The Detective

Chapter 10 - Red Roses

Once my mother learned that I had spent another weekend in Asheville, I was summoned to dinner on Monday night for a full report. On my way out of the office, I passed Reese in the lobby. Skidding to a stop, I looked down at my watch. "You're late for work, bro."

He laughed. "Just getting back from securing warrants for the homicide in Wendell."

"It's going down tonight?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. You coming?"

"Do you need me to?"

He shook his head. "Nah. You just usually like in on these things."

I sighed and jerked my thumb toward the door. "I'm headed to Mom's for interrogation about my weekend."

He grinned. "How is the girlfriend?"

"Smoking hot."

"Oh yeah?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "No more arguing with me, huh? It's official?"

I shrugged as I zipped up my coat. "Surprisingly, we didn't talk about it. I think she's coming back up this weekend though."

He pointed at me. "I want to meet her this time."

Shaking my head, I pulled my keys out of my pocket. "I don't think so."

"C'mon, man. I promise I won't try and charm the pants off her or anything."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Sure you won't."

He looked down at his watch. "I've gotta get going."

"Stay safe tonight," I said as he walked past me.

"Always." He turned back before crossing through the back office door. "Say 'hi' to your mom for me."

"Will do."

When I arrived in Durham, I was greeted at the door by my mother who was wearing a smile that was almost wider than her face. "Hi, Noot."

I kissed her on the cheek. "Hi, Mom."

"You're late."

I glanced at my watch. "Three minutes."

She took my coat when I slipped it off and hung it by the door before looping her arm through mine and tugging me toward the kitchen. "So, tell me all about her!"

I laughed. "Can I not even sit down first?"

"You'll have time to sit when I'm dead." She pulled on my arm. "How did it go?"

My dad, who looked like me in twenty-five years, was sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen when we walked in. "Hey, Dad." I walked over and shook his hand. "Long time, no see."

He nodded and put down the newspaper he was reading. "It has been a while, son."

I sat down across from him and took off my hat. "I know. How was the game last week?"

Mom was practically dancing with anticipation beside me.

Dad leaned his elbow on the table. "It was a good game. The team is looking really good—"

Mom squealed, cutting him off. "You can talk about sports later!"

Dad chuckled. "Nate, I think you'd better tell your mother about the weekend before she has a stroke on us."

Using the toe of my boot, I pushed a chair out for my mother. "Sit, Mom. You're making me nervous."

She plopped into a seat with wide-eyes and a perma-grin. "Is she just wonderful? Do you love her?"