Fight Left In Me ✔

Chapter 36 - Maman

They drive over to Dart's childhood home, singing along to the radio happily. Jo falls silent the second Dart drives up to a huge gate. The gate opens and Dart drives through it. The driveway is long and wide and there are trees on both sides. Jo sees a huge mansion in the distance and swallows. Dart parks the car and walks around it to Jo's side to open the door for her. He helps her out and holds her hand on the way to the front door. Jo tries her hardest not to get overwhelmed by the big house and the gorgeous grounds surrounding it. 

They walk inside and Jo looks at the hallway in awe. It looks like it's right out of a magazine. Dart walks over to a small table and picks up a note. "My mom is out for a bit. Which gives me time to show you my room. Follow me." He walks up the stairs and Jo follows him, keeping her eyes on his back. She's way too nervous to look at all the expensive things around her. 

He opens a door and lets her walk in first. Jo takes a few steps and looks around, a huge smile appearing on her face. A-team posters all around his room and she even spots a toy version of the A-team van. And comic books everywhere! Dart winks at her and said: "When you said the only van better than the Scooby Doo one was the A-team's van, I knew you'd like this room. I used to be worried about showing it to a girl. Not any more." 

Jo walks over to him and says: "I love it! And it feels so relaxed in here." 

Dart pulls her into his arms and says: "Yeah, this was my sanctuary. I spent hours in here, reading comics."

A voice from downstairs calls out: "D'Artagnan?" Dart lets go of Jo and quickly walks out of his room, replying to the voice in French. He walks back to Jo and says: "Come on love. Maman is home." Jo closes her eyes for a second, breathing in and out slowly. She grabs Dart's hand and they go downstairs together. Jo looks at the slim woman, waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. She is wearing an obviously very expensive skirt-suit and her hair is perfect. She looks lovingly at Dart, but her eyes turn cold when she looks over at Jo. 

Jo's heart skips a beat, but Dart drags her with him down the stairs. When he reaches his mother, he lets go of Jo's hand and hugs his mother warmly. Jo can see the love between them and her nerves seem to calm down a bit. They speak a few words in French to each other, before Dart pulls Jo close and says: "Maman, this is Jo. The love of my life." 

His mother holds out her hand to Jo and Jo shakes it softly. "Nice to meet you." Dart's mom looks her over from head to toe and says: "Yes." She turns around and says something in French and walks away. 

Dart seems a bit surprised for a second and then takes Jo's hand and says: "We're having tea together, come."

Dart's mother is sitting in a chair, straight as an arrow and with an ice cold look on her face. She speaks up softly, but firm: "D'Artagnan, could you leave for a bit? I need to talk to Jo alone." 

Dart looks at Jo and is about to say no to his mom, when Jo says: "It's okay. Go." Jo sits down in one of the chairs and forces her mouth into a smile for Dart. She has gotten this far, she is not running away without giving it her all. Dart drops his shoulders and drags his feet out of the room. 

His mother says: "Show me your engagement ring." Jo leans over to her and holds out her hand. Dart's mum inspects the ring and says: "A black diamond? Such a strange choice. Not very feminine or sophisticated." 

Jo pulls her hand back and says: "I love it. Because Dart chose it for me and because it's not like any other engagement ring out there." She smiles as she touches the ring and waits for the other woman to speak. 

"Let me ask you this Jo. Would you still marry him if there was a prenup?" 

Jo speaks without thinking and says: "Of course. I love him with all my heart and money has nothing to do with it."