Chapter 3 - Monster in Law
Margaret Nelson got off the plane and carefully checked her carry on luggage You could never be too careful these days she thought worried that she might just have made the biggest mistake of her life going to her daughter. What if 'he' had tracked her?
...Vicki...
Vicki was on edge with Henry, her fiance standing by her side waiting for her mother to make her appearance from the gate. She loved her mother but couldn't ignore the fact she could be 'difficult'.
"Boy do we look the happy couple or what?" said Vicki trying to lighten the tension building. Hoping to placate the cranky vampire by her side.
"Vicki I, didn't start this remember" said Henry puffing air out of his cheeks deciding now was not the time to show his displeasure.
"Oh by start you mean you didn't suddenly decide that you were now the best person to run my life" said Vicki becoming annoyed again. "You and mother are going to get along just great" Vicki said with a heavy side order of sarcasm. "You both share the same world view when it comes to me, that I'm incapable of running my own life!"
Just then Vicki's heart thumped in her chest loud enough for Henry to hear. He looked over the crowd and saw the one person who could only be Vicki's mother.
Mrs Nelson glided up to Vicki and threw herself around her only child and daughter. God had it really been close to a year since they had seen each other.
"You must be Henry, my god she said you were nice looking but that was an understatement. Your gorgeous. Come give me a big hug" Ms Nelson said grabbing Henry.
Henry moved forward easily, this was his territory, having women fall all over him. As he wrapped his arms around her he smiled at Vicki with that look that says "see she loves me already".
"How was your trip Mrs Nelson" asked Henry smiling into her eyes, trying to dazzle.
"Oh please, your making me feel a hundred, its Maggie, just Maggie" she finished, not dazzled but definitely amused.
Henry took her hand and placed it on his arm as Vicki took her other arm.
He couldn't help but make comparisons between the mother and daughter. Maggie was surprising taller than Vicki with natural blond hair only just now tinged with grey.
He was expecting a much older more dottery old fashioned woman. There was nothing about Maggie that fit that description. She was corporate, sleek, fit and beautiful. It would have been hard to put an age on her, somewhere between her 50's and 60's.
Henry was going enjoy growing old with Vicki if this was what he had to look forward to.
"Henry, Vicki told me all about your comic books" said Maggie laughing.
"Graphic novels, I draw graphic novels" replied Henry losing some of his smugness and becoming irritated. He just hated it when people said that!
"Oh I'm sure there just sweet. Josie and the Pussycats was one of Vicki's favorites, she must just love yours" said Maggie patting his hand on her arm in what could only be a patronizing manner.
"They have been called many things but I believe thats the first time they have been described as sweet" said Henry through now gritted teeth, still smiling of course.
"Oh Vicki he's younger than you, you forgot to mention that. What a catch" Maggie said now turning her attentions to Vicki.
Vicki and Henry were both now feeling uncomfortable. Vicki was wondering just what had gotten into her mother to make her behave like this. It was over the top, even for her.
Just then Henry noticed an increase in Maggie's heart rate. Why was that unusual? Before when they first met both Henry and Vicki's heart rates went up with anticipation. Not Maggie's, as steady as a drum, 60 beats per minutes, it never wavered.
Maggie sensed it, that tingling at the back of your neck that tells you someone is staring hard at you and would love nothing better than to kill you. She needed some space from her daughter. Now.
"Oh excuse me Vicki, I just need to make a quick trip to the powder room before we go." Maggie immediately dropped her hands off both of them. Putting as much distance between them as quickly as possible while not looking at all hurried.
If it came to a fire fight in the airport she needed both hands free. Her Glock 6 was securely hidden in her waist band. Being ceramic it was never picked up by the metal dectors at the airports. Maggie never traveled without 'protection'.
On her wrist was a Field 78 ceramic knife also custom made to fit in an arm sheath. This was certainly not as much fire power as she would have liked but it would give "the assassin" a run for his money if he choose this moment to take her out.
Going to to the bathroom was the best she could do here to protect her daughter. To her knowledge any man would look suspicious going into a womens toilet to the airport security guards. There was one upside to all this heightened security.