A Step Closer to Love

“Hello Mom” Kieran shouted at the dead end of the phone. He yanked the phone from his ears like it was something hot burning him. He tapped on the phone and called the number again.

“Hello,” he heard a quirky voice.

“Hello, my mom just called me on this line” he said internally praying she was still there.

“Oh yes,” the lady said and Kieran sighed in relief.

“She said to come to pick her but she did not give me an address,” Kieran said.

“Oh, this is at Salt Avenue, Purple and Cream coffee shop,” The lady said.

“Is she fine? She did not sound too good over the phone” Kieran was concerned. He had never heard his mom sound that way before so he was seriously worried.

“She does not look too good so if you could come pick her up as soon as possible that would be the best” her quirky and happy voice came through.

“Don’t worry I will keep her here” she added.

“I will be there as fast as I can, please don’t let her out of your sight” Kieran said standing to his feet and dragging his coat as he made his way out of the room.

“Oh My, Kieran I am here to submit this for a review” Mia said as she met him at the entrance to his door.

“I will take a look at that when I return, please keep it on my table” Kieran said his voice fading as he took quick steps to the door. He could not tell what exactly his fear was but his gut feelings were all over the place and he did not like it one bit.

“But it’s urgent” she called to him but it was thin air. “I guess I have to ask Aurora” Mia sighed as she walked to her door.

“Why is he in a hurry?” Aaron asked perking the interest of the whole team. Kieran had always been a goody too shoes upholding work ethics. He always does everything by the book so it was weird to them all to see him walk out there when it was not break or closing time.

Arabella raised her head, she wondered what happened but she did not want to get involved with him again. She has just barely been able to get out of seeing him this morning why did she have to check up on him? She was worried about the way he left the office but she did not want to start what she would be unable to end.

“Who knows?” Chole whispered and then bent back to continue typing on her system.

“Why is she being so difficult?” Mia asked coming down to the open space and stamping her feet on the ground loudly.

“What happened with her?” Aaron asked.

“I wish that I could leave this job, it pays a lot so I can’t leave it” Mia added in a cry before she dropped to her chair.

“Just let Ryder review it” Chole suggested.

“I guess that’s the best idea now,” Mia said going to his office.

Kieran raced to the coffee shop. He parked and entered the cafe and walked to the counter. As he approached the counter he saw his mom sitting in one of the chairs. Her head was hung low as she fondled with her finger.

“Mom,” Kieran said with a loud voice as she rushed to her and knelt before her.

She looked up at him slowly, her face was flushed and her eyes looked a bit dim. She wanted to smile but all he saw was a kind of sadness.

“Are you her son?” Kieran turned to the direction of the voice. It was the same one he heard over the phone.

“Yes” Kieran said.

“Oh, you are very good-looking” the girl could not control herself. She could read the room that it was not the time to be complimenting him but she could not control herself. She was sure he could pass off as a celebrity without any issues.

“Thank you,” Kieran said. “For watching myom and making sure she is safe” he added after a long pause causing the smile and her face to turn to a frown and then back into a smile.

She had done a good deed by taking care of the older lady she met. The woman looked like she had passed through something and she was glad to have been of help.

“What are you doing here?” He turned to her to speak. He tried to make his voice sound as gentle as possible. She always looked startled there was no reason for him to compound the issue further.

“I was taking a walk and then lost my way, and found myself here,” Everly said followed by a shallow laugh.

“Let’s get you home” Kieran said standing up and stretching her hands to him.

“Home,” she said as if she wanted to spell each word. “Where is that?” She asked.

Kieran wondered if she was playing some kind of trick on him. What did she mean by where is home?

“Come on” he said lifting her by the shoulders.

“I apparently have no home,” she said as tears dropped from her eyes.

Keiran’s hands fell to his side. Why was she crying and in public at that? He had never seen her this way. She had always been that strong woman every woman wished they were.

“Mom,” he said slowly as he waited for her to stop crying. “Let’s go to my car,” he said when she did not stop the tears. His hands went to her shoulders again and he helped her to her feet. He guided her gently outside and then helped her get into the car.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as she sat down in the car.

“I was taking a walk,” she said again.

“This far away from home?” Everly did not want to burden her son with all the nonsense so she did not tell him. She did not want him and his father to fight so she let it go.

“I guess I was just a little carried away,” she said.

“Why did you cry then?” Kieran asked as he pursed his lips together.

“Is it menopause symptoms?”