A Word of Praise

Once he sorted things out in the kitchen, Chris proceeded to the tearoom to talk to his mother. He was not in the mood for it, but she was expecting him and there was no excuse he could think of to get away from it. Patricia was leisurely preparing a backgammon board for them to play together, a habit they acquired during his father's long trips abroad. It was a fun activity and a great distraction from the impending sense of abandonment that surrounded the house during those periods.

That specific board was a gift from Edgar after a particularly long trip to Japan. It was his mother's favorite, with several emeralds encrusted in the marquetry and pieces hand-carved by some famous dude. For Chris, it was just another reminder of his father's absence.

He sat across his mother and prepared her tea the way he knew she liked it. 'Two cups of sugar to sweeten this bitter life', as she liked to put it. She didn't seem bitter at all, but that was just his opinion.

"How are things in the company?" His mother was not usually one for small talk when it came to family, so he knew there was more coming.

"Great. The transition is being handled smoothly."

"I'm glad. Is there any problem with the international clients?"

"Not yet. Can we talk about something other than work today?" He was not in the mood to get into details about his new position, nor discuss the intricacies of the construction business. Especially after his day with an unwelcoming staff. "Fine. Then tell me, son, how was your chat with Felicia at the party?" Right, Felicia. Not a better subject, but he knew there was no escape from this one.

"It was fine, Mother. Seems like a nice girl" he replied dismissively.

"Just nice?" Patricia's eyes were inquisitive as if she knew something and planned to use it against him soon.

"I had little time to get to know her, considering her father's eagerness to be noted in the discussion"

"That man can be annoying, but he has a good business with your father. So, it isn't Felicia then?"

"What?" He diverted his eyes from the board, trying to read into his mother's statement. She never wore that careless facade unless she was ready to pounce, and he wanted to avoid being caught off guard. "The one you're making plans with"

"Mother, you are not making any sense"

"Stop being so hard, son! I know you took that engagement ring or yours out of the drawer and that could only mean there is someone special in your life" Shit. What did she know? "How did you know about the ring?"

"I am your mother, Christopher, I know everything" Well, clearly not everything. Not the fact that he hadn't taken the ring off its place, but it was rather taken by someone else.

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There was absolutely no way he would tell his mother about the theft. Not when he already had a plan to get it back. She was constantly nagging him about placing it inside the vault, and he said he did it last time she brought it up. Now he realized she knew better, and he would never hear the end of it if she found out she was right.

"Right. I took it out to have it cleaned up, that's it"

"Stop lying to me! I know how you cherish that damn thing and I know you would only take it out if there was someone special"

"There isn't"

"If you don't want to tell me who she is, fine. But know that you won't be taking your father's place in the company if you are not properly married, so you should hurry"

"I didn't think there was a deadline, mother" He knew sarcasm would only escalate the level of stress in their conversation but was too worked up to be polite.

"Well, now there is. If you don't have a serious girlfriend by the end of the year, your father will look for other candidates"

"Wouldn't that be his decision?" Wrong answer. Really wrong. He knew it before the words even came out of his mouth, but he was feeling provoked by her statement and wanted to give back a little of the humiliation.

"How dare you? You better believe that I can make good on my words, son. Don't you think for a second I don't have the means to stir your father in that direction" She did. Shit, she did.

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And now there was nothing he could do to take it back. His pride wouldn't allow another hit, so he opted to leave with his chin up, knowing he had already hit her where it hurts.

Chris was still worked up when he reached home. That ultimatum changed everything, and he was not prepared for it. His mother knew how much that ring meant to him, and it wasn't that long of a stretch to think its absence meant he was getting serious in the relationship department.

That fucking thief messed yet another part of his life by taking it away. His plan to get the ring back was still on, but regardless of his success, there was a permanent change triggered by it. Now he needed a fucking woman.

He thought about the girls in his life, considering if any would be potential girlfriend material. There was a long list of contacts on his phone that would gladly take over the position, but he couldn't suppress the urge to throw up considering a long-term relationship with any of them.

Scrolling through his phone, he tried to remember the faces on the other side of the names, but he hadn't been very selective in the past few years when it came to fucking. Some of them rang a bell, especially the selected few that performed above average in bed. He only had two months before the end of the year, and he needed to produce a girlfriend out of thin air.

His last long-term woman, if you could call six months long, had moved to Italy a few years back and was out of the race. Not that he was willing to get back with her after the unfortunate incident that led to their break-up. Her very public speech about seducing his father if Chris quit the company was not that easy to forget. But being in that shitty position, he would have to settle for a gold digger, anyway.

Looking at his watch, he decided to get going to his next destination. Despite his mother's deadline, he had a more pressing situation to attend to. He would go back to his search after he was done.