AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Not that it goes with anything in here. Stephen will have a holy cow when he sees it, but it’s staying.
“And I put a diffuser on your bedside table in the bedroom. Promise me you’ll use it. I left the instructions and the oils in the drawer.”
Okay…did Daphne call her or something? Did she tell her about me talking to Jake tomorrow?
No. She’s like Fort Knox. She’d never tell unless I say it’s okay.
Or, maybe, Mom has just known something’s been progressively up with me the past year and it’s been rising to a crescendo. I call less. Post less pictures on the Instaface, as she says. It doesn’t take a psychic to notice those things.
Doesn’t help that my apartment is noticeably messier, either.
When the kitchen is wiped down to her liking, the dishwasher whirring its soft, productive song, she settles beside me on the couch and puts her feet up. Pats my leg lovingly.
I relax into the cushions more. It does help to have her here tonight.
“How’s that Stephen?” she asks, scanning my apartment. Her eyes catch on the new painting he hung over my TV. My condo is his pet project. Ever evolving. Ever keeping up with the trends. He’ll take pictures of it and post them online to attract new clients.
It’s a win-win.
“He’s Stephen,” I say and don’t offer more. He’s a hot mess. And, without a doubt, one of my favorite people.
“You look good.” I can’t tell if she’s bullshitting or not. She wouldn’t tell me if I didn’t. Her heart is too kind. “Are you getting out on the weekends? Staying social?”
I fight to keep a poker face.
“I’m serious, now. I don’t want you working yourself to death. There’s more to—”
“I’m fine, Ma. I’m socializing.” On Fridays. Weekends? Well, let’s just say last weekend I binge-watched so many episodes of Game of Thrones that I started having secret meetings with Varys in the closet and grew weary of the front lobby security guard. I think he knows things.
“You need a companion around here,” she concludes and takes a sip of the sweet tea she brought to the couch with her. “Ever thought of a cat?”
I groan internally. “Oxford is a companion,” I say, waving my hand in the direction of his bowl on my bookshelf. I squint to make sure he’s still moving.
“Oxford is a fish. You need something else.”
“Shhh. He’ll hear you.”
“Scarlett Marie. I’m being serious.”
“Okay, Ma,” I appease. “I’ll look into it.”
Maybe.
When she leaves,it feels all too soon, but I don’t want her driving exhausted. “You should stay,” I say when we hug. She’s felt smaller the past few times I’ve had my arms around her. Her middle has less padding. Time needs to slow down.
“I’ll be fine,” she insists, then kisses me on the cheek. “Besides, what would your dad do without his coffee and toast in the morning?”
“He’d live,” I tease.
A pat on my arm before she turns and heads through the door. “True. He’s got it good.” I mouth the next part with her. “Not that he doesn’t know it.”
She turns left toward the stairwell on accident. “To the right, Ma.”
She changes direction.
