They fly out to Barbados to see Caroline before the wedding. Roman had told his mother about the engagement over the phone and Caroline thought he was joking at first, until Gerri took the phone to confirm it.
Gerri isn't looking forward to seeing Caroline in person. It's true they were friends once, but she'd had no choice but to side with Logan in the divorce, if she valued her job, and she can't imagine that Caroline will be too happy about a woman not that much younger than her marrying her middle child.
"Mummy!" Roman greets Caroline in faux British, giving her exaggerated kisses on both cheeks. Peter greets Gerri with a single peck and then they all stand looking awkwardly at each other.
"Well, do come in and sit down," says Caroline finally. "Your knees must be killing you, Geraldine."
Peter has cooked dinner for them, so they gather at the long table inside for a healthy Caribbean meal. Roman looks around, and Gerri remembers that the last time he was here was with Shiv and Kendall, before the big vote.
"I was delighted to hear of your engagement," says Caroline, in a tone that lets Gerri know a sting is coming. "Aren't you clever, working your way up from Baird, Geraldine."
"Please don't talk about my late husband," says Gerri, just as sweetly. "You'll be pleased to hear that Roman and I have a prenup, so I won't be stealing his fortune if we split up."
"Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't dream of splitting up." Caroline gives a tinkling laugh. "Why would you sell the cash cow?"
"Mom, could you not…" mumbles Roman, clearly uncomfortable.
"No, it's fine, Roman. Let your mother have her say and then we can move on." Gerri looks at Caroline. "Well?"
"I can understand what you see in my son," says Caroline. Peter is awkwardly picking at his salad. "I just don't really see the attraction the other way around. Even Logan never — or did he?"
"Mom, that's enough." Roman actually raises his voice. "I'm marrying Gerri because I love her, okay?"
Gerri smiles at him, touched. "And I love him," she says quietly.
"Good!" says Peter, too loudly. "That's all sorted then."
"And how do your daughters feel about their new step-daddy?" Caroline asks, ignoring her husband. "You'd better watch out. Ro-Ro might run off with the younger model." She gives a laugh again. "I'm joking, darling," she adds to Roman, who is hunched over like he used to be whenever Logan raised his voice. "I'm happy for you both. Really."
The tension remains until the dinner is mercifully almost over and Peter brings out his special cheese. Gerri excuses herself and retires to the room she and Roman are staying in, the porter having brought up their cases on arrival. She's ready for bed by the time Roman comes to join her.
"Sorry," he says, as if to pre-empt an argument.
"It's okay," she says. "I know what your mother's like."
"I think it's just her way of protecting me." He sits down on the bed next to her.
"Mmm hmm." Gerri doesn't comment that Caroline has never seen fit to protect her children before.
"I doubt she'll come to the wedding." Roman is staring at the floor. "She'll make some excuse."
"Come here." Gerri pulls him down towards her and he lays his head in her lap. She can deal with Caroline's barbed comments. She dealt with Logan for years, after all. "Thank you for defending me."
Roman makes a small noise of acknowledgement in response. Gerri strokes his hair and hopes he's right about Caroline not coming to the wedding.