The CEO’s Quadruplets

Empathetic, Behati nodded with understanding as she replied, “You’ve got a lot on your plate. I had such a temper when I was pregnant. It’s those wretched hormones! Don’t worry, darling, if something is wrong, you will sort it out. I have faith in you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Isabella said as she gave her bubbly mother a hug.

“Now, if you do not mind, baby girl, I am going to be break into that lovely tower of French pastry!”

Isabella laughed and replied knowing she could not deny her mother’s sweet tooth. “Go ahead. Be my guest!”

Behati beamed as she went to work on the one thing no party guest was touching. Isabella could see that she was not the only one eager to explore. Her mother looked unafraid as she chatted with the younger women and got an attendant to help break into the sugary concoction cementing the pastries together. Isabella took her little plate, and sat down on the sofa.

It was not before long that people congregated in the living room around her, and when every guest arrived they went into the display of gifts. All the women oohed and aahed over the array of onesies, designer blankets, and baby gifts from places as far as Tokyo and Paris. The Blakes had a way of showing off, and her in-laws did not exclude their baby shower gifts from that family trait. Isabella enjoyed the more practical gifts more, but smiled brightly as she thanked each person. By the end of it, Isabella’s body was shrouded in tissue paper. The attendants came and quickly cleared away the wrappings and trimming from the gifts as women uncrowded the living room and went back to the party.

Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves without noticing she sat alone. Isabella’s feet were tired, and she was fine to keep herself company. However, Amory’s mother remained seated in her chair. Isabella had hardly noticed or heard her since the party arrived. It seemed uncommon, and it made her wonder if something was wrong with her mother-in-law. Her gaudy makeup did not make the usual mask on her face, and the woman looked almost sober. Isabella greeted her calmly, not knowing what else to do.

“Hello, Valentina, how are you?” Isabella offered with no expectation of having the interaction going much further than this one nicety. “Are you enjoying the shower?”

“Oh, me?” the woman mused with a blank look on her surgically-frozen face. “I’m doing quite all right. What have I ever had to complain about? Everything is always perfect, isn’t it?”

Isabella felt confused and a bit scared. She had no clue where this would lead her. Chats like this one with Valentina Blake usually ended with her yelling. She had bad memories of similar beginnings at holiday brunches and evening dinners. A chill ran down Isabella’s spine as she sipped her drink, hoping the conversation would end there. However, it did not.

            “I know you think that I do not like you,” Valentine said without any prompting.

            Isabella was a bit shocked. Her jaw nearly dropped as she realized that her mother-in-law was talking to her alone. There was no buffer or reason for small talk. She just sat down, swirling the champagne in her glass before sipping it. Isabella set her plate of assorted fruits and cheeses aside to look Valentina dead on.

            “I- I don’t know what you mean,” Isabella partially lied because she knew that she always felt something icy between them but still had no clue where this statement came from.

            The woman smiled wryly with the turn of her mouth not reaching her eyes. “We’ve always been distant, and I can you tell that you think I do not like you. It isn’t true. I just never really knew you.”

            “Oh,” Isabella said dumbly as Valentina took a pause to sip her drink.

“It didn’t help that my son married you a million miles away from me. I’m not one for traditions typically, but I do enjoy a big family wedding. Even if you do hate the people who are there, weddings are supposed to be about a community supporting a marriage. It’s a nice sentiment, but as you know we never broached the subject before the day came. I could have even had all the best vendors in the city at your fingertips. I might have even enjoyed helping with my boy’s wedding, or shopping with your for a dress. After all, Anne decided to get married in a white jumpsuit. It was pretty, but I know you would have chosen something more feminine and elegant. You have always seemed to have good taste, Isabella.”

            “We’ve never spoken much… have we?” Isabella replied as her body began to slowly unclench from nervousness.

The compliment might have been the first she ever heard out of Valentina’s mouth. At least, it was the first time she had ever intentionally said something to flatter Isabella. Bella could tell that the woman meant it too. There was no pretense or hint of deception in her dark eyes. She had never noticed that Amory got his eyes from his mother.

            The artificial-looking Sicilian woman shook her head. “No, my girl, we did not. My son started keeping his companions at arm’s length from me early on. I think it was a preservation tactic. I was never one for social decorum. It’s dull. It’s too easy. Messy things have so much to look at. It’s why I love my Pollock piece so much.”

            “You do keep people on their toes, Valentina.”

            “Yes, I do enjoy that.” She laughed darkly. “But my baby boy is another story. When I had him, I thought Amory was the only child I ever was going to have. It’s why I named him Amory. The opener of the book involving his doting mother in a high society world reminded me so much of what I thought my life would be with my baby boy. My relationship with his father was never very good, and we were nearly separated around the time I was pregnant. I started to put my child before my husband, which was not a bad thing. However, it did come with a price.”