Love Leads The Way
Part Eight
By Pepper
"Maria!" Danny yelled, looking for the small maid that Carmen had employed since he was a toddler.
"Maria? Are you here?"
"Hello Daniel. Maria is not here."
Carmen stepped out from behind the door of the kitchen.
"Mother." said Danny, stepping back a couple of paces and staring at her with dread.
"Yes Danny, it's your mother. Did you think you wouldn't see me? Did you not want to?"
"No Mother," said Danny, sounding tired. "I was just looking for Maria."
"She's not here. I gave her the night off. I wanted to speak with you."
"What now Mama?"
"Michelle was here earlier. We had...a pleasant conversation."
Danny paled. Pleasant? Michelle and pleasant did not go in the same sentence when it comes to my mother. Why did she come talk to Mother? he wondered.
"What did you talk about?" he asked.
"You," she stated.
"Me?" Danny asked, looking suspicious. "Did you do anything to her Mama?"
"No Daniel! Of course not! We just talked."
"What did you talk about mother, and don't you say me."
"We just discussed the way things turned out after your marriage is all," said Carmen, turning around and heading into her office. "We agreed to call a truce. For you."
"You did what??" exclaimed Danny, surprise evident on his face and in his voice. "But you hate her!"
"And she me, but we decided it was for the best. You love both of us and we're tired of fighting over you. We agreed...to share you."
"Share me huh?" said Danny, not fully believing that his mother agreed to share anything, let alone her son.
"Well, it was...difficult for me," she said, ignoring Danny's huff of disbelief, "but we agreed that for now, things were good the way they are. There is no way I will give up the family business and no way you will come back. So, in order for me to have my family and my business, I had to agree."
"You love your business so much that you can even give up your children for it?" Danny asked quietly, looking her squarely in the eye.
"Daniel," she said, wavering slightly from the intensity of his gaze. "I love you my son. But this business, it's my life. It's in my blood. It's...it's all I have left now. Well until today really. Michelle gave me the chance to get my son back. Don't take that away from me...or her."
Danny sat back in his seat.
"I can't believe this. Are you serious?"
"Yes my son. We agreed that in order for us both to have you in our lives we have to compromise. So we agreed to, if it was okay with you."
"Of course I agree, I want us all to be happy, but are you sure you can do this?"
"Well it has been a long time Danny, since you married her. I guess it's time to let dead dogs lie."
"I still can't believe this."
"Why not Danny? You think I can't change?"
"That's definitely a part of it. I can't understand why you won't give up the business," he holds up and hand warding off her comment," and I won't question it. All I have ever wanted was to be with my wife and for you to be happy for us. I guess...I guess this is a start."
"Thank you Danny. This was...hard for me, but I love you my son and I only want happiness for you. So, if Michelle gives you that, then I'm happy too."
Danny finally smiled at Carmen. "No Mother, thank you," he said, rising to give her a hug.
"Here," said Carmen, looking in her desk and pulling out a small card. "I believe this is for you," she said, smiling.
Danny smiled. "Yes, I do believe you're right. I have to go Mama, I'll see you later."
After kissing Carmen on the cheek, he headed out to his car to read his card.
On the cover of this one was a picture of two small children, in black and white. The boy had his arm around the small girl, holding her close. They were both looking out over some kind of body of water. He opened the card to see, "Let's make time tonight just for us," scrawled out.
On the back it read:
Dear Danny,
I suppose by now you've seen your mother. I hope all went well. I can't wait to hear what happened. So get your butt on over here! I'm at the family cabin, you know the way. I can't wait to see you!
Love, Michelle.
Danny put the car in gear and sped away.