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She’s wearing tailored trousers and a cashmere sweater - no elegant dress for her for once. She’s very casual today.
I open the car door before we come to a complete stop. I’m on my feet and walking toward Mother. It’s my very own kind of grand dramatic entrance.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I say to her in lieu of a greeting. “I got mobbed by fans in town. Had to make a daring escape in a disgusting alleyway.”
“Oh, did you?”
“You would’ve loved to have seen me in hero mode. Your very own son being a real-life action hero.”
Mother reaches out to me with an icy smile and gives me a kiss on each cheek.
“That’s why I always travel in a private helicopter, dear,” she says. “It’s the best way to avoid normal people.”
I roll my eyes. “A private helicopter for every trip? You’ll never change, Mother.”
“Victor...”
“You are the very stereotype of wealth, aren’t you?” I question her with a twinge of mischievousness.
She likes my gentle teasing. She can take a bite. And she can certainly give it, that’s for sure.
“I regret nothing,” she replies. “Come for a walk with me, Victor. Come for a walk with your frail Mother.”
“You are anything but frail, woman.”
I take her hand on my arm, and we stroll through the perfectly manicured gardens of our mansion.
“Welcome back home,” she says, probing me ever so slightly.
“Thank you for having me back,” I reply.
“It’s just a shame that you aren’t staying longer,” she says. “You are always in and out like a whirlwind. Never enough time to stick around with your dear old mother.”
“Duty calls,” I reply. “I’ve got to go off and film my next project. Got to win that award. Achieve my life’s dream.”
“I worry about you, Victor.”
I continue walking in defiance of her probing. Her hand is loose around my arm.
“There’s nothing to worry about, Mother,” I say through gritted teeth.
I love my mother, but she does have a knack for transforming every conversation into some sort of vicious verbal tennis competition with strong words that rally back and forth.
“Flying around the world and filming all the time,” Mother says. “Being in the public eye. No companion to share the load. That’s more than enough for me to worry about.”
“I am perfectly fine, Mother.”
“I think about you a lot, Victor.”
“Well, please do less thinking and more enjoying of your billionaire life...”
We pass by a fountain. Water spurts into the air. My brother August used to love walking around here, studying his medical textbooks. I used to dress up in costumes and run around these gardens, pretending to be a prince in a fantasy land. He grew up and became a real-life respectable doctor, and as for me...
Now I do the same thing but in front of very expensive cameras.
“So, tell me,” Mother starts. I already know whatever is about to come out of her mouth will not end well for me. “Are there any girls in your life, Victor? And I’m thinking about long-term, not about the ones you take home to your hotel suites.”
“Where did you hear about that?” I ask her, feigning a flabbergasted look of horror.
