“Hap’s out running, by the way,” she continued.
“Okay,” I replied and took another sip then told her, “Sam’s had a shower and he’s shaving. He’ll probably be down in a second.”
“Right then I don’t have much time.”
Oh no.
Surprise attack.
I blinked at the ocean then turned my head to her, mentally bracing, wondering what was to come.
She didn’t tear her eyes from the beach and she didn’t waste any time.
“You’re not a mother yet, honey, and even if you were, I don’t know if you can imagine but I worried…” She trailed off, kept her eyes glued to the beach then went on in a quiet voice, “I so worried about my Sammy.”
I wasn’t sure where this was going. What I was sure of was that I was dying to know just as much as I feared finding out.
“Maris –” I started and that was when her eyes came to me, they were shimmering with tears so I shut up.
“He had his fun, I know this. He’s a man, he would. I also know this because it was up in my face all the time. Magazines, even TV. Those women…” She shook her head. “None of them…” She pressed her lips together then looked back at the beach. “After… well, later… well, until a few days ago, I despaired. They… women… it seemed…” She was struggling, she pulled in breath and looked back at me. “It seemed impossible he’d find one even worthwhile much less…” she pressed her lips together then finished on a whispered, “you.”
Oh God!
Now I felt my eyes shimmering with tears, my body warm all over and not from the early, summer North Carolina sun and I whispered back, “Maris.”
“You love Sammy.”
I nodded.
“No, honey,” she leaned into me, “you love Sammy.”
“Yes, Maris, I know exactly what you mean,” I told her quietly and I did. I knew what she was saying. I didn’t love Sampson Cooper. I loved her Sammy.
This time, she nodded.
Then she said quietly back, “You know I know what was done to you.”
“I know,” I replied.
“He’ll never hurt you, Kia.”
I smiled through my wavering tears. “I know.”
“I cannot tell you how pleased I am he found you but, meeting you, now I can say I’m pleased you found my Sammy too.”
I moved my coffee cup to my other hand, reached out and grabbed hers. Then I held on tight.
Then I shared, “I can say that too.” I grinned. “Boy, can I say that.”
She gently twisted her hand from mine, leaned into me and placed it on my cheek, saying softly, “We share more than Sammy, honey. I know all about walking right through hell, years of it and suddenly finding yourself on the other side. Glad it gets to be me who greets you there. But more, I’m glad I can say I raised a man who would take your hand and lead the way.”
All right, she was killing me.
I clenched my teeth, sucked in breath and just managed to stop myself from bursting into tears.
Then I muttered, “Jeez, Maris, between your son being sweet and you being sweeter and me not even having a full cup of coffee, if you two don’t stop, I’ll be a wreck and never be able to face the day.”
She chuckled quietly then remarked, “There are worse things.”
She was right about that.
“Definitely,” I whispered.
She smiled at me. Then she studied me. Then she patted my cheek once, dropped her hand and turned back to the view of the beach.
“Do me a favor,” she whispered.
“Anything,” I whispered back.
“Make him happy.”
I sighed.
Then I promised, “You got it.”
That was when she sighed and we both fell silent. Thirty seconds later, Memphis yapped, leaped off my lap and bounced to the door. Maris and I looked through our seats and watched Sam approach.
When he arrived, he kissed my upturned lips; I smelled his aftershave and got even warmer. Then he shifted and kissed his mother’s upturned cheek. Then he bent down and lifted up Memphis who tried to kiss his exposed neck. As usual, he managed to avoid this but Memphis didn’t mind since she was snuggled to his wide chest with one arm and Sam was scratching her neck with his other hand.
“You ‘bout ready to go?” Sam asked his Mom.
“All packed, honey,” she told him then looked at me. “You sure you don’t want to join us for breakfast?”
I shook my head. “Thank you but this is Maris and Sammy time.”
Her face got soft, her eyes got warm, I saw that look on another face that day and I smiled into it as she smiled at me and replied, “Thank you, honey.”
It was then I suspected my face got soft and eyes got warm.
Sam handed me Memphis and told his Mom, “I’ll go up and get your bag.” His eyes came to me. “Be back around two thirty, baby. But if traffic’s bad, closer to three.”
I nodded.
He bent and touched his mouth to mine again, this time with his hand at my jaw. He finished the lip touch with his fingers doing a light, sweet jaw sweep then turned and strode back into the house.