Mummy's boy

part 17

Ant politely held the pub door open for Anne,who walked through without a word of thanks.

"What would you like to drink?" He asked her,as they approached the bar.

"White wine" Anne replied sternly.

"White wine and a coke please" Ant asked the bar man.

Ant had decided not to drink as he wanted to keep a completely clear head for this conversation and he was driving anyway.

His heart was already beginning to sink at Anne's cold approach towards him before they'd even sat down,good manners cost nothing after all,that's what his mother always told him anyway.

"There's a table over there" Ant nodded towards a quiet area in the corner of the pub.

He carried both drinks over to the table and Anne did at least manage to mumble an unconvincing 'thanks' this time as Ant placed her wine in front of her.

She just stared at him as he sat down opposite her and Ant knew that she definitely wasn't going to make this easy for him and it was going to be a very uncomfortable evening,Dec had warned him it might be,but he was still determined to try.

"So" Ant said nervously.

"So?" Anne repeated.

"I...er...I really do love Declan you know?" He stated.

"Do you?" Anne replied.

"Yes,I do" Ant insisted.

"That's what the others said" Anne pointed out as she took a sip from her glass,leaving a smudge of pale pink lipstick on the rim.

"Others?" Ant questioned.

"Yeah" Anne nodded "Declan's previous partners"

"I'm not like the others" Ant frowned.

"So what makes you so different from the rest?" Anne asked.

"I make Dec happy" Ant smiled.

"So did they" Anne retorted "or so he told me at the time"

"Well,they're in the past now" Ant stated "I'm his present and his future"

"Is that a fact?" Anne said unfeelingly.

"Yes" Ant stuck to his guns,although he was finding Anne incredibly intimidating.

"So" Anne went on "it was your idea for us two to meet,so what are you hoping to gain from it?"

"To make Dec happy" Ant replied confidently.

"He is happy" Anne insisted.

"How can you say that?" Ant asked shocked "he's spent most of this weekend crying because of you"

"BECAUSE OF ME?" Anne raised her voice considerably,causing the few people present in the pub to glance up at them.

"Please don't get angry Anne" Ant pleaded "let's just discuss this like adults shall we?"

"Don't patronise me" Anne snapped.

"Sorry" Ant muttered "didn't mean to"

He scratched his head and frowned,this really wasn't going well and they'd only just got started,he somehow had to try and steer the conversation in another direction.

"Dec's told me what an amazing mother you are you know?" He smiled "bringing up seven kids,that can't have been easy?"

"No,it wasn't,but you do what you have to as a parent" Anne nodded.