Happy Mother's Day

"Happy Mother's Day," Tom Hartman said to Veronica, the woman he was in love with and the woman he wanted to marry.

Veronica tried to smile back. "Thank you. I have to be honest with you, Tom. This isn't exactly how I planned on spending Mother's Day. I was selfishly hoping for something that was a little more about me instead of your daughter."

"I know but Tiffany really wanted me to have dinner with her tonight. And with Rex too." Tom grimaced as he said his daughter's boyfriend's name.

"She wanted you to have dinner with the two of them," Veronica pointed out. "She didn't want me along."

Since Veronica was right, Tom sighed. "I know but I need you for moral support. Tiffany wants to marry this clown and I have to figure out a way not to let that happen."

"Well, she can't get married without your permission. She isn't eighteen yet."

"She'll be eighteen in August and then she won't need my permission. I'd like to point out to her how foolish it is to get married at her age and I'd like your help."

"I'm hardly an expert on marriage, Tom. I only married my first husband to give my son a father."

"All I want you to do is help me convince Tiffany that she's too young to get married." Tom looked at Veronica pleadingly. "I'm in over my head on this parenting stuff, Veronica. I didn't even know I was a dad until a year or so ago. Please help me."

"You know I will," Veronica said with a sigh. "I'm just not sure how effective I'll be"

"You're about to find out. Here they come."

Tom and Veronica watched as Tiffany and her boyfriend Rex made their way through the crowded restaurant. Tom looked at the other diners enviously. They all looked so normal and he'd bet his last dollar that the majority of the men in the room knew for certain if their offspring was really and truly theirs. Watching Tiffany, he searched her face for similarities with his own but couldn't find any. Tiffany looked like her late mother. She didn't look anything like him or like Vlad.

"Hi!" Tiffany said when they finally reached the table. "I'm starving! Happy Mother's Day, Veronica."

"Yeah, Happy Mom's Day," Rex echoed, leaning down to kiss Veronica on the cheek. "You look pretty good for a mom. Not too beat up or anything."

Tom cringed. He'd have to take Veronica out for an extra nice dinner to make up for this meal.

"Thank you, Veronica replied. "I've tried to keep myself presentable."

"Where is your son?" Tiffany asked. "He moved away, right?"

"He's out in California now," Veronica said. "He's writing a movie script."

"Good luck selling it," Rex said as he snapped open his napkin and tucked it into his open shirt. "I mean, anyone can write a script but hardly anyone can sell one. Like me, for example. I had a great idea for a script and I hammered it out in three days, just like Sylvester Stallone did with Rocky. Man, I couldn't get no one to look at it. Hey! Maybe your son could help me sell my script!"

"Maybe," Veronica agreed politely.

Tom steered the conversation in a different direction. "All right, let's order and then let's talk. I don't want to beat around the bush, Tiffany. We need to discuss your plans."

Rex picked up Tiffany's left hand and held it up for Tom to see. Tiffany had the largest, most garish ring Tom had ever seen on her third finger. "What do ya think? Looks like the real deal, doesn't it? But it's that fake stuff they sell on one of the shopping channels. I got it for under a hundred bucks and no one will ever know the difference! See how good I am with money? Your little girl is going to be in very safe hands with me."

"Yes, Daddy," Tiffany agreed. "Rex is great with money."

"And pretty soon we're going to have even more of it to handle," Rex said.

"What are you talking about?" Tom asked sharply.

"You know, I'm talking about Fat Off--"

"Nothing," Tiffany jumped in after glaring at Rex. "He's not talking about anything at all."