A New Foundation Rochelle Alers (read aloud .txt) 📖

Closing her eyes and biting her lip, Sonja struggled to control her temper. She didn’t think her mother would bring that up when she’d promised they’d never discuss her ex again once the divorce was finalized.

“Taylor is nothing like Hugh.”

“How did you meet him?”

“He’s my friend’s brother.” She told Maria about the phone call between her and Viola, and her subsequently meeting Taylor. “Working at the gallery allowed me to save money, but I knew it really wasn’t going to advance my career. But, becoming the architectural historian to restore a residence listed on the National Register of Historic Places was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“I’m not doubting your professional ability. It’s just—”

“It’s just that you doubt my ability not to mix business with pleasure,” Sonja said, interrupting her mother.

Well, she wanted to tell Maria that it was too late. She was doing exactly that, yet there was a difference. She was no longer that twenty-year-old woman who had fallen victim to a much older man who had a habit of preying on his young female students. It wasn’t until much later in their relationship that Sonja became aware of his reputation. And when she confronted him, he’d proposed marriage. Shocked and taken aback that he loved her enough to make her his wife, she rationalized the rumors were nothing more than lies and agreed to become Mrs. Hugh Davies.

“I’m not as naive or gullible as I used to be. And I have Hugh to thank for that.”

“I’m not trying to run your life, baby. It’s just that I don’t ever want you to go through what you did with that monster.”

“I know that. I told you before that if or when I get involved with someone I’m like a traffic light. Green means go, yellow is proceed with caution and red means stop and don’t look back.”

“I’m going to ask you one more thing about your boss, and then I promise to stay quiet.”

“What’s that?”

“Is he nice looking?”

Sonja covered her face with her free hand and inhaled deeply. “No, Mami. He’s gorgeous.”

Her mother’s soft chuckle came through the earpiece. “I rest my case. I never thought when I used to drag you around with me to museums that you would become an architectural historian.”

“I love history and I love art even more.”

“What are you working on?”

Sonja told her mother about Bainbridge House. “I’m certain if you were to see it restored with the original furnishings you would love it.”

“Are you saying they’re going to modernize it?”

“No. The exception will be updating the plumbing and electricity. Once the restoration is complete it will look like a French nobleman’s country estate. I’ll send you photos when some of the work has been completed.”

There was a noticeable pause on the other end of the connection. “When are you coming up to see me?”

Sonja grimaced. She usually tried to visit her parents for a weekend every two to three months, but that was when she worked part-time. “I’m not sure now that I’m working full-time. I don’t plan to work the Memorial Day weekend, so I’ll probably drive up then.”

“We’re not going to be here that weekend. Your father and I are driving down to Savannah. He’s meeting up with some of his army buddies who rented a boat to sail down to the Caribbean.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“About ten days. They plan to use the boat as a hotel while they visit different islands.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“I’m really looking forward it. I told your father if he agrees to another golf outing that I was going to leave him.”

Sonja wanted to tell her mother that she’d threatened to leave her husband so many times over minutiae that James Martin tended to ignore her. “I suppose the next holiday is the Fourth of July. Do you guys also have plans for that holiday weekend?”

“James was talking about surprising me with something because that’s our anniversary week, so right now I can’t commit to anything.”

“I can’t believe you’re going to be married forty years.”

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long,” Maria admitted. “I also know you’re fixated on your career but—”

“Please don’t say it, Mami.” Sonja had cut her mother off in midsentence. “I know you want me to find someone and settle down and give you more grandbabies. Of course, I’d like to fall in love and perhaps even marry, but that is not at the top of my wish list. If or when I decide I want to become a mother, I’ll adopt.”

“I just want you happy, Sonja.”

“But I am happy, Mami. I have my health. Right now, I’m living in a beautiful condo where all my needs are met. And I’m working on the sort of project I’ve always wanted. The only analogy I can think of is an archaeological dig and discovering ancient artifacts.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m meddling in your life. It’s just that I saw you so emotionally wounded that as your mother I, too, felt your pain.”

“I’ve healed and I’ve never been happier.”

“That’s what I want to know, baby.”

Sonja knew she had pacified her mother because she’d called her baby. “Yolanda told me you sent her your pastelón recipe and I got it from her.”

“That’s because every time I talk to her she nags me until I couldn’t stand it anymore and I sent it to her.”

“Well, now I have it. I know Abuela is smiling in heaven because her granddaughter will continue the tradition of making her incredibly delicious pastelón.”

“When we hang up, I’m going to go through some of the recipes my mother left me and send them to you.”

“Have you ever thought about writing a cookbook using Abuela’s recipes? You could publish it in English and Spanish. You can call it memories of a Puerto Rican kitchen. Before each recipe you can include a little narrative about the events that made that dish so memorable. I remember you telling me how the entire family had to pitch