Sliding in the DMs - Joey Bosa

Part XX

Arty hesitated for a moment before opening the door. The sight of her mother, Penelope, standing on the doorstep sent an immediate chill through her. Penelope's eyes were as sharp as ever, her posture stiff, and the air of judgment practically radiated from her. It had been months since they last spoke, and yet the second Arty saw her, she was transported back to those uncomfortable memories of childhood.

"Well, are you going to welcome me in, or should I stand here like a fool?" Penelope's voice, thick with a Greek accent, was laced with irritation.

Arty swallowed hard, stepping aside to let her mother in, but the tension between them clung to the air like humidity before a storm. "Come in."

Penelope strode in like she owned the place, her eyes glancing around the house, assessing it in that cold, calculating way she always did. Arty's heart raced as she closed the door, trying to keep her composure.

They sat down in the living room. The silence was unbearable, and Arty tried to break it with mundane pleasantries. "How's patéras?"

"Busy," Penelope said curtly, crossing her legs with a grace that seemed rehearsed. "He's been traveling for work again. You know how it is."

Arty nodded, unsure how to respond. It was always like this—her mother speaking with a tone that implied Arty should have known something, that she should have been more involved in their lives, despite the fact that Penelope had pushed her away at every opportunity.

The conversation dragged on in a dull, strained exchange of family updates. A new cousin was born. Someone's daughter had gotten engaged. It was all just a prelude to what Arty knew was coming. She could feel her mother's simmering judgment underneath the surface.

And then it came.

"I hear you've been quite busy yourself," Penelope started, her lips pursing into a thin line. "Rushing off to marry this... Joey, was it? At a magistrate, no less." The disdain in her voice was impossible to miss.

Arty tensed. Of course, this was why her mother had shown up out of nowhere. She wanted to pick apart the one thing in Arty's life that actually made her happy. "Yes, Joey and I got married."

"How nice," Penelope said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "No celebration, no family, just sneaking off like some cheap affair. You've disgraced the family, Artemis."

Arty's chest tightened with anger. "Disgraced the family?" She repeated, her voice rising. "By marrying the man I love? The man who treats me better than anyone in this family ever has?"

Penelope's eyes flashed with cold fury. "Love?" She spat the word like it was venom. "You're a foolish girl, Artemis. You've always been impulsive, making rash decisions that will ruin your life. First, it's marrying this football player, and now what? Ruining your future with some silly little company you think you can start?"

Arty's hands clenched into fists. This was the same toxic pattern she'd grown up with, always being told she was worthless, that her choices were wrong. But this time was different. She had Joey now. She had her own life.

"I'm not ruining anything," Arty said, her voice beginning to shake with emotion. "You have no idea what my life is like, what Joey is like. He loves me, and I'm happy."

Penelope scoffed, leaning forward with a cruel smile. "Happiness? Happiness is a lie, Artemis. You've been blind to it your whole life. And now you're throwing away your family's reputation because you can't control yourself. You're no better than your father, always making a mess of things."

The familiar sting of her mother's words hit hard, but Arty wasn't a child anymore. She wasn't powerless against this woman. "You don't get to talk about patéras' mistakes when you aren't any better, and you sure as hell don't get to talk about my marriage like it's some kind of mistake."

The argument was escalating quickly, and the air felt heavy with the weight of years of unresolved pain. Just as Arty was about to snap, the front door opened, and Joey stepped in.

He froze for a second, taking in the scene—Arty, standing in front of her mother, her face flushed with anger, and Penelope sitting there like a vulture, ready to strike.

Joey's face hardened immediately. He dropped his bag on the floor and walked over, his eyes never leaving Penelope's. "What's going on here?"

Penelope straightened up, her eyes narrowing at him. "So, you're Joey. The one who's swept my daughter off her feet and turned her into this—"

"Stop," Joey cut her off, his voice firm but calm. He moved to Arty's side, placing a protective arm around her. "You don't get to come into our house and fucking talk to her like that."

Penelope blinked, clearly taken aback by his bluntness. "Excuse me?"

"I don't care who you are, or what you think you know about Arty," Joey continued, his voice cold and unyielding. "But you're not welcome here if all you're going to do is tear her down. We don't need your fucking approval, and we don't fucking want it."

Arty watched, her heart swelling with a mixture of relief and admiration. Joey wasn't backing down, and she'd never seen anyone stand up to her mother like this before.

"You think you can just dismiss me?" Penelope hissed, standing up now, her eyes blazing with fury. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"I know exactly who I'm dealing with," Joey shot back. "And I'm telling you, right now, to get the hell out of our house. Don't contact us again."

For a moment, the room was silent, the tension thick enough to cut through. Penelope stared at Joey, her eyes filled with contempt, but Joey didn't flinch. He stood tall, unwavering, his arm around Arty like an unspoken shield.

Finally, Penelope sneered, her lips curling in disgust. "You'll regret this, Artemis. Mark my words."

Without another word, she stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Arty let out a shaky breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Joey turned to her, his expression softening as he cupped her face in his hands.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Arty nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you... I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come in."

Joey kissed her forehead gently. "You never have to face her alone again. I promise."

And in that moment, despite everything, Arty knew she was exactly where she belonged.