Theodore's pov
My Mother slid her ipad across the glass table until it was right under my nose.
"Care to explain Theo?"
Displayed across her screen was the article that had made my heart drop early this morning.
"Mother, it's the darn press! They're always around me like hungry vultures and creating misunderstandings like this just for cheap attention and–"
"That's not what I asked, Theo…" she said calmly, a little too calmly.
"This is you in the picture, right?" She said zooming in on the very picture while my face paled.
"I know I'm no spring chicken and my sight isn't what it used to be, but I think I can recognize my own son, it's you, right?"
I couldn't deny it.
"Yes, Mother but–!"
She sprung up to her feet so suddenly my heart skipped a vital beat or two. Then with quick giddy steps she leaped over to me, throwing her arms around my neck.
"Theo, why didn't you tell me all this time?!" She squealed with excitement.
"Mother be careful you can't overexert yourself like that,"
She waved her hand dismissively.
"Who is she? Have I met her before? Why have you been keeping your relationship a secret?"
She bombarded me with one question after the next that hit me with the impact of bullets.
"Mother calm down, it's not what you think, the woman in the picture is my secretary, Miss Emily Brown. We do not share a relationship like that. It's purely professional."
My mother was dead quiet for a couple of seconds just looking at me from head to toe as I sat down.
"I see…" she responded in a tone that made me believe she didn't at least not yet.
"You want to keep your relationship private."
No, at this point I wanted to slam my forehead into the last table.
"Mother, for goodness sakes. It's my life, maybe I'll be interested in getting married in the future but not right now. Right now my only focus is building up the company,"
"Theodore, you are one of the youngest billionaires in the country, what more do you want? Do you need the whole world before you settle down?" she asked desperately.
I raked my fingers through my hair.
"Enough, mother. I love you but when you act like this. It's just so tiring…"
"I'm trying to help you, as your mother I should–"
"As my mother you should let me breathe, I'm so fed up with these stupid blind dates that take up my precious time!"
The look of hurt that spread across her face hit me like a whip, inwardly I reminded myself that my tone had been too harsh because of all the built up anger I had over this.
"Mother, can we talk about this another–"
I was caught off as she doubled over and broke into fits of heavy coughing. I helped her to a seat and call out desperately to the maids for them to bring her medicine.
Soon a brunette a maid arrived with the drugs in one hand and a bottle of water and the other surrendering them to me and I hope to my mother to take them, she gulped down the water and medicine together while I rubbed her back and slowly I watched the colour come back to her face.
Relief washed over me and I sighed.
"Mother, how are you feeling now?"
She forced a smile on her face, "I'm quite fine dear, you don't have to worry."
Only my mom could say that while she nearly fell over coughing a second ago.
"Maybe we should go to the hospital…" I said, already fishing out my phone to call the ambulance. She placed her hand on my screen.
"No, I'm fine. I'm also sick and tired of hospitals…"
She leaned back on her chair.
"What I would really love would be to see you happily married, then having grand babies to spoil…"
She looked at me, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.
"Son, forgive this fussy old woman," she said as I took the bottle of water from her and placed it on the table.
"It's just that I'm worried, what if one day…my sickness worsens and then you'll have no one–"
"That won't happen," I said quickly, "Mother, you have the best doctors…you will recover, I'll be here for you…"
She nodded.
"I know, Theo …"
Her eyes pooled up with so much sadness that I couldn't refuse her request anymore.
"Actually, Mother. I didn't want to mention this before…but Miss Brown and I…we…"
I gulped.
"We've actually been seeing each other for some time now,"
The way my mother's face instantly lit up was a pleasant yet unexpected surprise.
"Really ?" Her eyes bulged with anticipation.
I couldn't let her down so I nodded in agreement, "she's rather shy and reserved so she wanted me to keep it a secret,"
"Oh, Theo. You should have told me anyway! And I even had her scheduling your blind dates. She must have felt so uncomfortable!"
I could see myself digging the pit of lies deeper and deeper but I couldn't stop especially as my mother's smile became wider and wider.
"I want to meet her!" My mom said her voice pitching up, "I've only ever seen her in stuffy professional settings. I'd like to get to know her over a nice home cooked meal. What does she like to eat?"
This question met me like a brick wall, a strong insurmountable obstacle that barricaded my way. But I didn't become one of this country's youngest billionaires without being able to think on my feet.
"Mother, you have to slow down a little bit. First I have to explain to her that I've told you about our relationship and see how she feels about it first…"
"Of course of course," with how my mother was radiating the lights in the room seemed to be redundant.
"Then I'll be seeing both of you Thursday, I can't wait to meet my future daughter-in-law!"