Kelly shrugged. “I’m eating more.”

  “But it’s not just that,” Brenda said. “You look happier. You’ve got the look of a well-fed cat. Things must be going well with you and Lars.”

  “Better,” she agreed primly.

  Brenda raised one eyebrow. “Practice makes perfect, hmm?”

  Kelly blushed red, but didn’t give any more details.

  Brenda respected that. Kelly had always been a more reserved person than she was. She’d never been one to kiss and tell. “I’m happy, too,” she said matter-of-factly. “Marius and I aren’t madly in love like you and Lars, but I like him. He’s very easy to live with.” And the sex is good, too, she thought, but didn’t say it.

  “I’m glad,” Kelly said. “I was worried about you.”

  “I know.” She laughed. “Sometimes I can’t believe how quickly my life changed for the better. Steven seems like a distant memory.”

  “He hasn’t bothered you any more, has he?”

  “No.”

  “Do you think he’ll make problems for you with Immigration?”

  “He might try, but I’m not concerned. Marius has his student visa and he has a good attorney.” She made a face. “At least I hope he’s a good attorney.”

  “Hard to know, isn’t it?”

  “I talked to Marius, but he said not to worry. Everything is under control. Fine.”

  “And you trust him.”

  Brenda knew that Kelly was still a little concerned, which was understandable, but she wasn’t living with Marius on a daily basis. She had no way of knowing how inherently honest and disciplined he was. “I’ll get a second legal opinion,” she promised.

  “Good idea.”

  #

  Marius was very busy through the end of July and early August, helping his professor finish up the summer semester. Then he had two lighter weeks before the fall semester began. During this time, he helped her paint the living room and dining room, and they hired someone to finish hanging the cabinets in the kitchen.

  Brenda was pleased that they were making progress, but she wished they had enough money to redo the floors before Marius’ mother came to visit after Labor Day.

  Marius assured her, “My mother is coming to meet you, not your house.”

  “Our house,” Brenda corrected.

  Marius rewarded that comment with a brief smile of approval, then returned to the task at hand -- washing the baseboards. He washed and dried them, and she repainted them. As Marius worked, he sang. Naturally. Sometimes he belted out songs in full voice, but sometimes he sang softer, or just hummed. Over the past few weeks, Brenda had grown accustomed to hearing scales and bits of arias, in the mornings and in the evenings, and now whenever he was gone, the house seemed too quiet.

  Brenda waited until he finished singing his selection before asking, “Will your mother want to go sight-seeing? Other than the JFK memorial and the zoo, there really isn’t much to see in Dallas.”

  “She won’t need you to entertain her.”

  “Good, because I can’t take any more time off from work. I used up all my vacation days on the honeymoon. We’ll have to do everything on the weekends.” She supposed if his mother wanted, they could drive down to San Antonio and see the Alamo.

  “She knows we’re both very busy with your job and my classes. She just wants to see us.”

  Brenda dipped her small paint brush into the high gloss white paint and carefully painted the baseboard. Marius had already warned her that she wasn’t going to see him as much, once the fall semester started. He had his own classes, his thesis, and his work as a teaching assistant.

  She asked, “How long has it been since you’ve seen her?”

  “Two years. But we talk often on the phone.”

  At that moment, as if on cue, his cell phone rang. “Is it your mom?” she asked, joking.

  He glanced at the caller ID. “No. Do you mind if I take this call?”

  “Go ahead,” she said. She’d noticed that Marius rarely answered his phone, preferring to call people back rather than let them interrupt what he was doing. She wasn’t sure if this was a European custom, or merely his way of focusing his attention on the people around him.

  So the fact that he wanted to take the call, meant that it was important.

  He walked outside into the backyard, to talk in private. She heard him say, “Francesca,” in a pleased tone, before the back door closed, separating them and cutting off the rest of the conversation.

  Francesca? She’d forgotten about her, or at least she’d tried to forget her.

  It was ridiculous to be worried. Couldn’t the man have a private conversation with a friend without her thinking that he was another Steven?

  The problem was, she didn’t want to ask any more questions about Francesca. Brenda didn’t want to sound like a suspicious shrew, or worse -- she didn’t want to find out that Marius was in love with another woman.

  Was she jealous?

  Yes.

  And she was a coward, too. Life with Marius was so nice right now, she didn’t want to jeopardize it.

  So she’d wait, until after his mother’s visit, to learn more about Francesca.

  #

  Marius and she waited at the international airport terminal. Brenda twisted her hands together nervously. She hoped her mother-in-law would like her. Her hair was nearly an inch long now, and with styling gel, she was able to make it look as if she had intended it to look this way.

  Brenda scanned the faces of the incoming passengers, searching for a family resemblance.

  Then Marius cried out. “Mama!” He kissed a tiny woman with sleek blonde hair on alternating cheeks three times and she returned the gesture and then they hugged. They spoke for a moment in Polish, then Marius noticed a taller young woman with brown hair standing behind her. “Tesia!” he exclaimed and the kiss fest began again. Then, he stepped back and introduced Brenda.

  Brenda saw that Mrs. Jaworski was beautifully dressed in an expensive looking pale gray suit. She looked at Brenda coolly, then said formally in English, “I’m so glad to finally meet you.”

  Her English had a stronger accent than Marius, but it was still excellent. Brenda leaned down to hug her, and Mrs. Jaworski kissed the air by her cheeks.

  “I would have come to the wedding,” her mother in law continued, “But you didn’t give me enough time to make travel arrangements.”

  Was that a veiled put-down?

  Years of being snubbed as a child had taught her the degrees of social disdain.

  Suddenly Brenda felt tall and gawky and tackily dressed. She noticed that Mrs. Jaworski wore spotless shoes, her nails were professionally done, and she had a large diamond ring on her left hand.

  She wondered if Marius had noticed his mother’s coolness, or if he was so happy to see them that he didn’t pick up on the underlying emotional currents.

  But Brenda was determined to make the situation better, if she could. She said pleasantly, “Yes, the wedding was quick. I’m sorry you weren’t able to come, but I’m very glad you’re here now.”

  Mrs. Jaworski said something to Marius in Polish and he translated. “She says she hopes we have blonde babies.”

  Brenda smiled at the thought. Maybe she was misreading her mother-in-law?

  Tesia stood back, not saying much. Brenda didn’t know if she was jet lagged from the long flight, shy, or if her English wasn’t good enough to converse. But as they reached the car, Tesia said clearly, “I’m glad to meet you,” and smiled in a way that gave her hope that they might become friends.

  The look of horror, quickly masked, on Marius’ mother’s face when she saw their blue house was priceless.

  “I will stay in a hotel,” she offered quickly. “You won’t have room for both of us, and I don’t want to be a burden.”

  Marius thought that was nonsense and wouldn’t hear of her spending the night anywhere else. “We’ll make room for you. Tesia can sleep on the fold-out couch.”

  That evening, Marius made dinner and they ate in the dining room, which looked much better than it had the week before, but the walls were bare and her dining room chairs didn’t match. For a few minutes, Brenda wished that her house was as lovely as Kelly’s, but she tried to put those depressing thoughts aside.

  Early September was still hot in Dallas, so Marius served a cold tomato-based soup, and a pasta salad with feta and olives. Like her son, Mrs. Jaworski ate slowly, but she ate very little. As they ate, they talked. Marius asked about the family store, and Anselm, and Brenda was surprised to learn that it wasn’t just one store -- the family owned six locations.

  She’d thought his family were eking out an existence, but it sounded as if they were prosperous. Mrs. Jaworski certainly looked and acted prosperous.

  Brenda asked Tesia about her interests and learned that her sister-in-law was studying accounting, but liked to draw. “I’ll introduce you to my friend Kelly,” Brenda promised.

  Mrs. Jaworski asked about Marius’ college classes, and seemed pleased with the progress on his Master’s thesis.

  “You must be as glad as I am that Marius changed his degree to Music History,” she said to Brenda.

  Brenda frowned, not understanding what she was referring to.

  “After the surgery,” his mother said clearly, as if that explained everything. She turned to Marius. “I think the surgery may have been a blessing in disguise, to make you give up your foolish dream of being an opera singer.”

  Brenda glanced at Marius, who was bringing a piece of bread up to his mouth. For a split second, the bread paused and his eyes met hers.

  Then he put the bread in his mouth and said nothing, but suddenly Brenda knew that no matter what his mother thought, he had not given up the dream.

  Marius wanted to be an opera singer.

  It made perfect sense now, but she was stunned by the revelation. That’s why he loved to sing, why he was always practicing.

  And although his voice might not be at a professional level yet, because of the surgery -- he was still going to try.

  “You changed your major when you couldn’t speak,” Brenda said quietly. When he wasn’t certain whether he’d sing again.

  His hazel eyes glowed as they looked at her. “Yes. Before that, my degree was for vocal performance.”

  Mrs. Jaworski continued, “I would rather have you at home, working at the store, but you are your father’s son. A dreamer.” She shrugged and smiled at Brenda. “At least now, he is doing something better. More realistic.” She turned to Marius. “You will make a good university professor.”

  “Wouldn’t he make a good opera singer?” Brenda asked pointedly.

  Mrs. Jaworski sniffed. “He’s no Pavarotti.”

  Brenda bristled at the slight, but Marius agreed. “She is correct. Pavarotti may have been the best modern lyric tenor.”

  “You don’t need to be Pavarotti. You will be Jaworski,” Brenda said fiercely.

  Mrs. Jaworski smiled and said something in Polish that Marius did not translate.

  Brenda gathered up the dishes and took them to the sink in the kitchen. She turned on the water until it ran hot. She was too irritated to stay in the dining room and try to be civil.

  #

  It was very late when they finally went to bed. Marius was so happy to see his mother and sister again, and he was thrilled that they had finally met Brenda. Things had been a little awkward at dinner, but he trusted that as they all got to know each other better, they would come to love and appreciate each other. He waited for Brenda to brush her teeth and wash her face. When she slid into the bed, he held his arms open wide and she drew close to him. He kissed her forehead and said, “Thank you, kochana.”

  “For what?”

  “For believing in me.”

  Brenda made a face. “I can’t believe what your mother said.”

  “She has her reasons. She loves me and wants me to do well. But for her, that means a steady income.”

  Brenda looked as if she wanted to say more, but chose not to. Finally, she just smiled and said, “You see the good in everyone.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  “So what do you think of your mother in law?” Kelly asked after Mrs. Jaworski had been staying at the house for three weeks.

  “No comment,” Brenda said. That evening she had walked over to Kelly’s pottery studio, which was in a house less than half a mile from her house. She had needed to get out of her house, to find some peace of mind.

  “That bad?”

  “I’m not sure any guest should stay three weeks. We’re getting on each other’s nerves. I think we’ll get along much better ....”

  “When there’s an ocean between you?”

  Brenda smiled. “Maybe.”

  Lars was out of town on a business trip, so Kelly was hanging out at her studio, working on pottery for her clients. Brenda was glad to see that Kelly had finally bought a few chairs. Brenda sat in a comfortable arm chair while Kelly worked at her potter’s wheel.

  “Do you want something to drink?” Kelly asked. Her hands were slick with brown mud as she shaped a bowl out of clay.

  “Vodka,” Brenda said, then paused. Since she was trying to get pregnant, she couldn’t drink alcohol, no matter how tempting it might be. “Sorry. Don’t get up. I’ll get something from your fridge.” She came back with a glass of orange juice and sat back down.

  “How long is she staying?”

  “Only three more days.” Brenda sighed. “My mother in law is not horrible. She’s just a business woman, through and through. She’s continually on the internet, monitoring inventory and sales. And when she’s not running her business, she’s trying to be helpful, suggesting ways I can improve my house, my yard, my car, my wardrobe.”

  “Ouch.”

  “At least she isn’t whipping out the Visa card and actually buying me things. She tried, but Marius spoke to her. He told her ‘Your gift was coming to visit and bringing Tesia. We don’t need anything else.’”

  “Good for him.”

  “Before, I had assumed Marius’ family was poor. They’re not. Their stores are thriving, and Marius owns thirty percent of the business.”

  “Good thing. SMU isn’t cheap.”

  “I know. I should have put two and two together. But he doesn’t dress well. He cuts his own hair.” Like me, Brenda thought ironically. But with better results. “I don’t think material possessions matter to him at all,” she continued. “As long as he has a comfortable bed, good food, and chance to sing, the man is happy. But not his mother. She wants the best of everything. Money is her measuring stick. If a person doesn’t make enough, she thinks less of them.”

  “Does she think less of you?”

  “She thinks Marius could have done better.”

  “Isn’t that a universal mother-in-law response?”

  Brenda considered that. “Probably.” She sighed. “The M word can be a bitch.”

  Kelly frowned. “That’s harsh. I didn’t think Marius was that bad.”

  Brenda laughed. “No. Not Marius. I meant marriage as the m-word.”

  “Oh. Then I agree. I think every marriage has its rough moments.”

  Brenda wondered what Kelly hadn’t told her. “So Lars isn’t perfect?” she gasped, trying to be funny.

  “No, but he’s very close.”

  That was more like it, Brenda thought. She’d never known two people more ideally matched than Lars and Kelly. The man was completely besotted with her. And he should be. Kelly was a wonderful person: beautiful, kind, funny, and talented.

  “So what are you going to do about your mother in law?” Kelly asked. “Are you going to try to win her over?”

  “Not in three days. I’m going to keep a low profile and keep out of her way.”

  “That’s a good way to avoid conflict.”

  Brenda wondered when “avoiding conflict” had become her life motto. “It’s not fair, but sometimes Marius ticks me off. He doesn’t get mad at his mother. He loves her and accepts her, warts and all.”

  “That’s terrible,” Kelly commiserated.

  Brenda smiled ruefully. “I know. It’s terrible to have such a nice husband.” She sipped her orange juice. “The only good thing is that he doesn’t let his mother’s opinions change him or what he’s decided to do. He’s still going to try to become a professional opera singer.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened. “Really? Wow. I thought all opera singers were fat.”

  “A lot of them are. Or at least were. These days, more of them work at being fit. They’re more marketable that way.”

  Kelly nodded. “Marius certainly has the looks to be a star. Does he have the voice?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “At least he’s trying. It’s better to try and fail, than to never try at all.”

  Brenda smiled. “I agree.” Kelly was a sweet person who saw most things in a positive light. It occurred to Brenda that Marius was similar. Maybe that’s why she felt so comfortable with him.

  “Enough about me,” Brenda said abruptly, determined to be a good friend and not so self-absorbed. “How are you doing?”

  “Fine.”

  “And the baby?”

  “Rumbling away. Doing little gymnastics in my belly. Growing like a watermelon.”

  “You still look great. Your face isn’t puffy. You look just the same -- except for swallowing a basketball.”

  “I feel like a cow.”

  “But you’re happy.”

  “Yes. It just feels weird sometimes.”

  “And Lars?”

  “He’s happy, too.” Kelly smiled. “He talks to my stomach all the time now.”

  Brenda couldn’t wait until she was pregnant, too. “When do you want your baby shower?” she asked. “I’ve got a two week training course at the end of October, so I’d like to schedule it before or afterwards.”

  “Afterwards.”

  Brenda nodded. “Great. But we want to do it early in November, before my birthday and Thanksgiving.”

  “And then Christmas is around the corner.” Kelly beamed and rubbed her stomach. “Maybe I’ll have a Christmas baby.”

  #