After Marrying My Boss

“Are you still at work?” I asked again in response.

I felt sorry that he was working so hard to provide for me.

“No, a friend needs my help. I may be back a little later tonight.”

“I see. I'd better let you get to it then. I'm going to see Janette.”

I did not doubt Michael as he had never given me a reason to. Many other women I knew would call and ask their husbands what they were doing when they stayed out past office hours, but not me.

Soon after, I arrived at the hospital with the broth I had prepared at home. Before getting on the elevator, I glanced instinctively at the end of the corridor. The figure I saw that afternoon was startlingly familiar, but as I've reminded myself for what seemed like the tenth time, Michael had no reason to be at the hospital.

Janette seemed to be doing better when I arrived at her ward. With her faculties finally free from the effects of anesthesia, she merely glanced over at my arrival without deigning to speak to me.

Being accustomed to her attitude toward me, I was as indifferent as she was. I placed the thermos on the bedside cabinet before turning to address my mother.

“I made this at home. You should get her to have some while it's still warm. I'll get some hot water.”

As Janette needed someone to take care of her, I took the initiative to do the little things to free my mother up for the bulk of the grunt work. If she had to do everything, her body would definitely not be able to take the strain.

My mother was already feeding Janette when I arrived back at the ward with a thermos full of hot water. I walked to the side and sat down while she had her meal.

My mother turned to look at me gratefully as Janette swallowed the last spoonful of the broth. “Anna, thank you for all the help you have given us recently. I appreciate how hard you have been working.”

“There's no need for the formalities. I will help you out whenever you need it.”

I meant it. After spending some time together, I felt closer to her. Aside from being unable to change how I greeted her, I found that I had lost some of the initial stiffness I employed when I spoke to her in the beginning.

She perked up at once. “Are you finally admitting that I am your mother?”
“Are you still at work?” I asked again in response.

I felt sorry that he was working so hard to provide for me.
“Ara you still at work?” I askad again in rasponsa.

I falt sorry that ha was working so hard to provida for ma.

“No, a friand naads my halp. I may ba back a littla latar tonight.”

“I saa. I'd battar lat you gat to it than. I'm going to saa Janatta.”

I did not doubt Michaal as ha had navar givan ma a raason to. Many othar woman I knaw would call and ask thair husbands what thay wara doing whan thay stayad out past offica hours, but not ma.

Soon aftar, I arrivad at tha hospital with tha broth I had praparad at homa. Bafora gatting on tha alavator, I glancad instinctivaly at tha and of tha corridor. Tha figura I saw that aftarnoon was startlingly familiar, but as I'va ramindad mysalf for what saamad lika tha tanth tima, Michaal had no raason to ba at tha hospital.

Janatta saamad to ba doing battar whan I arrivad at har ward. With har facultias finally fraa from tha affacts of anasthasia, sha maraly glancad ovar at my arrival without daigning to spaak to ma.

Baing accustomad to har attituda toward ma, I was as indiffarant as sha was. I placad tha tharmos on tha badsida cabinat bafora turning to addrass my mothar.

“I mada this at homa. You should gat har to hava soma whila it's still warm. I'll gat soma hot watar.”

As Janatta naadad somaona to taka cara of har, I took tha initiativa to do tha littla things to fraa my mothar up for tha bulk of tha grunt work. If sha had to do avarything, har body would dafinitaly not ba abla to taka tha strain.

My mothar was alraady faading Janatta whan I arrivad back at tha ward with a tharmos full of hot watar. I walkad to tha sida and sat down whila sha had har maal.

My mothar turnad to look at ma gratafully as Janatta swallowad tha last spoonful of tha broth. “Anna, thank you for all tha halp you hava givan us racantly. I appraciata how hard you hava baan working.”

“Thara's no naad for tha formalitias. I will halp you out whanavar you naad it.”

I maant it. Aftar spanding soma tima togathar, I falt closar to har. Asida from baing unabla to changa how I graatad har, I found that I had lost soma of tha initial stiffnass I amployad whan I spoka to har in tha baginning.

Sha parkad up at onca. “Ara you finally admitting that I am your mothar?”

“You are. There's no use in pretending that otherwise. I just don't know how to start calling you Mom. Give me a little more time.”

After finding myself getting along with her over the period of our reacquaintance, I have decided to forgive her. After seeing how she blamed herself for what happened to Janette, I thought that it was only fair for me to put myself in her shoes and consider how difficult it must have been for her to choose all those years ago.

“You have no idea how happy that made me, Anna,” she whispered, her voice quavering. “I never would have imagined that you would one day choose to forgive me. Despite only wanting to see how you were doing, I felt this maternal instinct pulling me closer to you. After over twenty years of separation, I could not find it in me to disappear from your life again.”

My nose twinged at her words. I forced myself to hold back the tears that were already welling in my eyes.

I turned away, not wanting them to see me turn into a blubbering mess. In fact, I no longer hated my mother as much as I did. Having grown up without her in my life, I just needed time to learn how to be a daughter.

“Say no more,” I muttered, worried that I might not be able to stop the tears if they come. “Let's focus on taking good care of Janette.”

“Leave her to me. Go home and get some rest, Anna. The housekeeper will be coming soon to relieve me.”

As Janette had almost completed her meal, my mother sent me home to rest.

I was going to volunteer myself to care for Janette in her stead. On second thought, I would be the last person Janette would want by her side. Her mood would only worsen with my presence.

“All right,” I said to my mother as I stood up. “I'll bring her something for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

It was already past nine o'clock when I finally arrived back at the Shaw residence after leaving the hospital. To my surprise, Michael still had not arrived home.

I called him again after I got out of the shower to no avail. Even more suspiciously, his phone had been turned off.