Second Chance: Reclaiming My Baby's Mommy

By Narrator

Hours Later

"Nicole, dear. I hope you don’t mind being served by your grandmother tonight." Elizabeth said with a feigned tone of regret. "I had to allow Abigail the night off. The poor thing was in excruciating pain.

Anthony tried hard not to turn that table upside down. He didn’t want to subject his girlfriend to his mother’s whims, but to his chagrin, Nicole was too stubborn and had shown a willingness to face her mother-in-law as na equal. Of course they both knew that that dinner was a complete show of pretense on Elizabeth’s part, what they didn’t know was that it would become even clearer in a few minutes Elizabeth would show how scheming she could be, and that she would not make Nicole and Anthony’s life any easier, by showing that they were not born to be together, for they belonged to different worlds.

"Don’t worry Mistress Elizabeth. I’m used to not only being served by my grandmother, but also to serving people. Didn’t you know I’m a waitress?" Nicole smiled sweetly at the woman who wanted to belittle her. "Actually, I’m proud to know that the food you eat and enjoy is prepared by the fairy hands of Miss Elinor."

Of course, Elizabeth was lost in a moment of bewilderment, for like the others present, she hadn’t expected to hear that response. The older woman really wanted to humiliate Nicole, but in the end it was she who was humiliated, because she didn’t even know how to fry na egg.

For his part, Anthony didn’t hide his smile when he heard the answer his girlfriend had just given his mother. He held Nicole’s hand firmly and lovingly brought it to his lips to kiss her devoutly. Mirella, who was sitting in front of her older brother, blinked at her sister-in-law in approval for the latina’s little rebellion.

"Oh yes..." Elizabeth began, after pulling herself together. "Your grandmother does indeed have wonderful hands for the kitchen, otherwise I would never have allowed her to remain a maid for so long in this house. However, I must say that especially today dinner was not prepared by her." Everyone seemed surprised by the woman who smiled prettily as she spoke. How could Elinor not have prepared dinner? Everyone knew that Elizabeth was a big fan of the lady’s cooking. "I think that special moments like this, I mean, the formalization of my son’s relationship with you, deserve something on the same level, do you all agree?"

"I told you it didn’t smell good." Mirella grumbled to Arthur, who seemed uncomfortable with his mother’s attitude. "That old woman with the bad food is up to something. By the way, did I ever tell you that Dad doesn’t give a damn anymore?"

The brother looked at Mirella, his eyes wide open.

"What?"

"It’s boring, I know."

Mirella took a sip of juice and turned her attention back to the conversation in front of her.

"What are you talking about, Elizabeth?" Octavio looked annoyed.

"Elinor."

Elizabeth called out with a smile on her lips, and it wasn’t long before Nicole’s grandmother appeared at the table with a covered dish. In the older woman’s eyes, Nicole could identify the muted apology. As much as she had wanted to, she had had no way to let her granddaughter know what she was getting into that night; after all, the food Elizabeth had ordered had arrived less than tem minutes earlier.

Elizabeth herself made a point of revealing her trap.

"I hope it’s to your liking, darling. I know how passionate you are about French cuisine."

Everyone looked stunned at the refined and extremely complicated dish, unless, of course, one had knowledge of how to eat escargot, which, by the look on Nicole’s panicked face, was clearly not her case.

"BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?" Anthony shouted.

"Mind your manners, Anthony." Elizabeth scolded her son, but remained cynical. "Why are you surprised? You’ve always liked escargot." The older woman said to her three sons and husband. On the other side of the table, Tomaz seemed to revel in the unpleasant situation his aunt was providing. He didn’t even wait for the others, and served himself. "Nicole, dear. I imagine you won’t have any problems with that, will you?"

The older woman smiled devilishly, but although she had always been strong in her life, at that moment Nicole couldn’t hold back. She felt too humiliated by Elizabeth’s clear effort to show that Anthony and she didn’t belong together. Was it possible to just live on love?

Sobbing, Nicole ran away from the table, followed by Elinor, who, like her granddaughter, was also weeping in humiliation. For Elinor, this situation had reached its limit, and she would never again give Elizabeth the chance to humiliate her or her granddaughter.

"You’re the most scheming person I know. I can’t believe I’m really your son." Anthony spat the words out with contempt.

"Now, don’t be ungrateful, you spoiled cat. You wanted my acceptance in this stupid flirtation, what more do you want from me? Accepting this nonsense you call dating won’t change who we are, or who she is. What did you want me to have you serve? Chicken goose? It’s not my fault if she’s not cultured and refined, but you know what? It just proves that she will never measure up to you."

"As if it was necessary for you to accept or not who we should relate to." Mirella laughed scornfully. "You know what? I’ll understand if Tony never wants to look you in the face again. You’re despicable, Mom."

"Watch how you talk to me, you insolent little bitch. As long as you three live under my roof, eat at my expense, dress on my money, and depend exclusively on my conquests, you owe me respect." Elizabeth scolded her daughter, who didn’t seem to mind her mother’s offense. "It’s not my fault if Anthony had to see for himself how absurd this relationship is. That girl will never measure up to any of us. But you really know what, I understand her. If I were her, I would also want to take a swing at na inexperienced and rich man like her brother."

"STOP IT NOW!" To everyone’s surprise, Octavian was the owner of that indignant voice.

"Have you gone crazy too, Octavio? Stop this nonsense and let’s all dine in peace."

"I was crazy when I married you, Elizabeth, but it’s never too late to fix a mistake."

The older woman narrowed her eyes, and now husband and wife were dueling.

"What do you mean by that?"

"That I’m tired of your follies and insanities. I want a divorce, Elizabeth."

That night, not only did Anthony leave that house without looking back, but Octavian also left the woman he once loved so much, and who today he could not recognize.