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She hugged me back, and I went to the refrigerator to get something to eat. I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch and was starved. Sadie stayed in her room until 7 p.m. when she came out wearing a pair of black Capri pants and a gold halter top.
"Going out to dinner?" I asked, a hint of curiosity in my tone.
"Yes," Mom replied, her voice tinged with anticipation. "Finley is running a little late but he said he’d meet me there."
"Have fun," I said, offering a small smile. "I’ll see you later."
I finished my sandwich and called my mother, feeling a sense of boredom creeping in. The anticipation of her reaction to my news about Oliver's proposal made me hesitate, but I dialed her number anyway. I decided not to tell her unless she brought it up.
"Ryleigh, how are you?" Mom's voice sounded warm, but there was an underlying curiosity in her tone. "I’m surprised you called since we saw you on Friday."
I settled on the couch, stretching out my legs. "I just wanted to say hello."
"How was the boat?" Mom's question was gentle yet filled with interest.
"Oliver told you?" I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her knowledge.
"Yes. He invited us to join him sometime." Mom's voice held a note of excitement.
"It was beautiful," I said, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "We sailed on the ocean for part of the day. I had a good birthday."
"Your relationship is serious?" Mom's question hung in the air, filled with concern.
"Are you asking me or telling me?" I replied, a touch of defensiveness creeping into my voice.
"Oliver asked us for your hand in marriage," Mom revealed, her tone cautious. "He said he wants to marry you. Don’t you think it’s a little premature?"
"He’s asked and I said no," I admitted, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "It’s too soon. We’ve barely been dating three months."
"I worry because he’s so much older than you," Mom confessed, her concern evident.
"I don’t care what they say," I asserted, determination coloring my voice. "It’s my relationship. How can I be a gold digger when I have my own money?"
"People don’t know that," Mom pointed out, her tone soft but firm. "They might say you’re some young woman latching onto an older man for security."
"Oliver pursued me, not the other way around," I insisted, my voice growing stronger.
"Again, that won’t be broadcast to the world," she said, her words filled with conviction.
"I’m sick of pleasing other people," I confessed, frustration seeping into my tone. "It’s my relationship."
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she quickly changed the subject. “Have you seen Ty lately?”
I started to play the fringe on the blanket we kept on the back of the couch. “No. He didn’t even call me on my birthday which is unlike him.”
“His mother was very sick.”
I felt alarm because I really liked Ty’s mother. “When?”
“Her heart is not doing well. She has pneumonia and was in the hospital.”
“Why the hell didn’t anyone tell me this on Friday?”
“We didn’t want to worry you on your special day.”
“But I love Mrs. Barnes. I don’t care if it was my special day. I need to call Ty. He must feel horrible.”
“She’s doing much better.”
