Chapter 21: Mother vs Daughter

Alicia P.O.V

The first question my mother asked Ace was a simple one but when she asked if he was living alone I flinched a bit and my mother being my mother took it as a mission to know why Ace really did what he said he took everything upon himself if I let this situation ongoing she will hate him for life that's for sure my brother was awfully quiet but I understand him even I was tempted to say nothing and just leave but I knew I couldn't do that I love my mother but I was already 18 years old I could make my own choice I know every parent are overprotective of their child ... ok almost every parent but I wished my mother would trust my judgment more but then again I can understand her Ace is a new face for her and he will be living with her daughter from now on 

-MOM! Stop it. Ace take my brother for a spin I need to talk to my mother alone

-Alright Alicia. Derrick come, Ms. Augello, it was a pleasure you have a lovely house 

After making sure Ace and my brother had left, hearing his car drive away I knew they would be gone for a while. I looked at my mother across the living room table I was trying to figure out what I should start with but my mother didn't give me the time

-I knew something was wrong this morning when I saw this note

-Mom don't you think you are overreacting also like Ace said it was not in his plan it was mine 

-You are going to live with a man you barely know and you think I am overthinking things

-Well at least I don't sleep with a man I met for the first time on an airplane

-STAY POLITE with me I'm your mother and I lived before you that's why I know it's not a good idea

-I'm not you Mom and I'm 18 years old I would have lived in the university dorm at the start of the school year anyway now I will just live with my boyfriend a little bit earlier 

-But you know next to nothing about this boy

-We've been talking every day for the past 2 and a half weeks we also talked over the phone for at least 2 hours every night I know him more than you knew Dad when you started dating him 

-You do not need to make the same mistake I did 

-That's not a mistake and even if it was it would be my mistake to make

-Sigh you won't change your mind I see 

-No I won't and I am asking you to not take your frustration out on Ace when he confessed to me I was the one who asked him if we could live together

-You realize that you will have to cook do the laundry do the chores also since you think you're ready to be an adult starting next month you will have to pay for your car insurance so you will have to find a job there's a bunch more thing to do as an adult but ill you find about those yourself she said with a proud grin thinking she got me cornered

-Hehe I know all that, well for your information Ace is a wonderful cook I lucked out on that and for the laundry and chores I'm sure I'll figure something out and yes I will need to find a way to make money or I can always ask Ace help until I make my own money (of course I wouldn't do that but my mother didn't need to know that)

-Humph smartass don't depend on men too much you need autonomy as a girl in this world also where is Ace living I assume he lives in an apartment do you plan to split all the bills 

-(giggles) I don't think that will be necessary but you're right I will need to talk about this with Ace ok Mom what about this do you want to help me move my things to Ace's place will that reassure you a little bit and that would help me because I'm pretty sure I can't fit all my things in Ace car I asked my mother

-You think your little boyfriend will agree to this?

-I am sure he will you and Derrick can stay for dinner too as such I'll show off my boyfriend's skill I said with a wide smile

-Tsk we'll see about this, they're cardboard in the garage I won't help you pack your things I need a drink 

-Mom it's only 11 in the morning...

-I bet there's a place somewhere on this earth where it is 5 in the evening already she said going to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine probably

I stood up and walked in the direction of the garage after taking a couple of cardboard boxes to my room I started packing my things I thought I didn't have a lot of things but as I was packing I found out that I had more stuff than I had thought, asking my mother to help me move my things was a great move 

While I was busy packing my phone began ringing I unplugged my phone from the charging block and accepted the call

-Hello Love was the first thing I heard when I put the phone on my ear which made me smile and blush at the same time

-Hi handsome!

-So how did your Mom react?

-Better than I thought honestly but I might have invited her to your place first to help me move my things because everything wouldn't have fit in your car and secondly to show off your cooking skills

-Our place Love.

-Pardon me? 

-It's our place now and I don't mind cooking for your mother I was calling because your brother was bothering me so much that I had to also invite him to our place

-I'm not surprised also we need to talk about some things my mother made me realize that we didn't talk about pretty important subjects about our cohabitation like chores and laundry she also talked about splitting the bills but I guess that won't be a problem since your family own the building (giggles) she also said I will need to pay for my car insurance so I will need to find a job 

-I forgot to tell you but my Uncle hired a maid for the chores and laundry and now that I am thinking about it I will need to call my Uncle so that he can raise her paycheck she will have twice the workload now hehe also you won't need to search for a job and no I won't pay for you I know you wouldn't like that I'm talking about the song you will release I plan on taking only 1% as my writer fee the rest is all yours Love

-I can't accept this let us do 50/50

-You realize that this song would have only stayed forever hidden if I hadn't met you right? And I don't want to sound corny but what's mine is yours so did it really matter anyway let's discuss this later

-Humph cheesy

-Hehe anyway we are coming back in 20 minutes we stopped at Uncle Louie G's on our way back so we will be back in about 20 minutes am I allowed to come back now?

-Hehe my brother is such a child yes you can come back handsome see you soon

-See you soon and for your information, I was the child this time bye love

Putting my phone down I burst out laughing I just had an image in my head of Ace with a glint of excitement in his eye salivating thinking about the ice cream he was about to eat I'm sure I was exaggerating but it still gave me a good laugh before Ace make his way back I had time to fill my Moms car the rest of the cardboard were piled up near the entrance door 

Ace P.O.V

-Derrick let go if you don't stop looking at this waitress ill leave without you

-Hey bro don't do that .. should I call you step bro now? hehe

-Hum bro sounds better no?

-You're right can I drive?

-In your dream Gnat!

We got back to the car before making our back to Alicia's house 20 minutes later I pulled into the driveway before turning off my car. Derrick took the lead opening the door while I followed behind before he could take his shoes off, Alicia stood before him and said

-Slow down bambino don't take your shoes off just yet, you're gonna help Ace load his car with my things

-So you're really gonna leave sis? said Derrick

-Yes Mom's car Is already full as soon as you and Ace finish loading his car we will leave, Ace I will drive my Moms car since I know where to go also the guard already saw me so it will be easier this way 

-Good idea and your brother will probably throw a tantrum if he can't ride in my car (giggles)

-HEY bro I'm right here you know. shout Derrick

-Sorry 'bambino' I lost sight of you for a minute there I said limiting Alicia's voice for the bambino part 

-HA HA HA very funny!

-hehehe I know right? ok ok don't look at me like that you're just too easy to tease it's almost like you're asking for it, bro

-Shut up or I might scratch your car unintentionally with those boxes 

-Alicia if your brother was to disappear one day how sad would you be?

-Stop it you two and get moving before I lose patience said Alicia

I was glad that my relationship with Alicia didn't destroy my friendship with Derrick, in fact, our friendship grew stronger or it transformed into something else entirely I couldn't be sure yet since I have never gotten into this kind of situation before the most important thing is that we got closer so I shouldn't dwell on it too much 15 minutes later we were back on the road, of course, Derrick was trying to know where we were going but that would spoil the surprise so I kept giving randoms answer the best one was when I told him I was living in new jersey hahaha his face was priceless just thinking about it makes me want to laugh again (giggles)

I didn't know how the ride was going between Alicia and her mother but I was having fun teasing Derrick so much fun that I didn't even feel the time passing before I realized I was pulling my car at the entrance of the parking lot Derrick had stopped talking ever since we enter Manhattan he was looking at every building like a child on Christmas eve the only thing that came out of his mouth when he saw where we stopped was

-FUCK ME

I let out a little laugh while I pulled down my window seeing that Oscar was about to return to the security office on the side 

-Oscar do you have a moment 

-What do you need Mr. Ace

-My girlfriend will arrive shortly with her mother's car you can put her car on the list also give a sticker for the car of her mother also the guy right beside me is his brother put the name Derrick Cook on the list with a note saying he can only come in after verification with either me or his Alicia thank you for your work Oscar

-No problem Mr. Ace it is my job said Oscar with a polite smile

Stopping the car beside the elevator to facilitate our unloading Derrick was still sitting in the car even after having taken 2 boxes out of the car

-What are you doing get your lazy-ass moving and help me, bro!

-Oh yeah yeah sorry 

Even then he still walked like someone that has lost his soul I could see he was still stunned so I didn't say a thing and just moved everything in the elevator before going up to my villa Alicia and her mother should arrive shortly and I will need to call my Uncle I thought after taking all cardboard out of the elevator and tooling them upstairs I made my way down to the living room were Derrick was fidgeting and looking around curious as hell 

-I need to call my Uncle so walk around and visit the place but don't touch anything and if you see a door with a letter printed on it that means its off-limit you can open the door to look but don't enter... I trust you 

-THANKS BRO I'm off he said sprinting past me faster than when we played basketball at Rucker Park