Page 31 of Innocent Union
She frowns, stepping back. “So, I’m crazy?”
“No.” Damn. This is not going how I planned at all. “Of course not. I …”
“I think you need to leave,” Giulia says, walking back into the room. “You don’t get to call my daughter crazy.”
“Mom, you were listening in?” Mia asks. “That’s not ok.”
“When it comes to my daughter, it is.” Giulia turns to me. “You should go.”
“I was with my mom,” I blurt. “That’s why I couldn’t be there for you yesterday.”
Mia’s eyes lighten. “Oh. Why didn’t you just say that? I understand.”
“No,” Giulia cuts in. “He should be prioritizing you. Not his mother.”
Which is rich, considering Giulia expects everyone to put her first. I keep my mouth shut, though. No need to upset my future mother-in-law even more.
“I’m not sure,” Mia says, looking troubled.
“Yes. That’s what makes a good husband. One who will devote his entire being to you.” Giulia tosses me a look. “And clearly, Killian, here, has shown he doesn’t care enough about you to do that.”
Mia looks more uncertain by the minute. I see why she was in her head so much over me not showing up for the cake tasting.
But Giulia is insulting me for no good reason.
And I can’t stand it anymore.
“My mom is sick,” I say before I can stop myself. This isn’t how I wanted to tell Mia, but here we are.
That shuts Giulia up.
Mia turns to me, eyes wide. “She’s sick?”
“Breast cancer. She’s in the hospital. I was visiting her yesterday.”
Mia looks at her mom pointedly. “Mom, see? Killian wasn’t abandoning me.” She walks over to me. “I’m so sorry. How is she doing?”
“Not well.” I let out a shaky breath. Mia squeezes my hand, and it warms my heart to see the empathy in her eyes.
“Can I meet her?”
“You want to meet her?”
Mia smiles. “Of course. She’ll be my mom-in-law. I want to meet her.”
“She’d like that.”
The following day,I take Mia to the hospital.
“My mom will like you. Trust me,” I assure her as I take in her nervous expression.
“So, she’s not like my mom?” Mia jokes as we walk down the hallway.
I chuckle. “No. Well, your mom is a force to be reckoned with. So is my mom. I guess they’re similar in that way. But my mom will like you.”
“Ok.” She lets out a quick breath. “I’m excited to meet her.”
I lead Mia into my mom’s room. “Knock, knock,” I say, walking inside.
