CHAPTER 21

The next morning

Kristina walks into the lake house and sees her mother standing in the living room. Trying to avoid a confrontation, she doesn't say a word and starts toward the stairs to go up to her room. Alexis, seeing her, stops her.

"Kristina! Hi. Happy birthday! I didn't get a chance to tell you yesterday because you were nowhere to be found! Where have you been? How did you spend your eighteenth birthday?"

Kristina looks at her mother agape. She's not sure what to say to her. "Um…I spent it with Johnny," she finally says.

Alexis isn't surprised about Kristina being with Johnny anymore, but she still disapproves. "Ah, I see. Of course you did."

They both stand there a moment looking at each other in an awkward, silent pause. Kristina is waiting for her mother to go off on her. Alexis is tired of fighting with Kristina and getting nowhere, but she really thinks that Kristina shouldn't be with Johnny.

Alexis finally breaks the silence, "So, why did Johnny take you to the courthouse yesterday afternoon, Kristina?" she asks her matter-of-factly.

Kristina swallows and remains silently staring at her mother, not sure what to say.

"Diane said she was shocked to see the two of you there. What were you doing?"

"Um…," Kristina starts. Then she looks her mother straight in the eye and says sassily, "We got married."

Alexis dismisses Kristina's statement, thinking she's just trying to make her mad. "Come on, Kristina, don't be ridiculous. Really, what were you doing there? Was Johnny signing over rights to the baby? Please tell me he was, sweetie," Alexis pleads.

Kristina, annoyed, sighs. "No, mom, he wasn't! Johnny loves his baby. Johnny loves me! He would never give up his own child! Johnny and I are going to be together, mom! We love each other and we're having a family!"

"Kristina, Johnny is too dangerous! How do you expect to have a life with a man who makes a living in the mob? You can't be with him! You and the baby will be in too much danger. Oh, sweetie, I really wish you'd see that. I love you and I love the baby and I don't want to see the two of you get blown up!"

"Mom, Johnny really does love me. That's why he's changed his life! He's out of the mob. He got out for me and the baby."

"Kristina, don't be naïve, he can't really get out of the mob. He's just telling you that so you'll be with him! He's using you honey!"

"No, mom, you're wrong. Johnny is out of the mob. He has been for a couple weeks. He got rid of all his property, all his off-shore accounts, everything illegal. He moved out of his penthouse and bought a house in Queen's Point! Mom, he even changed his last name!"

Alexis jerks her head back in surprise. "Really!"

"Yeah. He doesn't want anything to do with the mob or the Zacchara name. So, he changed his name."

"Okay, then what did he change it to? What's his new last name?" Alexis asks sarcastically, not actually believing what Kristina has said.

"Well, actually our new last name."

"What do you mean 'our'?"

"I told you mom, Johnny and I were at the courthouse because we got married!"

"You did not!" Alexis dismisses the statement again.

"We did too!" Kristina throws her left hand into her mother's face, showing the engagement ring and the wedding band on her ring finger.

At the sight of the rings, Alexis' eyes open wide and her jaw drops. She grabs Kristina's hand and holds it close to her eyes, studying the rings, still thinking that Kristina is lying. She then slowly drops Kristina's hand.

Kristina calms down, and on the verge of tears says, "Mom, I came here to pack. I'm moving in with Johnny over in Queen's Point. We have a nice house and nice neighbors with kids. We've already met some of them. I love Johnny, mom; and he loves me. He changed his entire life for me—including his name! If that's not love, then what is? I know you love me mom, and you're scared for me. But you have to let me go and make my own choices, let me figure out my own life. You can't run my life for me anymore, mom. I'm married and I have a baby on the way. I have a family of my own to take care of, so I can't have you telling me what to do anymore!"

Alexis looks at Kristina, "Kristina, what about school!"

"What about it, mom?"

"You're a senior. Are you going to finish school?"

"Of course I'll finish. The baby's due in May; I graduate at the end of June. It'll be okay, mom."

"What about college, Kristina? Did you think of that?"

"I still want to go to college, just not Yale or Harvard. I've applied for scholarships to PCU. I'll probably go there."

"I just feel Johnny is holding you back, Kristina. He's keeping you from your dreams! You've always wanted to go to college and I don't know if you'll be able to now with a little baby at home."

"Mom, those are your dreams! You have always wanted me to go to college. From the time I was little, you've told me I was going to go to Yale or Harvard. Mom, if I go to college, it'll be to PCU; there's nothing wrong with PCU."

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong with PCU."

"Mom, you don't know what my dreams are because you never listen to me. You never really listen to what I want. I want to be married. I want to have a family, mom. Those are my dreams. I would like to go to college, but if I'm not able to, then that's fine with me, mom. Mom, I love you, and I'm following my dreams. I need you to understand that and support me. This is my life, mom. You can't always protect me. If I'm making mistakes, then you have to let me make them and figure it out on my own, mom. I'm an adult. This is my life to live."

A tear comes to Alexis' eye because she realizes that her daughter is actually an adult now; she really is. She's scared to death that Kristina is making a huge mistake, but there's nothing she can do about it. Kristina is right; she can't run her life anymore. Kristina has a family of her own now, even though she completely disapproves of it.

Kristina looks at her mother silently; a teardrop runs down her face. Alexis stands there silently, on the verge of tears herself. She looks to the ground. Without a word from either of them, Kristina turns and goes upstairs to her bedroom.

Alexis slowly walks over to the couch and sits down. She starts crying silently. As much as she hates to admit it, she knows that her daughter is right. She is controlling and overprotective. She realizes that Kristina is an adult and she has the right to make her own decisions. If she decides to have a family instead of going to college, then that's her decision. She finally comes to the conclusion that she needs to suck it up and support her daughter, as much as that's going to kill her. She hates seeing her daughter make mistakes, but there's nothing she can do about it. She realizes that it's better to support her daughter and help her however she can, than to be against her and have her hate her. She wants to remain in her daughter's life—and her grandchild's life. If she doesn't stop trying to control Kristina and start helping, then Kristina may push her out of her life forever, and she doesn't want that.

Alexis regains her composure and wipes the tears from her face. She goes upstairs to Kristina's room. When she walks into the room, Kristina is sitting on the bed with an open suitcase next to her, putting clothes inside of it. Alexis sits down on the bed next to Kristina. She puts her arm around her daughter.

"I'm sorry. I love you. How can I help?" she says to Kristina.

Kristina turns to her mother and smiles. They hug.

"Can I help you pack I guess?" Alexis asks her.

"Sure," Kristina replies.

"So, your name. What is it now?"

"Matthews. I'm officially Kristina Adela Matthews."

"Matthews," Alexis repeats. "After Courtney?"

"Yeah. I wanted to still have a connection to my family." Kristina smiles, and so does Alexis.

"I like it."