Flutter by, Butterfly

Chapter 35

"I beg your pardon?"

Bruce came by the door, my ever faithful watchman.

"Serena," he said.

"Hello there," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," and with that, he turned away.

She gave me a stern look. "Do you know who I am?"

"My husband has not even found your memory important enough to mention your name." It stung, and I knew it. I could see her nostrils start to flare and her eyes inflame.

"Our kids are in the back if you would like to see them."

"Aren't you the least bit worried?"

"The worst that could happen is that you will make a fool of yourself and no longer be welcome in my company."

"I will make you regret you ever met me."

"Strike one," I said as I moved aside. She walked past me with an air like she believed that everyone else was beneath her. That kind of attitude irritated me to no end; but for now, I was going to leave it up to Alejandro on whether or not she was able to stay in our association. Her cold reception when everyone "greeted" her told me it was going to be very unlikely.

Cindy looked haunted as her mother entered the room, as if her presence opened an infested wound. "What are you doing here, mother?"

"Cindy," said her mother with a fake, sweet voice. "I am so glad you are here. You are about to witness your father and I to get back together." She turned to me with a look full of arrogance and said, "You don't really believe that you stand a chance, do you?"

"Of course I do. Do you really think that you stand a chance?"

"Mmm hmm." said Mattie, Mateo's mother, sarcastically. I really liked that woman.

Serena looked at her direction and said, "And what do you think you are doing, letting this down-town trash in the house?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" asked Mattie.

"That so-called trash, as you called her, is now part of my extended family, and you my dear, are already on strike two, and you haven't even been here five minutes yet."

She gave me a smirk that said "You don't think I really care, do you?"

Cindy looked like she was about to cry. "Why are you even here? It's not like you care about him."

"Now Cindy, you have begged me for years to take you back to your father. Don't you think it is time I finally did so?"

"It's because she no longer qualifies for child-support, isn't it?" I asked.

"You got that right," said Mateo. Mattie snickered with him. Cindy remained silent, too hurt from her mother's past actions to laugh. Serena meanwhile looked like she was going to blow a gasket. "Not looking so serene, now, are we Miss Serena," Mateo continued. Even Cindy managed to giggle a little with that wise-crack.

Serena looked even redder. She turned to me, her eyes full of burning flame. "I AM NOT GOING TO LET A LITTLE GOLD-DIGGING WHORE LIKE YOU STAND BETWEEN ME AND MY FUTURE!"

"I am not a whore, or a gold digger; and for the record, before I married Alejandro, my worth was more than three times his."

"What? How can that be?"

"I know why," said Maria. "My son was cut out of the Jones' fortune. He requested it himself. His father was guilty of doing many evil things, and he wanted no part of it. Whatever money he made, it was of his own earnings."