Falling In Love With Mom Ch. 05

"Maybe my dad was still ashamed of you. Jennifer told me she had a non-disclosure agreement tied into their prenup and his will."

"I was working with your dad, we met in college, he had already been building a business with help of his family. After you were born, I sold my shares and left. I traveled the world, then came back, went to Cali, New York, I partied, blew all the money, ended up in the midwest and then back to New York where we were a bunch of struggling fools. The friendships fell apart, that's when the struggle wasn't fun anymore. I ended up being a porn star for a while, ended up in Indiana, running from Detroit and my crazy boyfriend. Somehow ended up in Florida, then Arkansas. Now I'm here... been here almost six years."

Danny just chuckled.

"I know I'm not what you were expecting. You're a grown man, I can't be your mommy, but I can be a mom to you... I can be-"

"What? Keep doing what we're doing?"

"We were doing okay. You can't tell me it all means nothing now? The woman you started to fall in love with, is still right here, Danny. Don't tell me you weren't falling for me- you might've been raised by Henry and Jenny, but you take after me, more than you know. I am terribly sorry that I abandoned you, I deeply regret ever doing it. You're always going to be my son, even if only through genetics... and those genes run real deep in you."

"I'm not like you."

"Think about the past two days and tell me that. Don't sit here and deny that we're exactly alike. You have Henry's hair and his morals... everything else about you comes from me. It wasn't a coincidence that that waitress said we look alike. We think alike, we act alike."

"Are those genes supposed to make me forgive you?"

"No... you're right to be mad, I want you mad at me, I deserve it. I've been miserable for years... I deserve for you to hurt me like you are. I know in your heart that you love me and you're in love with me, Like I am you."

He rolled his eyes with a deep sigh.

"Be mad, be mad for days, weeks, but please don't abandon me," her tears fell again, "please don't, Danny. You were already giving me a chance... keep giving me a chance... you're just going to hurt yourself. I won't bother you, but if there's anything else you need to know, call me. Take your time but don't abandon me."

Danny was angry that she was right.

"Stop acting like you know me."

"I know that they raised you better than that. I also know something that Jenny doesn't know and Henry would never tell a soul- not even you."

"Like what?"

"A little something to do with his side of the family, and a lot to do with mine. I bet you never met your real family on my side."

"No... no I haven't."

"When you're ready, I'll tell you, then it'll all make sense. I don't want to replace Jenny, I just want to be in your life."

"You screwed that up."

"I know."

"So I think I'll still be okay, just like I have been, without you," he stood up.

"Then can I have a hug goodbye."

"Fine," he leaned over and hugged her.

"I'll wait for you."

"There's no need for that," his eyes narrowed at her.

"Don't you want any kind of relationship with me, Danny? Please? I know I wasn't there, but I'm still your mother. If I could do it again, I'd have stayed- we were off to a good start before we found out... please don't throw it all away... don't throw me away. Be mad all you want, even if you don't see me as your mother- we're still family, Danny... I can... I can play the weird eccentric cool aunt. I'm begging you to gimme a chance," she started to sob, "yell and scream, tell me I'm a bane of this world... hit me, beat me, just don't leave, Danny."

"Did you at least name me?"

"Daniel Lamont Fullard."

He just sighed and walked out the door and heard her sobbing grow to a full blown cry, as she cursed herself, he couldn't tear himself away from listening, yet couldn't bare to stand there either. Even if it could've been mostly her fault, she was still alone, there he was, everything she wanted, ready to leave her, like she did him. The walk back to the car felt longer than it did the day before, he could still hear her down the hall of the mostly quiet building. He reached his car and his heart felt like it was going to seize up, he never needed her before, he told her how he felt, but it didn't feel good treating the woman he was falling in love with, that way, but it was before he found out who she really was.

"I should've listened to fucking Carson," he scolded himself, taking one last look at her building before driving away.