Chapter 33 - In it for Love

Mara smiled sweetly at me, and with a nudge and a turn of her head she indicated I speak to my Mom. I knew I had overstepped the line and rose from Mara's side and went across to my Mom.
"Coffee?"
she looked up at me, tears in her eye's and hurt written across her face. Taking her hand I pulled her gently for her to get up from her seat. She rose and I walked with her hand still in mine to the door. Opening the door I said "come with me Ma, lets have a coffee together. I want to talk to you and most importantly apologise." raising her hand to my face she stroked my cheek and smiled. We both exited the room, Mara and her mom waved us to go, I guess they were going to talk too, after all it was not everyday your boyfriend had connections with deranged ex wife's and mother in law's who were would be assigns.

Walking down the corridor to the hospital coffee shop I spoke to my mom.
"Ma, I am really sorry, jeez sometimes I'm a real dumbass. the Bongiovi temper always gets the better of me."
"Umm it does and your stink eye."
"I didn't give you a stink eye? did I"
"Well if you didn't you gave a good impression of one. Son, I am not out to control you in anyway, but, the way you spoke to that Detective was awful. disrespectful. on top of which it was embarrassing to listen and watch in front of Mara and her Mom. I understand your reason's for being angry, but that man was doing his job, I dunno sometimes I just don't recognise who you are anymore.... and well that saddens me in a way."
"I am a disappointment to you?"
"I didn't say that, I said sometimes I don't know who you are anymore."
I stopped my mom in her tracks and made her look at me.
"Why? what have I done to change? "
"the outbursts Jon, you have always had the Bongiovi temper, and that's not a bad thing when its needed, but behaving as you have the last few weeks, the aggression, well... it's not who you are.... and it saddens me."
I listened taking in what my ma said, a deep sadness filling my heart.
I had behaved out of character, but with good reason I thought, with Dot, the fire and the attempted murder, how else could I handle this?
"I'm sorry, I guess with everything that has happened I just lost it for a second..."
"It's not a second, its been with everyone.... the only person to escape your outburst has been Ruth. what is going on, there is more to this than what has happened to Mara. I can see hurt and pain in your eye's. I'm your mom I know you better than anyone, so what gives."
"I will explain ma I promise, but not here in the hallway of the hospital and not in front of Mara ok, there is more to this and I really don't want her to know what happened at Dots. When I take you home we can talk then ok?"
" Dot's? you are in contact with Dot?... and home? I'm not going home....Mara..."
"Mom, Mara is ok, and Ruth is with her, you have been an angel coming to my rescue and Mara's when I no we needed you...... but now I am telling, no asking you to go home and get some rest... please... for me.."
"I'll talk to Ruth first, we are on shifts ya know... if she is ok with it I will go home..... I promise ok. Mara is a really lovely girl...... and just so you know I would welcome her as a daughter" my ma turned her head slightly to look up at me with a smile spread across her face."
laughing I answered.... "Don't push it..."


Reaching the Coffee shop we got four take out coffee's, one for ma and me and one each for Ruth and Mara, then began the walk back. Clearing the air had been good so far, and I wanted to continue....
"Thank you"
"For what?"
"For everything... from helping me overcome my depression and bringing me up right, for introducing me to Mara... well I guess just everything.... you are the best mom in the world and I am truly blessed to have you.... I love you mom."
Stopping again, my ma looked up at me then pulled me close  for a warm hug, a warm smile filled her lips spreading across her face. It was god to see her smile.
"Thank you, that means the world to me. but then so do you" then linking her arm through mine, that's how we walked back to Mara's room.

Back inside, Mara and her Mom were talking, both stopping and turned to look at us as we re entered.
"Sorry to interrupt ladies, I've bought you both a drink, passing a coffee to Ruth, I put Mara's on her side cabinet, and I continued with my apology's.
"Ruth I am so sorry for my outburst earlier, I hope you will believe me when I tell you, I was not keeping anything from Mara, I was shocked at what I had learnt and just wanted to protect her for a long as possible...... I am really sorry."
"It's ok, Jon, really, no apology needed. I am grateful to you for looking out for my daughter. but as you are finding out; she is a force to be controlled in her own right. You two are so right together, you are each others yin and yang. I know your intentions and I know you don't have a bad bone in your body. So please don't' apologise to me really its not needed. as a mom though I do  think you should apologise to the detective. he was stunned and shocked when you gave him the stink eye... " Ruth said the last sentence with a grin and laughter in her voice.

I kept hearing about the stink eye, had I used it on the detective and my mom?, if I had I really had no idea I was doing it.... gotta work on that one. the guys in the band always used to refer to my giving them the stink eye when they hot wrong notes and stuff.......but hey that was needed.... but to a Detective and my mom no then was not the time.... I was definitely gonna work on that.