When You Least Expect It (40 page)

             
Elisa blushed.  “Well, since you’re offering; a new skirt would be nice; I met a guy, so I’ve been going out to nicer places than usual.”

             
“Really, what’s he like?”

             
“He’s a very handsome baseball player at my college.  He’s dark haired and dark eyed, and treats me well.  I especially like the fact that women drool as we pass.”  They both laughed.

             
“Is this serious or just a passing thing?”

             
“Well, you know me; it’s probably just a passing thing.  I’ll let you meet him if that changes.”

             
“Okay, fair enough. Amanda paused.  “So speaking of passing things, remember Ray?”

             
“Yes, Mom, how could I possible forget Mr. Internet? How is he?  Do you still talk to him?”

             
“Yes.  Guess what?”

             
Elisa became immediately suspicious.  “What?”

             
Amanda tried not to look as uncomfortable as she felt.  Elisa could be tough; she wanted this to go smoothly.  “I’m going to go visit him in Maine.  I’m very excited and am hoping you’ll be excited with me.”  She held her breath, willing Elisa to understand.

             
The all too familiar long moment of silence, followed.

             
“Mom, you’re what?  You’re kidding me, right?”  Elisa was aghast.  Surely, her mom would not do something so irresponsible.

             
“No, Elisa, I’m going to meet him.  We just want to see if our feelings towards each other are real, or if we just are two lonely people hunting for company on the Internet.  After the Dan thing, I decided I had to find out if he’s real, so if he isn’t I can move on.”

             
“Mom, why do you have to go there? Why can’t he come here where we could all meet him…and protect you?”  Elisa was suddenly afraid.

             
“Okay, makes sense I know.  But, what if he is someone I don’t want around you and Alex?  I don’t think my instincts are wrong, but I’ve been wrong before.”

             
“Yeah, like Peter.  That was a freaking nightmare.”

             
Amanda groaned.  “Let’s try to forget it then.  It’s over, but I’m trying hard not to make the same mistake twice.  Oh wait, or is it three times?”
              This broke the ice.  Elisa giggled.  She knew it was not her mom’s fault that she had been married and divorced twice all ready.  It was just bad luck on her part.  She decided to cut her a break.

             
“Mom, what if something happens to you?  Or, what if you fall madly in love and never come back?” 

             
“Elisa, can you just trust me?  I have a good feeling about Ray.  He sounds like a very gentle and loving person.  What if you talked to him on the phone before I went, would you feel better?”

             
Elisa considered this.  She felt that she was a good judge of character. She had hated Peter, and she’d been right about him.  She wasn’t as trusting as her mom was, so maybe she could feel out this Ray and see if she could figure him out a bit.

             
“Could I ask him anything I wanted?”

             
“I guess, as long as you aren’t rude, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

             
“I’ll come over for dinner tomorrow.  I feel like some sour cream enchiladas anyway.  Will you make some?”

             
Amanda laughed.  “Okay, and after dinner we’ll call Ray.”

             
“Have you told Alex yet?”

             
Amanda reddened.  “No, I was hoping you’d help me tomorrow with that too.” 

             
Elisa begrudgingly agreed.  “Mom, you’re such a chicken.” 

             
“No I’m not, I just think Alex is more protective than you, and will be harder to convince.  I need an ally.” 

             
“Well okay, since you’re making my favorite dinner.  Alex will be fine.”  She held her mom’s hand, not believing Alex would be fine at all.

             
                                                        ~~~

That night, Amanda called Ray with her itinerary.  “Can you believe it?  I’m coming to visit!” 

              Ray laughed; her excitement was contagious.  Not that he needed any help.  “Have you told your kids?”

             
“I told Elisa.”

             
“How did that go?”  Ray couldn’t believe that one of their kids finally knew.  He was incredulous.  This was really happening.

             
“It went pretty well.   One of her conditions of going along with this was being able to call you, so expect a call.  She’ll be talking to you tomorrow.”  Amanda was trying not to laugh, as she knew this would send Ray over the edge.

             
“What?”  What about?”

             
She laughed.  “About the price of rice in China for all I know.  What do you think she wants to talk to you about, doof?  She just wants to see if you’re on the up and up, to see if I’ll be safe with you.  I think when she hears what a nice guy you are; she’ll feel better about the whole thing.”

             
Ray groaned.  He’d never considered what Amanda’s kids thought of him.  “Mandy, she probably thinks of me as an Internet pervert, typing away in the dark with one greasy hand on the keyboard and the other…well, you know.”

             
Amanda laughed out loud.  “Well aren’t you?”

             
“You, Amanda Herrez, are a brat!” 

             
She laughed.  He was so fun to tease.

             
“So I have news myself.  I told both my mom and best friend, Diego about you today.”

             
Amanda’s eyes widened.  “You did?  What did they say?”

             
“Well Diego was a little surprised.  The whole Internet thing kind of freaked him out.  I emailed him your picture and suddenly it took on a different light.”  He laughed.  “Diego always falls for a pretty face.  Anyway, he thinks it’s pretty cool, and of course, feels the need to come and make sure you meet with his approval.”

             
“What?  He’s coming to meet me?”

             
“Yep, just for an afternoon.  Are you okay with that?”  Ray had not considered that she might not be ready to meet his friends.  As it turned out, she wasn’t too thrilled. 

             
“But Ray, what if you and I don’t hit it off?  Then we have to tell your friend that he made the trip for nothing.”

             
“Mandy, he’s coming on Saturday.  We’ll have three days together by then.  If it isn’t working, I’ll call him and tell him not to come.  I’m sure it’ll be fine, and you’ll love him.”

             
This was making her more nervous than ever.  “What did your mom say?”

             
Ray was a little hesitant to tell her this after her reaction about Diego.  “She was surprised, of course.  Especially the Internet part, since she knows I don’t have Internet access at the apartment.  So I had to tell her the timing of it.”

             
Amanda’s gasped.  “She thinks you left home because of me, right?”

             
Ray hesitated again.  “She did for a minute.”

             
She was mortified.  “How long of a minute?”

             
“Its okay, Mandy.  I told her I was already planning on leaving; meeting you had nothing to do with it.  The timing of it was just a coincidence.”

             
“Did she believe you?” 

             
“I think eventually she did.  She finally said that she was happy I met someone.  She wants to meet you too.”

             
“What?”  Amanda couldn’t believe her ears.  “Ray, I’m meeting your mother, too?  We don’t even know each other, how am I going to start meeting your family?”  She couldn’t keep the annoyance out of her tone.

             
Ray was shocked.  “Why are you getting pissed off?  You don’t live next door; if you’re going to be someone important in my life, I want my mother and best friend to meet you.  I would introduce you to my children too, if the timing were better.  I can’t help that part though.  I want to be able to talk about you to people, I want them to know who I’m talking about when I tell them how much I miss you, or when it’s my turn to go visit you.  If we don’t click, then we don’t click, but if we do, then I want everyone to know it.  I love you Amanda, I’m not ashamed to say it, and I don’t care who knows it.  I want my loved ones to be able to love you, too.”

             
“Ray, don’t you hear how crazy that sounds?  You haven’t even met me yet!”

             
“I don’t care.  I know how I feel.  The fact that I can’t explain it doesn’t mean it’s not real.  You must feel it too; why else would you be coming across the country to meet me?  Don’t you think I realize the big risk you’re taking?  You don’t know me either, why are you taking this risk?”

             
Amanda was twirling her hair around her finger, with the biggest smile on her face.  Ray Knight was just too much.  Could he really be telling the truth?  She knew how she felt about him, she knew she didn’t know why, she knew that this was why she was flying to meet him.  It made her happy that he felt the exact same way.

             
“…and another thing, If I were coming there, I would be meeting your kids, Hilary and probably Blossom too!” 

             
Amanda gasped.  She had forgotten she had to tell Blossom and Kara.  She had promised. “Okay, Ray you win.  I’ll meet your Mom and Diego, and I’ll even meet you too, if you calm down a bit.”

             
Ray was embarrassed.  He wasn’t used to showing so much emotion.  She could really get to him sometimes.  “You’ll see Mandy, everything will be fine.”

             
“I hope so.  So tomorrow, you’ll be nice to Elisa, right?” 

             
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

             
“Well, she’s very outspoken and probably will ask you a lot of personal questions.  Are you up for it?”  She knew she was down playing it a bit, but she didn’t want to scare him.

             
“I’m up for the challenge!”

             
“Good, we’ll call you tomorrow!”

             
“Good night, honey.”

             
“Good night, dude.”

             
Amanda hung up, and dialed Blossom’s phone number.  She wondered what would be in store for her during this conversation.

             
“Hi Mandy!”

             
“Hey, how did you know it was me?”

             
“Why, it’s a little thing called caller ID, you might have heard about it.”  Blossom laughed.  “How you doing, girl?”

             
“I’m good, thanks, how you doing, cuz?”

             
“I can’t complain.  Family’s well, and we have our health.  Julio is still working, can’t ask for more.   What’s new with you?  Has your love life improved yet?”

             
Amanda bristled.  Why was that always the first question out of her family’s mouth?  “Same old thing, I guess.  I’ve been dating some, nothing exciting.”

             
“Well at least you’re out there dating, instead of wrapped up on the Internet.”

             
Amanda rolled her eyes.  This wasn’t going to be easy.  “Well, actually, that’s why I’m calling.”

             
Blossom’s guard immediately went up.  “You’re calling because of the Internet?  Oh no, what are you up to?  Do I want to know this, Mandy?”

             
“Well, you made me promise to tell you if there were any changes with Ray…”  She was dreading this.

             
“So what is changing?  I can’t believe you’re still even talking to him!”

             
“What’s changing is the fact that we’re finally meeting.”

             
Not surprisingly, there was no long moment of silence.

             
“Have you lost your mind?  Amanda, I have been patient with this whole Internet thing, even going along with it for the most part, but this is ridiculous.”              Amanda sighed.  This was going to be tougher than she thought.  “Yes, now can you listen to me?  You know that Ray and I have been talking for a year now.  You know I have feelings for him for whatever reason.  Can’t you understand that I
need
to meet him?  For my own piece of mind, I need to find out if I really am just a crazy, lonely woman, or if I’ve found
the
one
.  Can’t you just support me, Blossom?  I’m really counting on you.”