Chapter five

His lips were warm and soft. They parted slightly, allowing my tongue to slip inside.

This was wrong, I was not ready for a relationship with this man, especially when I know he was hiding things from me.

Liking him or worse falling in love with him will not end well for me.

I was too vulnerable after the betrayal I just received, who could blame me. 

But knowing all that, I could not pull away. I heard footsteps approaching, someone was coming.

“Mr Stone?" Mrs Rolly said entering the room, as we jumped apart. Max had a surprise expression on his face.

While my mind was jumbled, how could I kiss him? I've always loved Daniel, he was my first kiss. He was my everything. How could I betray him?

I shook my head, remember Selena, Daniel was the one that betrayed you, with your best friend nonetheless.

“What is it, Mrs Rolly? I thought I said no disturbance, that I and Selena had something to discuss.”

"Sir, a woman is here to see Mrs Stone.”

Mrs Rolly replied.

That brought me back from my thoughts “A woman is here to see me?" I asked Mrs Rolly. 

Who can that be. Oh my God was is June, I was not ready to see her, not yet at least.

“She said her name is Mrs Brown and that she is your mother.”

My mother was here, at this time of the day, looking for me. It was so strange, that I kept on looking at Mrs Rolly.

Mrs Rolly gave me a concerned look. I had no idea how to respond to that. Luckily for me Max saw that I could not bring myself to respond because he answered for me.

"We will see her, make her wait in the sitting room. Selena and I will join her shortly." 

As Mrs Rolly walked out, I turned my gaze to Max. "You said we.” I realize that was the first thing I had said to him since the kiss we just had.

“Yes, we are both going to see her together, you can do the talking but I am not leaving you alone with her."

My heart thundered in my chest. I shook my head, letting what I just felt to go away. Shaking my head does wonders to rein me back to reality.

“Ok then, let's go, if I know my mother very well, she will not like to be kept waiting."

As we walked to the sitting room, a conscious feeling came over me, as it as always been when my parents presence were around me.

They were never happy about any decision I made or things I do.

At least they were right about Daniel, even that was because Daniel was not rich enough for their standard.

I saw my mother before she saw me, she looked beautiful and composed as always, my parents were not rich by any means but they were good at putting on a show.

“Selena! My darling girl, I have been so worried about you."

She gave a bone crashing hug. Her response to me was so surprising, it was not what I expected.

“Your father and I, searched everywhere for you. After we left to give you space, we called so many times to check up on you but your phone was not going through."

She just kept on talking. I was a little bit happy that at least my parents had not abandon me as I thought they had.

“Then surprise surprise, June came to see us today, she said she saw you, that before she could approach you, you left and she saw you got on a man's car."

“What! June came to see you?" I asked my mother. 

“Yes, she did, my guess was she just wanted to be sure about who you were with. She said the man looked like Max Stone, darling the Max Stone.”

I think that was when it occurred to my mother that we were not alone. She looked sideways and saw Max, her eyes widened.

“Ohh darling so it is true, you are staying with Max Stone.”

“Your father and I could not believe it, we tried to warn you about Daniel, that he was not what you needed.”

“So you can imagine our surprise when we heard about you staying with a proper man.”

By proper my mother means rich. I can not believe June has the audacity to visit my parents about me.

"Mom, how was June when you saw her, did you notice anything strange.” I asked my mother.

“Why will I notice anything about her? I was livid when I saw her. Your father had to be the one to speak to her, because if I saw her I would strangle her.”

"You must be Max Stone, I'm Selena's mother, Mrs Brown." 

My mother just turned to Max, hands outstretched waiting for a shake, my conversation with her was done.

“It is lovely to meet you ma'am." Max responded by shaking her hand.

My mother was still staring at Max, the atmosphere becoming awkward. I jumped in and said. "Mom, where is Dad, did he not come with you?” 

My mother turned to me and answered, “He is at home, his heart gave a little scare. You know how people talk in our community, everybody was talking about how Daniel jilted you."

I felt shame course through me, I knew people were going to talk, but since I married Max and moved into this place, I was shielded from the talking.

We sat down, Mrs Rolly brought snacks and drinks. And my mother filled the room with conversations which were mostly aimed at Max.

After a while, my mother asked, “Selena, when are you coming home? I went to your apartment and they said you moved out, looking for this place was not easy. It was June who gave us this address, she said she attended a charity function here a long time ago. Well?”

"Well what mom, I can't move in with you. Instead of moving in, I will just look for a little place to piece myself together.”

"Mrs Brown, your daughter is safe here, you can be assured of that.” Max said to my mother.

All through the conversation with my mother, which I know Max was tired of, he kept nodding and answering my mother's questions.

He kept to his word. He did not intrude, he just sat there and listened. That action gave me flutters in my stomach.

“But she can't stay with you, a single man, that's not proper, she is not your wife, neither is she working in your home.” 

I did not want to tell my mother that I am in fact his wife, she will like it too much, all because of the money my parents think they will get from this marriage. 

She turned her attention to me, “It is not proper Selena."

For someone who loves money, my mother also loves her traditional way of doing things, which includes not staying with a man unless you are married to him.

“Mom, he lives with his daughter, so there is nothing wrong with that.” I said to her 

“What! you are working as a nanny, what about your office Job, you were fired?"

A disappointed look was sent in my direction. "Selena, your father will be so disappointed in you. I can't believe you did this to yourself, first you allowed Daniel to cheat on you and now you lost your job and to make it worse you are working as a nanny."

I replied to her in a small voice," Mom you know Daniel cheating on me was not my fault, besides I'm not working as a nanny, I still have a job at Queens plc.”

“Then why are you staying here?" My mother asked angrily, her patience with me wearing thin.

“She is my wife! I do not like how you are blaming her for something that was done by someone else and she is not going anywhere, this is her home.”

My mother and I snapped our necks to Max's face. He was angry. Well I was angry too. What has he done, telling my mother we were married was a mistake.

“What!” My mother said, her eyebrows arching upwards while her jaw hangs slack.