“My ‘other mother’”

It’s Mother’s Day, and it’s my first without my mother.
I still have my ‘other mother’, my mother-in-law.

We didn’t always ‘get along’.
I was not her favorite man or person, for about 15 years.
After that we basically had a detente’.
I don’t blame her, when I was a young man, she couldn’t see the possibilities, she just saw a dumbass. I wouldn’t have wanted me to date or marry my daughter either.

Now though, I am her favorite person, and man other than her husband.
What changed?
Mother’s Day 2011.
I was working for ‘Pratt and Whitney’ in Connecticut, and in their lobby they allowed family members of employees and employees to set up little stands and sell crafts.
Just before Mother’s Day, there was a woman selling hand made jewelry. Her top of the line items were necklaces made with ‘fresh water pearls’.
So I bought one for my lovely lady for Mother’s Day, and went back to work.
For some reason, I got a wild hair and went back about 20 minutes later and bought a second pearl necklace, for my mother in law.

I bought her a Mother’s Day card, wherein I wrote;
“Thank you for being my ‘other mother’ for 33 years.”

She cried, which is a big deal.
She’s from New England, she doesn’t cry, and if she does, it’s definitely not in front of anyone.

Ever since that Mother’s Day, I can do no wrong in her eyes. I’m also one of the few folks that can get away with giving her shit, and telling her what to do.

Picture:Grammie and I in Spain