A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"What's the matter?", Christian asks while we wait on my mom to finish getting dressed for dinner. "When I asked you earlier what was going on, you wouldn't tell me, but I know something has you distracted." I lean my head back to make sure I don't hear or see her coming out of my bedroom.
"When we got back here earlier and I went to check on my mom, I overheard her on the phone with Bob."
"Ok. I'm following."
"It seems that my mom's not here visiting while Bob's at a convention. She's here because they're separated.", I sigh, knotting my hands together. "I haven't said anything to her, but it's taking all I have not to tell her that I know."
"Baby, I'm sorry. I haven't met Bob and am just now meeting your mom, but I know that the situation isn't easy." Before I have a chance to say anything else, the bedroom door opens and my mom steps out dressed in a black knee length sleeveless dress.
"How do I look?", she asks, twirling around.
"You look great Mom.", I answer as Christian and I stand from the sofa.
"Ana's right. Carla, you look stunning. I think all eyes at the restaurant are going to be on you two ladies." My mom blushes and tucks a stray hair behind her ear. "Shall we go?"
"Yeah.
"Thank you for inviting me to dinner.", my mom says while we're looking over our menus at Metropolitan Grill. "It's been a while since I've been in a restaurant this nice. Bob usually likes to hit the diner a block from our house. The food there is good, but once you've everything on the menu, it gets tiring." Christian looks at me so see my reaction to her mentioning of Bob. I pass him back a shrug.
"Have you talked to Bob since you arrived?", I ask.
"I called and told him that I had made it and would call him back later tonight if it's not too late. I'm sure he'll be out late with the guys from his work."
"Maybe once his conference is over, he can fly here and have dinner with us. I haven't seen him in ages."
"I'm not sure if he'll have time, but I'll ask him.", she murmurs as the waitress arrives at the table. "I believe I'm going to have the Alaskan King crab. Ana, what are you having?" I realize that I've been too focused on my mom that I haven't really looked at the menu. I take a glimpse before finally deciding on a dish that I'm fond of.
"I'll have the New York strip, medium well."
"I'll have the same, but I'll take my steak well done.", Christian.
"I'll put your order in.", the waitress says before heading to the kitchen.
"So Christian, I'm sure running your own company is an exciting thing.", my mom says, unfolding her napkin on to her lap. "You get to travel the world and enjoy all of life's finest things."
"It is exciting. While the trips and luxury items are nice, the best thing is being able to give back to society. I'd rather help build a shelter than a mansion."
"He has a big heart.", I smile. He leans over and places a chaste kiss on my cheek.
"I may not be around as much as I'd like, but I want what's best for Ana. As I'm sitting here, I can see that you care deeply for my daughter. I just hope that you don't hurt her down the road."
"Mom.", I mutter.
"I'm simply affirming that I don't want you to have a repeat of Bryant put you through.", she shrugs while I take a long sip of my wine.
"I wish you would stop dredging up the past by bringing up his name. I've already told you that I'm moving forward." Christian hand goes to my lap in an attempt to calm me. "Please."
"Ok, fine.", she sighs. "How about we change the subject? How's your job?"
"It's great. I've been keeping busy with steady articles. Each one is a learning experience."
"I love reading her work, and I'm not just saying that.", Christian says. "Ana doesn't just write the articles. She puts a part of herself into each one of them."
"I've gone online and read some of the articles and agree with you. She's very talented." It takes all I have to not fall out of my chair at her remark. This is the first time she's complimented me about my writing.
"What about you Mom? A few conversations ago you mentioned how you would like to find a job. Have you found anything yet?", I ask.
"Not yet. I've been looking, but nothing has popped out at me. I'm sure that I'll know it when I see it." She shifts in her seat and looks at Christian. "I worked as an accountant for a while until I married Bob. He wanted me to stay home and tend to the house which was fine with me. I like it." The hint of sadness on her face is a contrast to what she's saying.
"What have you girls got on the agenda for today?", my mom ask me and Kate over the breakfast that she prepared. When I woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon, I thought that I might be still be dreaming. My mom cooks regularly for Bob but rarely has done so for me.
"My parents want me and Ethan to join them for lunch. They wanted us to invite Elliot and Max as well.", Kate replies. "How about the two of you?"
"I haven't thought about it.", I answer, looking over my cup at my mom. "Mom, what would you like to do today?"
"Ana, if you have something else that you need to do or if you have plans with Christian, I'll just hang around here."
"Christian and I are seeing each this evening, but I have plenty of time to spend with you." I came very close to confronting her last night about the separation, but I decided to hold off to see if she tells me herself. The dinner started out rought but eventually lightened up.
"All right. We can do some shopping and grab lunch." I take a bite of my scrambled eggs which are fluffy and delicious.
"We have a plan. We also have some superb eggs. These are great."
"Thank you. I used to cook them for Bob all the time, but he's changed his breakfast habits and is now eating wheat toast in the mornings."
"This is better than wheat toast.", Kate says between bites. "You can always come and live here so you can cook breakfast every morning." Even though she's joking, the irony of Kate's words don't escape me.
"You're funny.", my mom brushes off while standing up. "I'll get up and get ready so we can go."
"Mom, since you cooked breakfast the least we could do is clean up in here." I get up and start placing the empty plates in the sink.
"I'm with Ana. Carla, you go and get ready. We've got this.", Kate says.
"Well, ok.", she replies. "I'll be ready soon." She smiles and heads out of the room and into my bedroom, closing the door behind her.
"Not that I don't like when your mom visits, but something is different this time. I just can't put my finger on it. She seems like a completely different person. What do you think?" I told Christian about my mom and Bob, but I'm not going to tell Kate anything until my mom has told me more.
"She seems like the same woman to me.", I shrug.
"You've yet to find a single piece of clothing in the time that I've found a pile of things.", my mom says. I continue to look through the racks of clothes at Neiman Marcus, but nothing stands out.
"I'm not finding anything I like." She moves past me and grabs a light green sundress. "No. It's nice but not me."
"I'd give anything to be your age again so I could wear some of these clothes. You've got a great figure that you need to show more."
"I'm happy with my style.", I reply. "Isn't that what matters?"
"You're right. I'm sorry." My phone beeps with a text from Christian asking how the shopping is going. I text back that it's going well but miss him. He then responds telling me that he misses me more. "Christian?"
"He was wondering how our day is going. Have you talked to Bob today?"
"I called him this morning. He was about to head out for a um...game of golf with his co-workers. I'll wait until tonight to call back since I don't want to interfere in his day."
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you called during the day." She clears her throat and turns from me to look through a display of skirts. "I'm going to look at some blouses.", I say. Looking over the blouses, I find a soft pink sleeveless that ties in the back. It'll be good for both casual or formal.
"I'm sorry. I guess great minds think a like, huh?", my mom giggles. I look to see what going on and immediately stomp over when I see Rachel alongside her.
"Ana, hi.", Rachel smirks.
"Do you two know each other?"
"Ana and I have an interesting connection. Don't we?" My mom shifts her eyes from Rachel and on to me as I grit my teeth.
"Rachel is Bryant's girlfriend.", I murmur. "Who started seeing him when I was his girlfriend."
"You're the girl who came between them?", my mom questions Rachel. "I've heard about you."
"All bad things I'm sure. Your daughter likes to spin things in her favor. Interestingly enough, she did the same thing recently when she had her boyfriend get me fired from my job. Now I'm unemployed thanks to her."
"It was your own doing.", I snap.
"I'm not sure what the circumstances were, but I know my daughter doesn't do anything without cause.", my mom tells Rachel.
"I see naïvety runs in the family." The blouse falls from my hand as I step closer to her. Sawyer who has been keeping his distance up until now moves in between us. "Who in the hell are you?", Rachel snarls at him.
"The guy keeping me from kicking your ass. You can stand here and bad mouth me all you want, but I will not allow you to insult my mom. Are we understood?"
"Whatever." She glances at her phone and sighs. "Bryant's probably wondering what's taking me so long. I'd better go." I step aside so she can find her broom and fly off.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was at first.", my mom apologizes.
"It's ok. She enjoys trying to get a rise out of me."
"I had fun today.", I say once we arrive back at the apartment. When we left Neiman Marcus, we had a late lunch at Tulio and talked about everything, except Bob. His name hasn't been brought up in conversation since earlier this morning. Still, like Kate noticed, my mom does seem like a different person. I place my bag on floor and sit down in the chair next to the sofa where my mom's already settled. "How about you?"
"I had the best time. It was the perfect mother, daughter day. Thank you. I really needed it."
"I've got work tomorrow, but we can maybe do something afterwards." Spending time with her used to be uncomfortable, but today felt easy.
"I'd like that. Ana, I've got something to tell you."
"I already know.", I sigh.
"Already know what?", she asks, leaning forward in her seat.
"About you and Bob. I heard on the phone yesterday."
"Why didn't you say something before now?"
"I almost did but couldn't find the words. I also figured that you would eventually tell me."
"I wish I could say that it was just a rough patch, but I don't know. I think it's been a long time coming. We've been too blind to see it. Our Grand Cayman getaway more like a last-ditch effort than a romantic vacation. We shared a room and bed, but it felt like we were miles from each other."
"I'm sorry Mom." I reach for her hand as she wipes her tears.
"Don't get me wrong, I love Bob. He's a wonderful man who has provided me with a nice life. I just feel like I've been so occupied being his wife that I've neglected being me. I've lost myself."
"I understand. I was that way with Bryant. I was the person he wanted me to be instead of who I wanted to be. I ended up finding my way back, and so will you."
"It's been a while since I've been on my own.", she murmurs.
"You won't be on your own.", I assure her.