I wasn't planning on seeing my mother until next week. It was supposed to be at a restaurant not my house, and it was supposed to be just us two. I wanted to introduce her to Lilly when our relationship was strengthened, and questions were answered and settled. So, I was very surprised to see her in my foyer glaring at a shaking Lilly.

Once I made myself known, I heard the worst insult I have heard come from my mother's mouth towards such an innocent person. Lilly excused herself before I could protect her from the harsh words by leaving up the stairs. I tried calling her back, but she only seemed to run further from me. Seeing it was pointless calling her, I quickly turned back to mother to see a smirk of victory on her face.

I love my mother. She is probably the only person I have ever loved in my life. My father and I had a relationship based on business, while my brother and I barely talked to each other due to not seeing eye-to-eye. So, for the first time, I was furious with my mother. I have never been so shocked and disgusted by the insult that she has said to my Angel. Sure she has said similar things to other women I have been "with", but the way those women presented them selfs was nothing like Lilly. In fact, they were the complete opposite.

"Well are you going to say hello to your mother?" I hear a grumble. I did not realize I was staring back at the top of the staircase, where my Angel left, until my mother interrupted my worry thinking. "What the hell was that?!" I spitted out, now full glaring down at my mother. "Oh Jason, sweetie, she was just another one of those slu-" I stopped her before the vulgar word could be spit out. "Shut up! She is the most precious person to me. You have no idea what she has been through and I have worked so damn hard to bring up her confidence. Now thanks to you I am probably back to base one!"

A look of pure regret was on my mother's face. "You love her don't you?" she sighs. It wasn't a sigh of annoyance, it was more of relief, which confused the hell out of me. I nodded my head, proving to her that the women she just crushed is the love of my life. "Jason, honey, I am only looking out for you. The past couple of girls throughout the years were only looking at your looks and money. They never considered your personality, love, and what they were getting themselves into with the mafia." I stiffly nodded. I understood where she was coming from. The other women I have been with were money crazed idiots that showed no care in the world but themselves. While putting that into consideration, she still never should have jumped into conclusion with Lilly.

"Mom, Lilly is nothing like that. She is the most kind, considerate, self-less person I know. She is also aware of what I do and what she is stuck into." A smile bloomed on my mother's face, but an instant grimace replaced it. "I should apologies to her." she whispered. I slowly looked back up the steps with want. A chuckle came from my mother behind me. "Go check on her Jason. We can talk some more in a bit. I think hearing from you right now will be better than my apology. I will talk to her once she feels comfortable with me." I smiled at her and quickly ran up the stairs, knowing that my Angel is going to need me.

I opened our bedroom door, and guilt overflowed through me. There on our bed was a curled up lump of blanket that was shaking. Once removing the blanket, a tear-streaked Lilly laid in front of me. I reach out to remove the hair stuck to her cheeks due to the tears, but she moved herself before I could touch her.

"Your mother was right. You can find someone better than me Jason." she sniffled. The guilt started to weigh heavier down on me than before, if it was even possible. "You couldn't be any more wrong sweetheart. In fact, you are perfect for me and no one else could ever replace you." She doesn't move from her place until I open my arms for a hug. Within seconds she jumps onto my body, almost making me topple over. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me Lilly." I spoke into her ear. Her hold on me tightens and her tears started to flow again.

I cradled her to my chest while swaying us side-to-side for awhile, then sitting down on the bed with her sitting on my lap. "I guess our dinner is cancelled?" I sigh at her words and scratch the back of my neck. "Yeah sweetheart. But I'm going to have Anthony take you out to eat for lunch while I figure things out with my mother. Then we can have dinner here tonight and reschedule our date. If that's alright with you?" She shakes her head vigorously with a beaming smile.

Anthony breaks into the room without warning a little after Jason left. "Lets go bitch!" he yells. I winced at his use of words, but quickly smiled back at his beaming face. Before I could get up, he grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the room.

Once in the car, Anthony doesn't stop talking about how excited he is about taking his soon to be sister-in-law to lunch. His comment made me blush. I just nodded at him, not sure how I should respond and continued to just listen to him yap away.

He pulled us up at an Olive Garden, making my mouth instantly water. "How did you know this was one of my favorite places to eat." He gives me an are you serious look. "Lilly you talk about their breadsticks all the time." I 'oh' at him, and then am forcibly dragged again into the restaurant by a very excited Anthony.

"I heard what happened." Anthony stated once we were seated and our drinks were ordered. Sadness started to flow through me, but Anthony placed his hand on top of mine, stopping me from my thoughts. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. But I just want you to know Jason hasn't had any luck with girls in the past. His mother is just very protective of him." I nod at his words. "If it makes you feel any better, she feels guilty for what she said to you after Jason ripped her out." I started to feel a little better and smiled at him. Once seeing my smile, he smiled back and removed his hand.

Our drinks arrived soon after, making me grab my lemonade eagerly, desperately needing a drink and the sugar from the lemonade for my worn out brain. "You know what I realized." I look up at him in pure curiosity, while still sipping my drink through the straw. "He has smiled more and has been a lot happier ever since you came into our lives. Before you, he was grumpy all the time and showed no mercy towards anyone. He has barely killed anyone since we found you." he chuckled. His last statement made me choke on my drink. Still knowing that Jason has killed people, and it's part of his job and life, is still something that I have struggled to accept. Anthony noticing my uneasiness quickly changed the subject to considering getting himself a dog.

After eating three baskets of breadsticks on my own, a bowl of chicken fettuccine, and convincing Anthony that Jason would not allow his future dog in the house, Anthony and I leave. The ride back was us loudly singing to 80's music, making me feel like I was living my normal life again. Sadly the fun instantly left once we saw Jason standing on the front porch. He had a look of worry on his face and was smoking. I didn't know he smoked, but I figured I would discuss that with him later.

Anthony and I instantly left the car once parked, and quickly walked up to him. He threw the cigarette away and met up with us half-way. "Anthony we need to talk. Lilly please go inside. I will be with you later." He didn't look at me once while saying this. My heart broke, but thinking that it was probably something about his work, I slowly nodded and went inside.