Margaret Romano was nothing like Lexie expected her to be. She expected to
meet a very cold and proper woman who lived in a house that was more like a
museum than a home. So Lexie felt nothing but surprise, as they pulled up
to the small two-story house that sat hidden by acres and acres of
vineyards. Lexie smiled at Robert's nervousness as they took the bags from
the trunk and walked up the stairs to the porch that wrapped around most of
the house with Max running up ahead of them and leaping onto the porch
swing. Lexie looked at Robert as he rang the doorbell and she could see
that he was starting to freak out. She reached down and took his hand in
hers, smiling at him in reassurance.
A dower old man answered the door, staring at Robert with no hint of recognition on his face. He reminded Lexie of the scary old man that lived down the street from her as she grew up. He never came outside and always kept the drapes closed. The kids would make up stories about him to frighten the others into going back on the dares that they always gave each other. But it was taking everything in Lexie's power not to laugh now as her mind egged her on. "Yeah, I could take him." She thought to herself and stifled a laugh. Robert glanced at her and she pulled herself together.
"May I help you?" The man asked in a monotone voice.
"Yes, we are here to see Margaret."
The man looked at him suspiciously. Ever since the word of her inevitable passing had started to spread people had started calling and showing up to try to convince her to help them financially with the vast estate she had accrued over the years. And he was sure that these were distant relatives that were looking for the same.
"May I tell Mrs. Romano whom is calling?"
Robert cleared his throat. "Uh, yes, tell her that her son and his family are here to see her."
The older man looked at Robert and a smile started to appear. "Yes, now I recognize you from your photos. Please come in. I know that Maggie will be happy to see that you have come."
They walked inside and Max stared up in interest at the old man. He should have been scared by his dower expression but he found him fascinating. The two stared at each other and finally the man nodded at Max and he nodded back. Lexie had no idea what had happened between them but Max seemed to be totally at ease with him. He led them into the parlor and asked them to sit down. Lexie took in her surroundings. The room was done beautifully in soft colors and warm highlights, not at all what she figured it would look like. There were some modern pieces in the room and then some that were obviously very old. Lexie felt relaxed and at home right away. Max walked slowly over to the train set that sat on a shelf in the corner. He seemed mesmerized by it and Robert walked over and scooped him up.
"This was mine when I was about your age." Max stared at him with wide eyes. He couldn't understand that his daddy had ever been his age. "Later on we can get it down and play with it. Would you like to do that?" Max nodded dramatically.
The older man returned with a tray of drinks and cookies for Max and nodded as he set them down. "Maggie will be in a minute." Robert nodded to the man.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence while they waited for her arrival. Max studied the room, silently touching the items with a ginger touch. Lexie was on guard, waiting for him to break something but Robert's feeling of interest radiated to her and she felt as ease. It was a new experience to see his new son showing interest in the toys and bobbles that had always caught his attention as a child and he couldn't help but smile as Max tilted his head and studied the glass bottle with a small ship incased in it. He has spent many hours as a child trying to figure out how it got in there and Max's curiosity brought back all of the memories.
"My goodness Robert!" Maggie Romano exclaimed as she walked slowly into the room. Robert turned to her, walking to her to embrace his mother. "If I had known you would be coming I would have gotten the house ready but I am glad that you are here anyway." Lexie studied the older woman. She had a kind face. Lexie had expected her to be stern and cold but she reminded Lexie of a kindly old grandmother from a Norman Rockwell portrait. Maggie pulled back from Robert's embrace and smiled at Lexie who stood to greet her.
"Mrs. Romano, I am Lexie Carter. It is a pleasure to meet you." Maggie studied her and smiled.
"Robert, she is just as lovely as you described her."
Lexie smiled at Robert. "You described me to her?"
Robert nodded. "Yes, my son used to rant and rave about the woman that was driving him mad at the hospital but I always knew that there was love behind his angry words."
Lexie raised her eyebrows at Robert. "You ranted to your mother about me?" He grinned back at her.
"Yes my dear. I knew he loved you way back then but he was to pig headed to realize it."
"Well I have fixed that now so there is no need to discuss it now." Robert cut her off.
Lexie looked at him chastising. "Mrs. Romano, you have a beautiful house."
Maggie smiled. "Please call me Maggie. Mrs. Romano was my mother in law and she wasn't a very pleasant person." Lexie laughed but Robert stood stone faced. "And who is this little guy?" She asked referring to Max who stood shyly staring at her.
"I'm Max." He said proudly and she stuck out her hand to shake his. He put his small hand in hers and giggled.
"Good to meet you Max. What would you like to call me?" Maggie asked and Max looked seriously at her as he contemplated it.
"Well Billy at school has a grandma who is like you."
"Would you like to call me Grandma?"
He nodded. "I have a Gamma too. Is that ok?" He seemed concerned as to not offend her. She smiled and pulled him into a hug.
"That is just fine with me." He relaxed and hugged her back. She let him go but held onto his small hand. "Well, why don't we get you settled into your rooms. I will have to put fresh linen on the beds but you may have the pick of rooms." She led Max up stairs and Lexie held back with Robert a few steps.
"Robert, she is great." He nodded and grabbed their bags walking up the stairs. Maggie led them to their first stop, Robert's old childhood room. Max ran in and jumped on the bed. Lexie gave him a warning look and Maggie just laughed.
"Oh that is fine. It has been far too long since that bed has been jumped on." Max grinned at his new grandma and kept jumping. Robert led Lexie down the hall to the second largest bedroom and pushed the door open. Lexie felt instantly uncomfortable. At their house it was fine to sleep in the same bed but here it felt wrong. Robert turned to her, sensing her hesitation.
"I think she has figured out that we have had sex Lex." He said pointing to her belly.
"I know but it just seems weird." Robert set their luggage down as if to prove his point. Maggie walked in and smiled.
"Don't worry my dear. I am not one of these old fashion types. My husband, God rest his soul, and I slept together before we got married too." Robert shut his suitcase with some force and walked into the adjoining bathroom, slamming the door.
"I, uh. I guess he is just tired from the trip." Lexie said uncomfortably trying to cover for his rude behavior.
Maggie shook her head. "No, that is just how Robert is around me now. But no worries. Why don't you kids get settled and then meet me downstairs and you can explain everything to me over some tea." Lexie smiled at the kind woman.
"I would love that." Maggie touched her arm and smiled at her again.
"And Lexie, I can't tell you how happy I am that you are here. I have waited a very long time to meet the woman who stole my son's heart, I knew that I would someday; I just wish it could have been sooner. But none the less I am happy it has happened." Lexie smiled and started unpacking as Maggie went downstairs to prepare the tea.
****** Ok so it took some time for me to post but I am willing to be bribed into continuing with reviews. NUDGE NUDGE WI K WINK! ********
A dower old man answered the door, staring at Robert with no hint of recognition on his face. He reminded Lexie of the scary old man that lived down the street from her as she grew up. He never came outside and always kept the drapes closed. The kids would make up stories about him to frighten the others into going back on the dares that they always gave each other. But it was taking everything in Lexie's power not to laugh now as her mind egged her on. "Yeah, I could take him." She thought to herself and stifled a laugh. Robert glanced at her and she pulled herself together.
"May I help you?" The man asked in a monotone voice.
"Yes, we are here to see Margaret."
The man looked at him suspiciously. Ever since the word of her inevitable passing had started to spread people had started calling and showing up to try to convince her to help them financially with the vast estate she had accrued over the years. And he was sure that these were distant relatives that were looking for the same.
"May I tell Mrs. Romano whom is calling?"
Robert cleared his throat. "Uh, yes, tell her that her son and his family are here to see her."
The older man looked at Robert and a smile started to appear. "Yes, now I recognize you from your photos. Please come in. I know that Maggie will be happy to see that you have come."
They walked inside and Max stared up in interest at the old man. He should have been scared by his dower expression but he found him fascinating. The two stared at each other and finally the man nodded at Max and he nodded back. Lexie had no idea what had happened between them but Max seemed to be totally at ease with him. He led them into the parlor and asked them to sit down. Lexie took in her surroundings. The room was done beautifully in soft colors and warm highlights, not at all what she figured it would look like. There were some modern pieces in the room and then some that were obviously very old. Lexie felt relaxed and at home right away. Max walked slowly over to the train set that sat on a shelf in the corner. He seemed mesmerized by it and Robert walked over and scooped him up.
"This was mine when I was about your age." Max stared at him with wide eyes. He couldn't understand that his daddy had ever been his age. "Later on we can get it down and play with it. Would you like to do that?" Max nodded dramatically.
The older man returned with a tray of drinks and cookies for Max and nodded as he set them down. "Maggie will be in a minute." Robert nodded to the man.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence while they waited for her arrival. Max studied the room, silently touching the items with a ginger touch. Lexie was on guard, waiting for him to break something but Robert's feeling of interest radiated to her and she felt as ease. It was a new experience to see his new son showing interest in the toys and bobbles that had always caught his attention as a child and he couldn't help but smile as Max tilted his head and studied the glass bottle with a small ship incased in it. He has spent many hours as a child trying to figure out how it got in there and Max's curiosity brought back all of the memories.
"My goodness Robert!" Maggie Romano exclaimed as she walked slowly into the room. Robert turned to her, walking to her to embrace his mother. "If I had known you would be coming I would have gotten the house ready but I am glad that you are here anyway." Lexie studied the older woman. She had a kind face. Lexie had expected her to be stern and cold but she reminded Lexie of a kindly old grandmother from a Norman Rockwell portrait. Maggie pulled back from Robert's embrace and smiled at Lexie who stood to greet her.
"Mrs. Romano, I am Lexie Carter. It is a pleasure to meet you." Maggie studied her and smiled.
"Robert, she is just as lovely as you described her."
Lexie smiled at Robert. "You described me to her?"
Robert nodded. "Yes, my son used to rant and rave about the woman that was driving him mad at the hospital but I always knew that there was love behind his angry words."
Lexie raised her eyebrows at Robert. "You ranted to your mother about me?" He grinned back at her.
"Yes my dear. I knew he loved you way back then but he was to pig headed to realize it."
"Well I have fixed that now so there is no need to discuss it now." Robert cut her off.
Lexie looked at him chastising. "Mrs. Romano, you have a beautiful house."
Maggie smiled. "Please call me Maggie. Mrs. Romano was my mother in law and she wasn't a very pleasant person." Lexie laughed but Robert stood stone faced. "And who is this little guy?" She asked referring to Max who stood shyly staring at her.
"I'm Max." He said proudly and she stuck out her hand to shake his. He put his small hand in hers and giggled.
"Good to meet you Max. What would you like to call me?" Maggie asked and Max looked seriously at her as he contemplated it.
"Well Billy at school has a grandma who is like you."
"Would you like to call me Grandma?"
He nodded. "I have a Gamma too. Is that ok?" He seemed concerned as to not offend her. She smiled and pulled him into a hug.
"That is just fine with me." He relaxed and hugged her back. She let him go but held onto his small hand. "Well, why don't we get you settled into your rooms. I will have to put fresh linen on the beds but you may have the pick of rooms." She led Max up stairs and Lexie held back with Robert a few steps.
"Robert, she is great." He nodded and grabbed their bags walking up the stairs. Maggie led them to their first stop, Robert's old childhood room. Max ran in and jumped on the bed. Lexie gave him a warning look and Maggie just laughed.
"Oh that is fine. It has been far too long since that bed has been jumped on." Max grinned at his new grandma and kept jumping. Robert led Lexie down the hall to the second largest bedroom and pushed the door open. Lexie felt instantly uncomfortable. At their house it was fine to sleep in the same bed but here it felt wrong. Robert turned to her, sensing her hesitation.
"I think she has figured out that we have had sex Lex." He said pointing to her belly.
"I know but it just seems weird." Robert set their luggage down as if to prove his point. Maggie walked in and smiled.
"Don't worry my dear. I am not one of these old fashion types. My husband, God rest his soul, and I slept together before we got married too." Robert shut his suitcase with some force and walked into the adjoining bathroom, slamming the door.
"I, uh. I guess he is just tired from the trip." Lexie said uncomfortably trying to cover for his rude behavior.
Maggie shook her head. "No, that is just how Robert is around me now. But no worries. Why don't you kids get settled and then meet me downstairs and you can explain everything to me over some tea." Lexie smiled at the kind woman.
"I would love that." Maggie touched her arm and smiled at her again.
"And Lexie, I can't tell you how happy I am that you are here. I have waited a very long time to meet the woman who stole my son's heart, I knew that I would someday; I just wish it could have been sooner. But none the less I am happy it has happened." Lexie smiled and started unpacking as Maggie went downstairs to prepare the tea.
****** Ok so it took some time for me to post but I am willing to be bribed into continuing with reviews. NUDGE NUDGE WI K WINK! ********
