headed out the door.

The engine was running when my mother came out and climbed into her seat. I waited until she shut the door before I started in on her.

“What the hell wasthat?” I was so furious I had to spit the words out through my teeth. I pulled out of the parking space and turned onto the street.

“I was asking questions,” she said primly. “I’m sorry if you disapproved.”

“That wasn’t asking questions. That was anattack.” I was furious with my mother, but even more so at myself. I’d assured Maddie that my mother would love her, and she’d treated her like shit. I should have gotten her out of there as soon as my mother started in.

“She’s a nice girl, Noah, but she’s not right for you,” my mother insisted. “After everything you’ve been through, you deserve better.”

“Bull-fucking-shit,” I spat, my anger rising. “You arenotthe judge of who is or isn’t good enough for me. And even if you were, you’d have to be blind not to see how special Maddie is.”

“She has so muchbaggage, Noah.”

“And I don’t?”

“That’s different.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Are you kidding me right now?” I turned a corner and continued driving. “Maddie’s like a ray of sunshine cutting through the fog I’ve been shrouded in. Her belief in me is more than I’ve ever felt from—”

“Don’t you dare say I never believed in you!” she shouted.

“I was going to saymy father.”

That shut her up.

I took a deep breath and held it to try to settle down, then lowered my voice. Shouting wasn’t going to get her to listen to me. “I like her, Mom. A lot. If anything, I’m not good enough forher.”

“That’s nonsense,” she snorted.

“Just admit that you don’t like her because you think I won’t come back to Memphis if I’m seeing Maddie.”

“Youwon’tcome back! I saw the way you were looking at her, Noah. You never once looked at Monica like that. And from what I can tell,” she continued, “that woman is good and stuck here until her aunt dies, as morbid as that is. What happens when you have babies? When will I ever see them?”

“Babies?” I choked out. “I’ve already told you I don’t want kids.” I wasn’t about to tell her that Maddie had me reconsidering that decision. Right now, I didn’t feel she deserved to know.

“A woman like Maddie is going to want babies,” my mother said. “She has maternal instinct written all over her.” She paused. “Have you told her you claim you don’t want children?”

“She knows,” I said, a tightness building in my chest.

“And she’s okay with that?” she asked in disbelief.

“We’re still discussing it.”

“Then you’re wasting her time,” my mother declared, pity heavy in her tone. “It seems to me she’s been through enough without you misleading her.”

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