The silence in the room was deafening. Mrs. Espinosa just there, eating her scrambled eggs and lox as I looked at Eric while I did the morning dishes. I motioned for him to say something but he calmly shook his head no, nursing a cup of coffee.

Finally, he relented. "Mom, it's for the best."

"Your own mother comes out to visit and you want to get rid of me."

"Mom, I'm not getting rid of you," pleaded Eric. "This is a challenging time right now, for all of us, and I just think it would be better if you stayed at a hotel. You'll be right down the street."

"Oh, sure, 15 minutes by car is right down the street."

"It's the Beverly Hilton. Plenty of people have stayed there and loved it. Celebrities, politicians. They have a swimming pool, gym, beauty salon..."

"I don't care," she said, rising from the table and handing me her plate. "They don't have my son."

"Mom, I've come out of the closet at work. You started me on this therapy to get my life in order, and that's what I'm doing. But I can't do it all. I love you but I'm a grown man. A couple of days is one thing but several weeks? I just don't have the strength."

Mrs. Espinosa walked into the guest bedroom and pulled out her suitcase, beginning to pack.

"Eric," I said, leaning behind him. "Do something."

"It's fine. She's bluffing."

She leaned forward and slammed the bedroom door.

*********

The sterile and clean smell of the Beverly Hilton Hotel lobby was apparent. Obviously built in the 60's, it was very Hawaii Five-O but was now filled with groups of families, tourists, and one silent New York Italian woman who enjoyed Jewish food- Eric's mom.

I felt sorry for her as she sat stoically on the soft pink couch, looking at a hotel brochure.

"The pool area is very nice." I said, trying my best. She simply turned the pamphlet's page.

"If I wanted a swimming pool, I would have gone to Florida."

She looked at me and I think she could tell by my reaction I was- in a word- stunned by the person who sat down next to her. Suddenly I could tell she recognized this famous actor sitting beside her.

I immediately crossed to Eric still at the check-in counter, going over paperwork, nudging him to look at the reception area.

"What?" He said, annoyed, seeing his mother suddenly full of giggles and smiling, talking with...with...Jim Rockford? No, that was his character name. James Garner! Eric's mom was talking to James Garner, her face ignited in conversation as the two of them laughed. He was greeted by a beautiful woman with children, said good-bye to Mrs. Espinosa, and continued down a hallway.

Eric's mom remained on the couch, awestruck- a gigantic smile across her face.

"Did you see that!?" she yelled, fanning herself with her hand.

"Mom, if you're polite- you don't say anything. Just let them do their thing. It's the LA thing to do."

"Wait until Louiza hears about this. She is going to be SO jealous. He looked good and HE TALKED TO ME!"

"Of course, he did," I interjected. "He was flirting with you."

"Mom, if it bothers you I could take you back to the house?"

"Don't you start." She grabbed the key from Eric's hand, moving to the elevator as I went and picked up her luggage.

Who knew Hollywood would calm the savage beast inside my Mother-in-Law?