Three Fates

roared as Tia made a dash for the Adam mirror in Jack’s living area and did a thorough inspection for rashes or hives.
    “I don’t think that’s funny. Not one bit.”
    “You know how she likes to joke,” Rebecca commented, then glanced over toward the archway leading to the bedroom. The bags she held fell to the floor, and she was flying.
    “Ma!”
    “There’s my girl.” Eileen caught her, hugged her hard. “There’s my pretty girl.”
    “Ma. What’re you doing here? How did you get here? Oh, I missed you.”
    “What I’m doing is unpacking my things, and I got here on a plane. I missed you, too. Just let me look at you.” Eileen pulled her back, studied her face. “Happy, are you?”
    “I am, yes. Very happy.”
    “I knew he was for you when you brought him home for tea.” She sighed, pressed her lips to Rebecca’s brow while all the years whizzed by in her head. “Now, introduce me to your friends here, who I’ve already heard so much about from my boys.”
    “Tia and Cleo, my mother, Eileen Sullivan.”
    “It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Sullivan.” Malachi’s mother, Tia thought, panicked. “I hope you had a pleasant flight.”
    “I felt like a queen, lolling about in first class.”
    “Yeah, well, it’s a long one though.” Uneasy, Cleo tugged on Tia’s sleeve. “We’ll split and let you rest up. Catch up. All that.”
    “Indeed you won’t.” Eileen’s smile was friendly, and her mind made up. “We’ll have a nice cozy pot of tea and a chat. The boys are down below doing some devious thing or the other, so we’ll take advantage of the time. Such a fine, big flat this is,” she added, glancing around. “There must be the makings for tea somewhere in it.”
    “I’ll make it,” Tia said quickly.
    “I’ll help.” Cleo nipped at her heels all the way into the kitchen. “What are we supposed to talk to her about?” she hissed. “Oh, hi, Mrs. Sullivan. We really enjoy sex with your sons when we’re not out breaking into buildings.”
    “Oh God. Oh God.” Tia put her head in her hands. “What did we come in here for?”
    “Tea.”
    “Right. I forgot. Okay.” She opened two cupboards before she remembered where she herself had stored the tea. “Well, she has to know. Oh God!” Tia opened the fridge, found an open bottle of wine. She pulled out the stopper and took a pull straight from the bottle. “She has to know something about the other. Either Malachi or Gideon would call her regularly. We know she knows about the Fates and Anita and at least some portion of the plans. As for the other . . .”
    Tia tried to calm down as she measured out tea. “They’re grown men, and she seems like a reasonable woman.”
    “Easy for you. She’s probably going to be all right with the idea of her firstborn cozied up with a published author with a Ph.D. and an apartment on the Upper East Side. But I don’t see her doing cheers when she finds out her baby boy is doing it with a stripper.”
    “That’s insulting.”
    “Well, Jesus, Tia, who could blame her? I—”
    “No, not to Mrs. Sullivan, to you.” With the tea canister still in hand, Tia turned. “You’re insulting a friend of mine, and I don’t like it. You’re brave and loyal and smart, and you have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to apologize for.”
    “That was well said, Tia.” Eileen stepped into the kitchen and watched both women blanch. “I can see why Malachi’s so taken with you. And as for you,” she said to Cleo. “It happens I trust my baby boy’s judgment and have always admired his taste. And Mal’s, as well. I’ll start there with the both of you, and we’ll see how we get on. See that water boils full before you pour it,” she added. “Most Yanks never can get a decent pot of tea made.”
    When Jack came into the apartment thirty minutes later, he noted three things simultaneously. Tia was flustered, Cleo was stiff. And Rebecca was glowing.
    It was Rebecca who rose, slowly, walked to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, brought her mouth to his for a long, lingering kiss.
    “Thanks,” she said.
    “You’re welcome.” He kept an arm around her waist as he looked over at her mother. “Settling in all right, Eileen?”
    “Couldn’t be more comfortable, thank you, Jack. Now, I’m hearing from the three girls here that you’ve all got more plans for this woman who’s after hurting my family. I hope we can sit down and find a way I might help you out with