The Summer I Fell in Love

The Right Choice

Hello, everyone! I apologize for the delay, but I am back with chapter 20 of The Summer I Fell in Love! As always, feel free to leave a comment, and RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW!

Dearest Jordan,

I have heard around the grapevine in Louisville that you have been quite a busy girl in the five years that I haven't heard from you. You've climbed in social status, become the best in your sport, and even won the Essex trophy. A mother cannot help but be proud. However, it seems to me like you want to throw all of that success away.

I just found out from Daisy Buchanan's mother that you married her cousin, who isn't as well off as I would hope. To top it all off, you just had a baby girl. Now Jordan, it seems to me that you are throwing your life away, and being the doting mother that I am, I cannot help but wonder if you're making the right choices.

I'll be arriving in New York next week. Prepare for me to make an appearance on Long Island to see you.

All my love,

Mother

Jordan's POV:

I stood on the front steps of our house in complete and utter shock. I clenched the paper so tightly between my finger tips, it began to crumple. I should have expected this from Sybil Baker. She only cared about status, success, and fortune. Ever since Daddy died, my mother was taking complete and utter control over my life. She would tell me when to practice golf, what parties to go to, what friends to have, and would pick out men for me to marry. She became a wicked woman, who would show little to no affection to her only child. It all became too much for me to bare, and five years ago, I left Louisville, and began playing in tournaments all over the country. Yes the success made her proud, however as far as my social life, she no longer had any control.

In the past few months since having Catherine, I realized the bond between a mother and their child. I loved being so close to my baby, however I couldn't help but wonder what it was like to be adored by my mother. I was practically raised by nannies, and the few times a day that I saw my parents, the only one to show me any affection was my father. Ever since he passed away, my life hasn't been the same. I didn't have the unconditional love and support from a parent.

Although I have an exuberant amount of love from both my husband and my daughter, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness inside because of my lack of parental support. Even though I am 26 years old, I still wanted attention from my own mother. I look at Nick, whose mother writes him once a month of what's going on back in Minnesota, and how she will come across the country to watch her granddaughter just because her son and his wife wanted a long weekend together. It's the little things like that that I wished I had.

With the letter in my hands, I immediately went into our home, and gave the excuse to Nick's parents that I had to go powder my nose, and practically ran up the stairs. I reached Nick and I's bedroom and shut the door behind me. I pressed my back on the door, and the tears that I had been holding in all day fell down my face. I walked over to our bed and sat down with a plop, and silently began to sob. I crumpled up the letter in my hand and threw it on the ground.

The only reason my mother wanted to visit was to pick apart my life. Knowing her, she would bring her lawyers with her, and try and divorce Nick and I , and take me back to Louisville so she can have someone to boss around. The fact that she disapproved of everything that made me happy in life was too much to bare. She said right in the letter that she "feared that I wasn't making the right choices". The fact that she might think that the love of my life and my baby were a poor choice infuriated me. All I can feel is anger brewing inside of me, as well as a mix of sadness because I didn't have a doting mother like Nick or my own daughter.

While my tears continued to flow, I hear the door handle turn, and in walks Nick. I turn away from him quickly, in hopes he wouldn't see me crying. Of course, Nick knows me like a book, and knew that I had read something in that letter on our front steps.

He immediately rushed to my side, and sat next to me on the side of our bed.

"Jordan, darling, what is the matter my love?"

I looked down so I didn't have to look at him, and said; "I thought we were mad at each other..."

Nick grabbed my chin gently and made my face turn to him; "Darling, just because we have an argument doesn't mean that I'll stop caring about you."

I gave him a slight smile as the tears were still flowing down my face. He wiped my tears with his thumb and held my hand.

"Jordan, what was in that letter that you got when we arrived home?"

I was being my stubborn self, so he picked up the wrinkled letter off the floor and read it to himself.

"Wow, your mother has impeccable timing..."

I gave Nick a snide look; "Now is not the time for jokes, Nick."

He continued to read, and then added; "I guess she seems to think that Catherine and I are mistakes."

Tears continued to fall down my face. Nick put the letter down and sat close next to me.

"Jordie, I don't want you to worry about this. Everything will work out just fine."

"But Nicky," I sniffled, "I can take judgement from her, I'm used to it. But when she attacks my husband and my daughter, I just won't be able to stand for that."

Nick held me closer to him; "Darling, even if she starts to pick apart your life, remember, I'll be right there next to you defending you. I can't let anyone talk poorly about my wife or my daughter. I don't want you to worry about a thing, alright?'

I nodded, but the tears were still falling down my face.

"Darling, what else is bothering you?'

I looked right at Nick and said, "I feel horribly about our argument. I know that you were just trying to offer suggestions and make things better, but as you can tell, my mother is a sensitive subject. I just with that my mother could be more like yours, and actually give a damn about me. Now that I've become a mother, I know how mothers are supposed to feel towards their babies. But, my mother has always been this way to me, and I just can't seem to make her love me."

Nick kissed the top of my head, and held me. "My sweet Jordan, I know how much this is bothering you. I wish that I could just make all of your pain just go away my love. Your mother just can't see how wonderful and lovely you are. You are an amazing person who is so loving, funny, and kind. You're an excellent golfer, who could outplay any man in the country. But, you're also the most wonderful best friend and wife to me, and I love you unconditionally. To top it all off, you're an amazing mother, who is so caring and sweet, and Catherine absolutely worships you. My dear, your mother should be so proud of you. I know that I am."

I looked up at my husband with tear stained eyes full of affection. This is why I married this man. His unconditional love, support, and for just being the best man I have ever known. I placed a fleeting kiss to his lips, and whispered how much I loved him and thanked him for being there for me.

I fixed my makeup and headed downstairs to say goodbye to Nicks parents. That evening, Nick, myself and Catherine sat in our den listening to the radio. Nick and I sat on the couch, close to one another, and I had my sweet little Catherine in my arms. As Catherine began to drift off to sleep, I snuggled up close to Nick, and he wrapped his arm around my waist. My mother couldn't be more wrong in saying that my husband and baby were a mistake. All I felt in our den was unconditional love, and I knew that if my mother didn't show me any love, I could find it in the arms of my wonderful husband and my darling baby girl.