Midnight in Suburbia

NaNoWriMo Day 30: Chapter 30 - The Mothers Meet

Chapter 30: The Mother's Meet

Daniella drove into the Preston's driveway, turned off the ignition, and unlocked the door. She got out of the car, walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. Helping her mother out of the car, she went up the walk, and ring the doorbell. Preston opened the door and escorted both Daniella and Amity into the living room.

"Mom," he said. "This is my fieance Daniella Coffey and her mother Amity Coffey-Shupe. Ladies, this is my mother Mari Langly. Please have a seat." He indicated the couch on which his mother was sitting. Amity sit down beside Mari and shook her hand, while Daniella turned to go back to the car.

"I have a fruitcake in the car," she said. "Why don't I..."

"I'll get it, Daniella," Preston kissed her on the cheek. "Is it in the backseat?"

"Yes," she went to the couch and sit down while Preston went out to the car.

"So," said Mari shaking Daniella's hand. "Do you make your own fruitcake?"

"Yes," she laughed. "The recipe I used with this one was taught to me by my mother."

"Ah," smiled Mari. "You both cook."

"Yes," said Amity looking around nervously.

"Is something wrong, Mrs. Shupe," ask Mari.

"Not," she smiled, "it's just that this is the first time I've been in Preston's house and..."

"Oh," laughed Mari, "it's down the hall and to your left."

"Uh, thank you, Mrs. Jones," Amity blushed.

"Please, call me Mari." She smiled, "and don't be embrased because that was the first place I looked for when I arrived her myself."

Amity got up and walked down the hall to the bath room, leaving Daniella and Mari alone.

"I understand you can your own vegetables, Ms Coffey."

"Yes, but please call me Daniella. Mrs...."

"You can call me Mari or Mama Mari, which is what my other daughter-in-law calls me."

"Very well," Daniella laughed. "Mama Mari, which is very poetic."

"Thank you," she hugged Daniella. "I'm so glad that Preston finally found someone. After the divorce, I worried that he would spend the rest of his life alone."

"No," smiled Daniella. "He won't."

"So, my dear, do you and Preston live here or at your house?"

"Uh..." Daniella did not expect Preston's mother to be so derrict. "At my house," she laughed.

"Good! That means I can get a campion to stay with me here."

"You don't like to live alone, Mama Mari?"

"I haven't lived alone since my youngest son got married," she laughed. "Now that his wife is expecting their third child there isn't any room for me there and with my artheritus, it's easier for me to live in a warmer climate."

"I see," at that moment Preston came in with the fruitcake. He waved at them and took the cake into the kitchen.

"Well," said Amity, coming back into the living room and sit down on the couch. "When are we going to eat?"

"As soon as my son finishes laying the table," said Mari. "Tell me, Amity, have you been in Las Vegas very long."

"Uh," Amity look confused. "Well, uh..."

"Relax, Dear," said Mari leaning over to hug Amity and whisper in her ear. "Amity, I'm Mari, but if it helps just call me Dear."

"No," Amity smiled. "Only a few days, but I think I may be staying a while. At least, until my son finishes getting my kitchen repaired."

At that moment, Daniella's cellphone ring. Reaching into the outside pocket of her purse she got the phone, and opened it. "Hello, Daniella Coffey speaking."

"Oh, hi Ethan, what's going on?"

"How many boxes are you shipping?"

"Everything in the attic and the closets."

"No, Ethan, I don't think you need to ship the furniture because..." Amity wave at Daniella to get her attention. "Just a minute, Ethan, I think Mom wants to talk to you." She handed the phone to her mother.

"Ethan," Amity smiled. "Ship the Sunday dishes that are in the china closet."

"No, son, those were my mother's dishes and they belong to Daniella."

She laughed, "If you and Alice live in the house you'll have to get your own set of Sunday dishes because Grandma Hattie's dishes went to Rodger."

Amity handed the phone back to Daniella, "I'll explain about the dishes later, Daniella."

Daniella watched her mother, she knew that something was wrong, but she did not know what. Amity seemed fine, but she did not act like herself. However, before she could call her mother aside, Preston came into the room.

"The table is sit and the food is waiting to be eaten," he laughed as he helped Amity up off the couch. "I think I'm going to have to purchase a new couch because that one is getting a bit worn."

"Mama Mari," said Daniella, "let me give you a hand." Then together they went into the dining room.

Preston helped Amity sit down while Daniella assisted Mari and then he assisted Daniella before taking a seat at the head of the table. Picking up a carving knife, he begin to carve the turkey. "Who want dark meat," he asked as he place a slice of meat on a plate. Amity and Mari raised their hands. So he served them dark meat and then he sliced the breast for Daniella and himself. After that he put mashed potatoes, gravy, and creamed corn on the plates and handed them to each woman.

"Thank you, Preston," said Amity. "You've had experience serving Thanksgiving feast before."

"Yes, Mama Amity," he laughed. "I hope you don't mind me calling you Mama."

"I think Mama Amity is a very good name," she laughed. "That's what Ethan's wife Alice calls me."

For the next hour they laughed and ate, while Daniella observed her mother's actions closely. Amity seemed to be joining in most of the conversation, but Daniella could tell that there was something wrong. Then when desert came Amity addressed Preston, "Larry... Uh, I mean Preston," she glanced quickly around to see if anyone had noticed. The with a sigh she started to cry.

"Amity," said Mari getting up and going to her. "It's all right, don't worry about it."

"I..." Amity got up and looked around confused. "I..."

"Amity, why don't you and I go into my bedroom and talk," said Mari as she escorted Amity down the hall. "Daniella and Preston can clear the table. Then later we'll have coffee and desert in the living room."

Preston and Daniella began clearing the table, but Daniella sit down and put her head in her hands. "I think," she said. "That Mom's doctor may have been right about the diagnose."

"What did she say," ask Preston sitting down beside her.

"She said that it appeared Mom had some form of dementia, but she couldn't be sure which type it was without tests."

"When is she having the tests?"

"As soon as I can find a doctor that specializes in elderly medicine."

"Why don't you ask Mary, I understand she used to work for a doctor here in Las Vegas, maybe she knows of someone."

"That's a good idea," she sighed. "I'll have to call Mom's insurance provider as well. I know they have doctor's here that take her insurance, but I'm not sure who."

"Daniella," he hugged her. "It's going to be all right. You Mom is here with family."

"I know," she got up and started clearing the table again. After carrying the dishes into the kitchen and putting them in the dishwasher, she helped Preston put the leftovers away and then made coffee. While the coffee was brewing, she sliced four pieces of fruit cake and carried it into the living room.

"Preston," she hugged him. "Go tell our mother's that desert is ready."

He walked down the hall and knocked on his mother's bedroom door. "Desert and coffee," he said when his mother opened the door. The he escorted Amity and Mari into the living room where he helped them sit down on the couch.

"Well," said Amity taking a bite of the fruitcake. "This has been an interesting evening."

"Yes, it has," agreed Mari. "Daniella, is your mother staying at your home?"

"Yes."

"Preston," Mari turned to her son. "When will you be going back to stay at Daniella's?"

"Probably not until after we're married?"

"That's silly," she laughed. "I know the two of you have been living together, so I don't see any reason for you to stay here."

"Mother,..."

"Preston, I have a friend back home who would like to come and stay with me."

"A friend, Mother?"