“That’s not funny.” Her lips purse.
My mum has always been convinced I have no sense of humor, which quite frankly is ridiculous.
Kelly kicks my shin under the table and widens her eyes at me. Before I have a chance to respond, she jumps in.Fine, I think, scowling at her.
“He’ll be sitting next to you and Aunt Brenda, so there’s no need to worry there.” Kelly is ever the diplomat. My mum ignores us both, waving down the waiter and signaling for the bill.
Clearly, we’re done here. Thank God for that.
When the waiter comes over with the bill and card machine, Mum insists on covering it, removing her credit card from her clutch. It’s all a ruse to look good in front of the waiter, and for once I don’t pretend to play along with fighting to pay for the bill. With her though, there is never such thing as a free lunch.
“Christopher, darling…” Ah, there it is. She taps her card on the machine, then slides the card back into her clutch and slowly gets up from the chair. “Would you be ever so kind and order us an Uber to your sister’s final fitting appointment?”
I glance at Kelly as I get up, who looks away sheepishly.
Clearly, she hadn’t told Mum that I have work to do and won’t be able to attend.
Typical. Always avoiding dealing with the issue.
I let out a deep exhale and reach for my phone.
“What’s the address?” I ask, looking between the two of them.
“Kelly, give him the address. I’m going to use the toilet.” Mum waves dismissively, tottering away in heels a size too big that clink on the tiled floor.
“Really,” I say, once she’s out of earshot, and hand Kelly the phone to type in the address. I cross my arms, leaning over the back of the chair.
“You’d think I haven’t got enough battles to fight, without having to take on yours too,” she says, shoving the phone back at me and shaking her head.
Fair enough. I quickly order the Uber and shoot off a text to Stephen while we wait for mum to return.
The Uber arrives a few minutes later, and as we step outside,Stephen calls in response to the SOS message I sent him, right on cue.
“I’m not with my laptop right now, but I can be back at the hotel in thirty minutes,” I say, pausing for dramatic effect when my mum turns. Then I continue, “Okay, can you hold a minute?”
I’ve learned it’s best not to lie to her, but be what I call truth-adjacent with a parallel truth. In this case, I do need to work, but no one would be calling me from the West Coast at this hour.
I clutch the phone to my chest, and turn my gaze to my mother, who has rage forming in her eyes.
“I need to get back for work; it’s an emergency.” My voice rises a semi-octave higher than usual in an attempt to be as convincing as I can.
“You’ve been here all of two hours, and already you’re bailing on us.” My mum shakes her head and opens the car door. “Forever the disappointment of this family,” she says as she gets in, slamming the door behind her.
A sledgehammer crashes into my chest.
Kelly mouthsSorry, as she gets in the other side, before they drive away and leave me on the curb.
I’m winded by the weight of my mum’s words. Seeping through my veins. Crippling my broken heart even further. I’ve mourned the loss of the mother I’d hoped to have, and accept the mother I got instead, but low blows like that still wound me.
I imagine, for a moment, a mum who would be understanding. Who would hug their son tightly. Who would call for no other reason than just to hear my voice. The honking sound of a car horn startles me, and I shake the delusion away, returning the phone to my ear.
“Sorry, you still there? Thanks for that.”
“No problem. We still good for drinks later?”
The last thing I want to do is go out after that interaction, but I know moping around in my hotel room is the last thing I need right now.
“Sure, want to come to the Landmark for 7 p.m.? We can grab a drink there and head into Soho after.”
