Drowning in Roses

Sweetie

I heard a sharp knock on my apartment’s front door, so I ran to open in only to find his mother standing there before me. She had her usual bright red lipstick and sweater with roses covering it. My heart stopped and restarted in that moment and I was suddenly confused. “Hi, um, can I help you?” I tried to say without knocking her cold.

She gave me a small smile and said, “Hi. Is it all right if I come in?” I hesitated, but opened the door slightly wider and she walked in. I had always disliked my future mother-in-law, but now she came to me personally to tell me something. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it so I just decided to let her talk. “So, uh, do you know when you… find the gender of the baby?” She said, nearly choking on the word baby.

“Oh yeah, in a couple weeks actually.” I said, enjoying watching her uncomfort. For emphasis, I put my hands on my growing belly, absent-minded. She swallowed hard and looked back to me.

“Well, I just came here to apologize for my son’s walking out on you like he did,” she said with a faraway look I her eyes. My heart skipped a beat. She was apologizing? Did this mean he sent her? Is he coming back? I was suddenly filled with a sense of happiness and hope, but she must have noticed because she then added, “Oh no, he’s not coming back himself. He’s not coming back here at all. He can’t raise a child.” Her tone became angrier as if she blamed me. “He has a life, my dear, and yours is practically over.” She turned to leave, but turned around again to add something, “Oh and sweetie, just be happy for him that he has the will power to have known to separate himself from your mistakes.” And with that and her fake lipstick smile, she left, slamming the door hard behind her as she did so.