Against the Odds

Chapter 21

"Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no The audacity to kick me out of the room! How in the world am I supposed to regulate the conversation if I'm not there? Poor Hunter. It's been fifteen minutes, what could my mother possibly be talking to him about? Oh, for Pete's sake. I have my ear pressed against the door as a nurse passes by and stares at me, puzzled. Awkward. I sheepishly smile at her as I try to pull away nonchalantly.

The nurse opens her mouth slightly to say something but then decides to leave it alone. Oh, thank God. I sit back down on the bench outside the door and tap my feet nervously against the floor. The creaking of the door opening grabs my attention and Hunter pokes his head out.

I narrow my eyes, trying to decipher his mood. He's not running out of the room, that's a good sign.

"How did it go?" I ask, slowly. I should have left my phone in there with the voice recording app on. Dang it!

"We had a great conversation," Hunter smiles, and there's a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

I jerk up and storm into the room. My mom is sitting on the couch by a small coffee table. She switched rooms after she finished her acute rehab. This new space is a bit more homey, with an actual bed rather than a hospital one.

"Mother," I say through my teeth. "What did you tell him?"

"Oh, please relax, Delilah." My mom laughs. "I just got to know your boyfriend a little bit better."

I look up at Hunter who's standing behind me, his palm is on the small of my back. "What did she ask you?" I whisper to him.

My mother clears her throat. "I just asked him what his intentions were."

The color drains from my face. His intentions? What is this? The 50's? "Uh-" I begin but my mother cuts me off.

"I approve," she states, as she takes a sip of her tea. I'm about to go flip the coffee table over. How am I not privy to his intentions but my mother is?!

Hunter rubs my back. "Your mother is lovely, Lilah."

Am I in an alternate dimension?. "Well, I'm glad you're both on the same page. I expect you'll give him a hefty dowry," I huff.

My mother rolls her eyes. "Don't be such a sass, Delilah," she scolds.

Hunter lowers his mouth to my ear. "Yeah Delilah, don't be such a sass," he whispers.

I subtly nudge my elbow into his abdomen, and he chuckles. Laughter was not the reaction I was going for! "Now that you're acquainted, I think it's time for us to leave." I walk over to my mom and give her a hug. "Goodbye, mother."

My mom hugs me back tightly. It's wonderful to see her getting her strength back. "Have a good weekend, honey." She pulls away. "Oh, by the way. I might get to go home earlier than we thought. Maybe in the next couple of weeks!"

"Really?" It'll be nice to spend Thanksgiving together. "That's great. Just tell me when, ok?"

My mom nods and looks at Hunter. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Hunter."

"You too, Anita," he replies. First name basis?! What the heck did they talk about?

"Anita?" I ask Hunter as we climb into the car. "Are you BFF's now?"

"Something like that." Hunter winks and starts the car. What in the bananas!?

The drive to Connecticut is beautiful, there's a light blanket of snow covering the streets. New Haven looks like a little town out of a Hallmark movie. It's like an amalgamation of modern and dated. I've always loved brick buildings, and this stretch of New Haven is a dream.