The rest of the reception was a nightmare. Any time Rosa was any where near Justin her mother was also there. Always smiling and making conversation as if everything was amazing and they had not been found in a back room, ready to be intimate.
Since Justin couldn’t spend any time with Rosa, he danced a lot with Maddy. She was having a great time; at least Rosa would have some pleasant memories from this blooded wedding. She could not wait to return to America. She needed to get out of England, away from her mother.
Before they left the reception, Rosa’s mother had demanded that she and Justin be at her house for tea the next morning, promptly at noon.
They walked into the hotel room awkwardly. Thankfully Justin was carrying Maddy; she was sleeping in his arms and a cause for distraction. They couldn’t talk about what happened at the wedding and Rosa was thankful.
“I’m going to put her to bed.” He said quietly, rubbing a hand through her hair.
“Um, I’ll come.”
They walked into Maddy’s room silently, Justin carefully placing her in the middle of the bed, as Rosa brought the covers up to her chin.
“Grandma would have a fit if she knew you were going to sleep in your pretty dress.” Rosa whispered to her, and then smiled. She rubbed a hand across her cheek, and then kissed her lightly on her temple. “Goodnight sweetie.” Rosa stepped back, starring at her pride and joy. She was lucky to have Maddy, it may have caused a lot of damage in her life but where would she be without her? She didn’t even know what she would be doing with her life right now if it wasn’t for Maddy.
Would she still be with Jonathan? Or would he have left her by now? Would she have gone to university like she had always wanted? But she loved her job now, it didn’t matter. Would she have met Justin? Or would she have never had the pleasure of meeting him, living with him, falling in love with him?
She glanced at Justin as he sweetly placed a kiss on Maddy’s forehead.
“Sweet dreams, Maddy.” Justin looked at her then, his beautiful eyes looking over her face, trying to read her expression. His beautiful eyes which lit up every time he smiled, or every time Maddy smiled at him. His lovely curls which he let Maddy style like a mess anytime she wanted. His smile which made her knees melt every time he directed it at her. His compassion in which he took in a broken mother, and cared for her like they were his own family.
The answer was no. She would never have met Justin without Maddy, and forever she would be grateful. Maddy had given her the greatest gift of all. True Love. Maddy and Justin, the two of them were her true loves. Justin placed his hand of Rosa’s shoulder.
“Let’s go.” She nodded, numbly, leading the way out of the room.
She stopped outside her bedroom and turned to him.
“I think we should talk about it.” Justin finally spoke up.
“Should we?”
“We shall.” Justin mocked, in an English accent. She smiled. “We need to be prepared when the vulture comes in for the kill.”
“What a pleasant way to picture my mother Justin.” Rosa sat on the sofa, Justin sitting across from her.
“It’s kind of true though, eh? Don’t say you’re not the least bit nervous about tomorrow?”
“I admit that I am but my mother can not change anything that happened to, or anything that has happened in the past between us. I’m sure she will go on and on about absolutely nothing, making us feel like school children, then we will leave and all will be back to normal.”
“You honestly think that’s all that is going to happen?” Rosa nodded. “How foolish the English are then.”
“Justin, it is not as if my mother thinks I am some sixteen year old virgin. It is quite obvious that I am not, I have a 6 year old daughter and I have been married…”
“…which will be annulled very soon.”
“Yes,” she agreed, “But I am a grown woman and I have been taking care of myself and Maddy for quite some time, even when I was with Jonathan. She has no hold on me; there is nothing she can do to us.”
“Well what are we then Rosa? I’m sure your mother is going to be a little curious at the status of our relationship. What is it? Because I certainly don’t know. You’re not seeing anyone, I’m not seeing anyone, you have been living with me for quite some time and we both have…some feeling for each other. What are we?”
She winced as he regarded what he felt for her as ‘some feelings’. She was much further then that. Way further then him. If he only had ‘some feelings’ for her, he had the power to break her heart, he would not be nearly as hurt as she would. She was in love and he, he was just in the crush faze. It hurt to think that he didn’t want her as much as she wanted him, in more ways than one.
“Um,” She placed her hand on her forehead, “I seem to have a bit of headache, we can continue this conversation tomorrow?” He looked at her skeptically, but nodded none the less. “Great, I shall retire to my room.” She should quickly, not even bidding Justin good night, and then hurried into her room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, there was absolutely no time to talk. They had all awoken late, an eleven, it took nearly fifteen minutes just to get to her mother’s house, they had to eat, dress and dropped Maddy off at her Aunt’s. So the morning was quite chaotic.
It was now 11:50 and she and Justin were just minutes away from her mothers.
“Rosa…” He started but she waved it off. She had been acting awkwardly all morning, she knew it, and he sensed it. But she couldn’t have the talk anymore. She didn’t want her feelings put in such light terms, it was quite obvious what she had to do and she would say it in the presence of her mother.
The limo pulled up in front of her mother’s and Rosa waited for the driver to open her door and assist her out, which Justin had always done for her. She walked up the steps silently, not even checking if Justin was behind her. She paused at the door.
Justin grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him.
“What is wrong with you? Rosa, tell me please.” She looked into his blue eyes pleading with her. How it brought tears to her eyes. The door flew open breaking the moment.
“Your mother is in the dining hall Miss Rosa, Mr. Justin.” Their butler announced, and then walked in quietly Rosa leading the way. Her mother stood stiffly at the end of the room, starring at some family photos that hung.
“I’m glad you two could take you hands off of each other long enough to join me for this conversation.”
“Mother…” Rosa warned, she was not in the mood for this.
“Yes Rosa, I am your mother. Thank you for the reminder, though I feel like nothing to you, when you have disobeyed everything I have ever taught you. Your morals, your values, everything. It must be an American thing to break such things.” She glared at Justin. Rosa sat down in a chair, Justin sitting in the one next to her.
“What do you want mother?”
“Wow, there are quite a million answers to that one simple question.”
“Well then, narrow it down.” Rosa snapped.
“I would like to see my daughter with a college diploma. I would like to see my daughter happy, with a good character. I would like to see her with a great job.”
“You know what mother, your list can be changed as I can still go to college but do not dare tear down my character. Yes I got pregnant at 16, what would you have me do? Abort my own creation? Yes I married an American fellow, but he beat me! Do you wish me to stay with him? So yes I do have an annulled marriage in my past. You can’t change these things so why say them. Maddy is my pride and joy and I would empty without her. Now tell me mother, why exactly did you want us here?”
“I wish you to move back here to Manchester. I don’t wish it, I demand it. Or you will be cut from the family inheritance, which would all have gone to you.”
“You’re…you’re giving me an ultimatum?” Rosa starred at her mother, tears in her eyes.
“Yes, your life in America or your family.” She stated simply. Justin sat back not believing that Rosa’s mother would possible do this to her. If she was a guy, he’d punch her out.
“But I love America, Maddy loves America. My entire life is in America.”
“Is this life you speak of with Justin? As you are living in sin with him.”
“We have done nothing wrong.”
“I find that so hard to believe.”
“Excuse me, I can’t sit here and listen to you tear down your own daughter. We have not done anything wrong and I could care less if you believe us. Your daughter may not have had the perfect life but who has. She has a daughter who adores her, a job she admires and she has me.”
“Well young sir, what does that consist of? Not once have I heard that you and my daughter are in a relationship that is anything but friendship. Rosa has many friends here. Why should your friendship have her remain in America, the country that has destroyed her so?”
“Because…it just does. I care for Rosa a lot and I love Maddy, and they love America and love living with me. That is why they will return to America instead of staying in this prison you enjoy calling home.”
“Prison? Rather live in a prison than a brothel.” Justin looked confused.
“What the hell is a brothel?”
“A whore house.” Rosa spoke quietly.
“You’re calling your own daughter a whore? Where are your morals and values that you speak so highly of? You disgust me. You think you are so much better than everyone else, including your own daughter and it makes me sick. You make me sick.”
“Excuse me young sir, this is my home you are in—“
“Enough!” Rosa shouted, she stood slowly and looked at her mother. “I’m sorry mother but after the slander you have done to my character I could not even conceive the possibility of living with you. Do what you will, remove me from the will, I no longer care.”
“Fine then, go live with your American fellow.”
“She will.” Justin announced.
“No, I won’t.” Rosa disagreed, and Justin and her mother looked at her in disbelief. “I can’t Justin. I can’t live with you any longer. Some of what has been said it true and the other I just do not care to explain, I can’t so when we return to America tonight I am packing my things and leaving.”
“Rosa.”
“Don’t argue. Mother we’re leaving, it’s been a pleasure.” And she walked from the room, Justin just starring after her.
