Page 49 of Reckless Harmony

She made her distinctive squeaky meow, and he smiled before carrying her back to the bedroom.

“So, you have no idea why your father wants to meet with you?” His mother asked.

“What’s on your head, Mom?” Stark asked.

She touched the multi-coloured wrap that was wound around her head. “Oh, this is a healing wrap that Janelle brought me. You soak it in this scented liquid that is full of healing herbs and it’s supposed to draw out any illnesses or negative energy you carry in your body.”

“Wait, are you feeling sick?” he asked.

“Not at all,” she said cheerfully. “But Janelle is completely caught up in this MLM pyramid scheme and is desperate to offload some stock.”

He rolled his eyes. “So, it’s a bunch of bullshit.”

“Utter bullshit,” she said, “but the healing liquid smells lovely and really softens my hair.”

“Mom, I know Janelle is your friend, but you have to stop spending your money on this crap.”

“Darling boy, we both know I have more money than God, and I’ll never be able to spend it all before I die,” his mother said. “You certainly don’t need it as an inheritance, Mr. Moneybags, so why shouldn’t I spend it on frivolous things.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s a fair point.”

“You’re avoiding my question about your father,” she said.

He sighed. “I don’t know why he wants to meet, but since he refuses to meet under my terms, it doesn’t really matter.”

She smiled at him. “Good for you, Isaac. I’m proud of you for standing up to him.”

He shrugged. “It’s just refusing to meet with him. That’s hardly an act of rebellion.”

“When it comes to your father, it is,” she said. “Now, tell me again the story of how you’re working at home all this week because of a cat and her kittens.”

He gave her a look that would wither anyone else, but she just laughed and waved her hand at him. “Show me those darling babies again, please.”

He flipped the camera on his phone and pointed it at the container. Molly was grooming the babies, and his mother made a quiet squeal. “Oh, they really are just the sweetest things.”

He flipped the camera back to himself, grinning at the delight on her face. “I love that you have a pet now, Isaac. I worry about my boy being all alone.”

“I don’t have a pet, Mom. I’m just fostering Molly and the babies until Molly is feeling better and the babies are older. Then they’ll go to a new foster home,” he said.

“Will they, though?” She grinned at him.

“It’s your fault I’m fostering them,” he said.

She readjusted the wrap on her head and sat back. “Oh, I do need to hear how this is my fault, dearest.”

“You suggested I be nice to Ms. Abrams to get what I want. I’m being nice.”

“Ah,” she said, “and is it working? Has she agreed to sell you her property?”

“No,” he said. “But I did help her with a stray dog the other night, and I paid some vet bills for the rescue, so that’ll win me points, right?”

“Oh, absolutely,” his mother said.

“I know you’re mocking me,” he said, “but I don’t care.”

She laughed. “I’m your mother, Isaac. I would never mock. Now, be honest with me. Are you only doing these things in order to convince her to sell her property?”

“Yes,” he said. “Why else would I do them?”

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