Grace

Chapter 19

"Is she always like that?" Grace asked as she sat on my bed. My mother is in the living room just chilling. My mother is usually a nice person but I'm her only child so I can see why she's being petty.

"No," I shook my head. "She's just protective,"

"I guess," Grace shrugged and I groaned. "No, it's fine. I'm just going to make her like me,"

"Good luck with that," I nodded to her as she left the room. I could hear them talking as I roll up, but I have no idea what they're talking about. Soon I hear laughter and glasses clinking.

I walked out of my room to see what they're talking about. They're drinking wine and watching some cooking show. What? How do women change their opinion so quickly?

"Are you guys okay?" I asked with the joint in my hand. My mother smiled at me then patted the seat next to her.

"Still smoking?" She asked me and I nodded.

"Yes ma'am," I took the time to analyze how she looks. She doesn't look too different than how she did when I was a child but she's aged and it's evident.

"I've missed you so much," She pulled me in to give me a kiss on her forehead.

"I've missed you too," I smiled as she let me go. "Want some?" I joked and handed her my joint. She actually took it and pulled a diamond lighter out of her black purse. "What're you doing?"

"Oh Alessandro," She laughed as my name rolled off of her Italian tongue. "How do you think I cope with-"

"Okay," I quickly hushed her and glanced at Grace. She just sat there watching us but I know me cutting my mom off, caught her attention. She glanced at me with her eyebrows furred.

"Excuse me," Grace politely said then got up. She took her wine glass with her and headed upstairs. My mom gave me a look and started sipping her wine.

"You haven't told her about-"

"No," I harshly said then tried to move as quickly as I could up the stairs. Grace sat on my bed sipping the wine and rolling up a jay.

"You didn't have to come up here," She softly said. "If you didn't want me to know then you just don't want me to know,"

"It's just something that I don't want to talk about at all," I sat next to her on the bed.

"It's okay, I left cause it wasn't my conversation," She licked the rolling paper and fixed herself on the bed. "Go catch up with your mom," she smiled at me and lit her jay.

"I'll be back," I smiled at her then went back to my mom.

"Everything okay?" She asked and I nodded. "I've missed you,"

"I've missed you too ma, it's been years," I haven't seen my mother, in person, in about five years. She isn't supposed to leave Italy and if my grandfather found out, he'd be pissed.

"Yeah, I had to come see my baby," She caressed my cheeks then smiled. "You like this girl," she stated.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I laughed and I became all jittery inside, as if I'm ten telling my mother about a school crush.

"Honey, I'm your mother. I know these things but tell me why you push her away," My mother sipped her wine as she waited for me to speak.

"I don't know," I leaned back into the couch. "She's been through a lot and so have I. I'm just trying to make her comfortable with me,"