I pushed past her and walked into the house without responding to her. I knew where my mother was without her help. The sitting room was the place my mother always went to be alone. She would sit on the white velvet chaise lounge that had once been my grandmother's and she would stare out at the water through the large picture windows that lined the room.
I ignored the click of Angelina's heels as she followed behind me. Everything about her grated on my nerves. Her being here in the middle of a family situation on the day of my father's funeral only added to my disgust. Why was she doing this? What did she think this would win her? I owned it all now. Me. Not my father. And certainly not my mother. I was now the Kerrington in control.
"Mother," I said as I walked into the sitting room without knocking. She didn't need a chance to send me away. Not that I would go without having this conversation. As wrong as she had been, I loved her. She was my mom, even though she had always stood beside my father and never once thought of me. It had always been about what they wanted for me. But it didn't make me love her less.
She didn't turn her attention from the gulf view outside. "Woods, I was expecting you." Nothing more. It hurt. We had both lost a part of our lives with my father's death. She didn't see it that way. She never would.
I walked over to stand in her line of view. "We need to talk," I replied simply.
She shifted her eyes to look up at me. "Yes, we do."
I could have let her control this conversation but I wasn't going to. It was time I set some boundaries. Especially now that I had Della with me and we were back in Rosemary.
"At least he came alone." Angelina's voice came from the door and I jerked my head to glare at her intrusion. She wasn't a part of this.
"This doesn't concern you. You may leave," I replied in a cold tone.
She flinched.
"She is a part of this. She's going to stay with me. I need someone here so I'm not alone and Angelina understands that. She's a good girl. She would have made an excellent daughter-in-law."
I understood my mother's pain at losing my father was fresh---and she was in pain. But I wouldn't let her control this. It was time I made some things very clear for both of them. "She would have been a selfish spoiled bitch of a daughter-in-law. I was lucky enough to realize it before it was too late and I ruined my life." I heard both of their sharp intakes of breath but I wasn't about to let them speak. "I control everything now, Mother. I will take care of you. I will make sure you want for nothing. However, I will not accept or acknowledge Angelina in my life. More importantly, I will not allow anyone to hurt Della. I will protect her from both of you. She is my perfection. She holds my heart in her hands. When she hurts it brings me to my knees. There is no way to explain to you the way I feel about her. Just understand that I will not allow anyone to hurt her again. I won't forgive that. I lose a piece of my soul when I see her in pain."
The tight line of my mother's mouth was the only answer I needed. She wasn't accepting this. Today wasn't the day to try to convince her about my feelings for Della. She was mourning and I was still angry with the man she was mourning. "If you need anything, call me. When you're ready to talk to me without resentment toward Della, then call me. We will talk. You're my mother and I love you. But I won't let you near Della, nor will I put you before her. Understand that if you make me choose, I will choose her without a second thought."
I walked over and placed a kiss on the top of my mother's head before walking past Angelina without a word. It was time I got back home. Della didn't do well alone. I was always anxious when I left her.
Della
He still hadn't cried. No emotion at all. I hated that. I wanted him to grieve. He needed to let it out instead of bottling