Very well, actually.

The door opened to reveal a woman who could only be Eva’s mother, so much did she look like an older version of her daughter, with a larger bust, longer legs and eyes that spoke of experience instead of innocence. Eyes that were now turned on him.

“Mr. Doe” she said “I, Carman, mother of Eva. Eva tells me you bring her home and stay to keep her safe! I happy you do this!” She then turned to her daughter “Why he wear your papa’s clothes?”

John spoke up before Eva could answer “I spilt something on my clothes and Eva offered to wash them for me. And please call me John”

“Yes” said Carmen “Eva very good girl.”

“Well,” said John “Now that you are home I guess I’ll go. Eva can return my clothing to me tomorrow and I’ll wash these clothes and …”

“No! You stay!” said Carmen “I make dinner. Thank you for keeping Eva safe.”

“That’s not … ” John tried.

“I insist” said Carmen. “You sit down. I get drink. Eva, you do homework. Come out for dinner.”

“But Mama …” began Eva.

“No but! You do! NOW!”

Eva sulked off to her room and John sat down. Carmen brought him a glass of cheap red wine which he sipped as Carmen shouted at him from the kitchen, telling him how good Eva was and how she, Carmen, was working hard to make sure Eva got a good education, and how hard it was now that Eva’s father had left them for some’ at this point she switched to Spanish but John could tell by her tone that the words were not complementary.

Eventually the dinner was served and Carmen called Eva out of her room. The three of them sat around an old, vinyl-covered, metal table in the kitchen, and each of them had another glass of red wine with the meal. Carman said grace in Spanish and John was pretty sure she was asking for vengeance on her cheating spouse along with the usual thanks for the repast. The meal went pretty much as expected with the main topic being Eva’s schoolwork (which seemed to thrill Eva as much as could be expected as well).

After dinner Carmen ordered Eva back to her room and told her to do her homework and then go to bed. Again she brooked no argument. She then took John back to the lounge room to continue their conversation with another glass of wine. John tried yet again to extricate himself, but again Carman was insistent and try as he might he could not fight her determination.

As they sat drinking wine the conversation quickly turned from school-life to home-life and particularly how difficult Carmen was finding it now that there was no man around.

“John” she said “I try to do without a man. I do. I work. I look after Eva. I do everything. I do good job. But some things I can’t do. Girls need their papas. And sometimes I get lonely. I ache to feel a man’s touch. I hear your wife leave. Do you get lonely too… Do you not ache to feel a woman again?”

She began to move in close and John could see where this was leading. He quickly considered attempting to resist but, whether it was the wine, the fact that he hadn’t been with a real woman since his wife left, or the idea of doing mother and daughter on the same night, he found he didn’t have the strength or even the desire. “Yes” he said just as Carmen leaned over and kissed him then put her hand in his lap.

“Let us soothe each other’s aches” she said.