“Hello, Paige,” Madeline said without smiling. “I think we need to talk.”
Paige nodded, still without speaking, and walked to the same two chairs that she and Sandi were just sitting in. Madeline looked at the plastic folding chairs, sighed audibly and finally sat down, still holding her purse against her.
“I understand from my son that you overheard our conversation the other day.”
“I did.” Could she be about to apologize?
“You know, eavesdropping is not acceptable, don’t you?” she said. Paige wanted to slap her across the face, but thought better of it.
“It wasn’t intentional,” Paige said shortly.
“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” Madeline said. “I came here to settle this issue once and for all.”
“Issue?”
“Your desire to marry my son.”
“He wants to marry me too, Mrs. Richmond.”
“He’s confused. He’s young and men have needs…”
“Yes, I heard all about those needs during your conversation,” Paige said, trying not to giggle as she stood up. “And I fulfill those needs quite well.” Oops. Why had she added that little part?
Madeline huffed as she sprang to her feet. “You really have no couth.”
“Couth?”
“It means culture. Manners. Refinement.”
“Yes, I know what couth means. I just don’t know anyone who still uses that word,” Paige said, her feisty side finally making an appearance. “Look, Mrs. Richmond, or shall I say ‘Mom’…”
“No. You shall not.”
“I have a job to do here, and unlike you, I’m not able to snuggle up with bags of cash at night. So, can you please get to your point?”
“Well, your insult was a nice segue into my point. You seem fixated on my cash, so let’s talk about how much it will take to get you on your way again.”
“Excuse me?” Paige said, incredulous.
“How much will it take for you to get out of my son’s life and break off this silly engagement? Ten thousand? Fifty thousand?”
Paige couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her mouth flopped open as she stared at the woman in disbelief.
“Are you serious?”
“I’m willing to go higher if needed.”
“You are serious. Oh my God.” Paige turned and walked toward the window, her fingers sliding through her hair in frustration.
“Okay, maybe you need more. One hundred thousand?”
She turned to face Madeline. “Get out.”
“What?”
“I said get out of here.” Paige had lived on the streets long enough to know how to be tough, and right now she was as tough as she’d ever been, holding her balled up fist by her side.
“Not until you tell me what it will take to get you out of our lives… for good.”
Paige walked toward Madeline and came almost nose to nose with her. “Now you listen to me,” she said through gritted teeth. “I love your son and he loves me, and no amount of money will ever keep me from him. Do you understand me? I don’t care who you are or how much money you have. As long as Daniel wants to be with me, there is nothing you can do to stop that.”
Madeline took a step back, her expression impassable and then smirked. “My dear, you have no idea what lengths I will go to in order to protect my son. You’ve made a grievous mistake here.”
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