Her face twists into confusion. “But you are my grandma.”
Primping her already flawless hairdo, my mother says, “Rosa will suffice.”
Now I’m really getting irritated, so I crouch down at Luna’s side and suggest she call her, “Grandma Rosalinda.”
Ha! Suck on that, you hag.It’s a double whammy of things she hates.
In retaliation for that, my mother says, “And you know what you can call your mother dear?”
“Yeah. Mom?”
She laughs out loud. “No, no. I was thinking a more fitting word might be best.” Then, she gasps like she just thought of it. “What about whore? Do you know what that is, sweetie?”
That’s it.
My fists ball up, and I demand for her to leave my house.
“I suppose it’s your house for now, but I wouldn’t get used to that. Ta-ta.”
Ugh!I didn’t realize it was possible to hate that woman more than I already did.
“Mommy?” Luna blinks her green eyes up at me. “What is a whore?”
For the love of God.
Instead of answering, I just try to scurry her along and out the door.
***
I’m still shaking with anger as we approach Hayden’s place, but I pull myself together the best I can and knock on the gargantuan door.
“Hello!” A woman with straight, raven hair answers the door.
“Oh.” She totally takes me off guard. “He—hello.”
“I’m Betsy, Mr. Cohen’s housekeeper.”
“Ah.” That makes sense, as she seems about a decade older than us. But still, she’s gorgeous. “Um, I’m Addie, and this is Luna. We’re here for a pool day.”
She smiles kindly. “I know who you are. Mr. Cohen cannot stop talking about the two of you.”
He can’t?
Before I can think about that too long, she’s inviting us in.
The main entrance, as grandiose as it is, remains empty besides the three of us. That is, until he comes waltzing down the stairs in swim trunks and flip-flops.
Holding his arms out humorously, he asks, “Who’s ready to swim?”
“I am!” Luna bounces up and down.
I’m equally excited as she is, but now about getting into the pool. Instead, I’m preoccupied by his exposed, chiseled abs.
After walking closer to us, he looks me up and down and frowns. “Didn’t you hear the memo, Flores? It’s a pool party.”
I’m not exactly dressed formally like I usually am when meeting with him, but I’m still wearing black yoga pants and an old band T-shirt.
His comment made me a little self-conscious, so I wrap my arms around my body and say, “I’ll just be watching for today.” I’m not sure if he remembers the boating accident I was in as a kid and vowed never to go into the water after.