88 Brunch

Since my mother signed the papers two months ago, we've met three times and talked. Each time it became a little less tense and awkward as we discussed what had happened to each other over the years apart. She seemed genuinely interested in me and my life, never showing any judgement on my choices and praising me for my accomplishments. It was strange still to have my mother acting like how I've always wanted her to be. Like a mom.

"Do you still draw? You were so talented, even as a child." My mother asks as we sip coffee at a cafe where we met for brunch. 

"I do. Not as much as I used to, but I still do. A few of my pieces are in a gallery. It belongs to a friend of mine who also does art and demanded I make something for her place." I push my finished plate of food away from our breakfast. 

"That's still something though! Who cares if it's your friends gallery? I'm just glad you still draw. I'd ... I would like to see your recent stuff, maybe next time?" Her eyes are large and hopeful as she makes her request.

I give her a small vague smile, "I guess I could do that." That was not a big concession, allowing her to see my art. 

"Thank you." She returns my smile with a warm one of her own. She looks down at her wrist and sighs, "I should get going so I have time to get ready for work before my shift. Thank you, Melita. I enjoyed our brunch." She stands and gathers her trash and plates to deposit at the cafe's receptacles. 

"Alright. Have a good day at work." I respond politely, taking care of my own plate too. 

No sooner have I taken care of them, she stops me and looks hesitant.

"May I have a hug?" She asks, throwing me off guard.

"I .. uh..." I don't know how to respond to that.

She shakes her head sadly, "Sorry. It's still too soon. I apologize. Bye Melita." She turns on her heel and hurries out the door of the cafe, leaving me still stunned.

Even as a small child, I don't remember receiving much physical affection from either of my parents. For her to have wanted a hug, from me? I shake my head and exit the cafe to find Dave waiting by the Lincoln. 

"Hello, Dave. I'm thinking of going by Sarina's gallery before going back to the house." 

"Not a problem, Melita." He opens the door for me and he climbs in to take me there. 

On the way to Sarina's gallery, I feel Dave's eyes assessing me. "How did brunch with your mother go?"

"As well as one could go, I guess. She asked me some more about college and asked if I still draw. I can't believe she still remembers that I used to draw." 

"You are a very talented artist, it would be hard to forget." Dave says kindly.

"Thank you."

"Will you want me to find parking or would you like me to come back when you are ready?" Dave inquiries when we are close.

"Find parking, please. I shouldn't be here too long." 

He nods and pulls up near the door, allowing me to exit so he can find parking. I enter the building and am greeted by Charlotte who works the gallery side.

"Ms. Xenos! How are you today?" She gives me a warm smile that I return.

"Hello, Charlotte. I'm fine. Is Sarina in today?" I ask, scanning the gallery.

She nods, "She's in her workroom. I'll let her know you're here." 

Charlotte heads into the back area of the gallery, to the employee's only marked door to disappear behind. After just a minute, Charlotte comes back out waving me over.

"She said come on back." She allows me to enter before returning to the gallery.

I walk through the workshop, past a large thick man who gives me a polite, kind smile and nods in the direction to find Sarina. I make my way around the large equipment, all things she uses to make her jewelry, before spotting her hunched over at a workbench. As I get closer I see she's using a small hand held torch on the piece she's making. 

"Hey, Melita." Sarina turns her head over her shoulder to acknowledge my presence. "Give me just a minute to get to a good pausing point on this bracelet. Pull up a stool." She waves the hand with the torch to the side where another workbench that is empty that has a stool at it. I pick the stool up and move it closer without being in the way of drawers at her workbench. 

I sit there and watch her, working settings into a section of a bracelet, a few at a time, following a pattern on paper she has before her on the bench. The finished piece would be stunning. 

Once she gets a few more settings in place, she sighs, "Okay, I can pause for lunch now. Care to join me down the street for a sandwich?" 

"Sure I can do that." 

She stands and calls out, "Art! I'm heading to the deli for lunch. You want me to bring you back a Rueben or a pastrami?" 

After the order for a pastrami was confirmed, we walked the two blocks down to the deli. 

"So what brings you by today?" Sarina asks once her orders are placed and I order a drink with chips.

"I just had brunch with my mother." I say resolved to answer a barrage of questions.

"Oh. Well, you're not crying and you are not smoking at the ears, that's a good sign right?" Sarina banters with a soft smile.

I give a breathy chuckle, "Yes, I guess so. She wants to see my art. What I've been drawing." 

Sarina takes a sip from her drink, "Are you going to bring her by the gallery?"

I nod slowly, "I considered it. I did tell her my art was up in a gallery. I just don't know if I should divulge too much personal information as far as who my friends are and where to find them. A part of me wants to trust her, but ... there's just too much of a past between us that has me hesitating."

Sarina nods, "You know that's not a bad thing, to be cautious. Just take her some of your sketches to show her. This was only your what .... third, fourth time meeting with her?" 

"Third. I agree with you. I don't know a small part of me wants to show off that my art is in an actual gallery, even if it's my friends gallery." I grin at her, before sharing my next thought. "I think I am merely being vindictive instead of proud about that though."

Sarina shrugs, a wicked and playful grin spreading on her face. "Sometimes it feels good to rub some mud in someone's face. I'm more than happy to help you with getting a sliver of satisfaction by showing off." 

Laughing, I tease her, "You sounded more like Lirael just now."

Sarina hums, rolling the words along with her shoulders in a flippant manner, "And? She is an experienced domme. If anyone knows about tit for tat, it would be her."

"True, very true. However, I'm trying to be the bigger person here." 

"And I love you even more for it, Mel. My parents were shit too to me, nothing like yours, but even I would have loved the opportunity to rub it in their faces how my life has turned out. They were sure that I would do nothing with my life pursuing art and look at me now. Granted some of it came from their passing but I was doing alright before that too." Sarina stands and accepts her order and we head back to the shop. 

"So how are the twins?" I ask, knowing that they were now walking and babbling quite well, keeping both parents on their toes at home.

"Driving me crazy, but I do love it at the same time. I don't know how stay at home moms do it 24/7. I need this break away from them and home to recenter my sanity. The nanny we hired is amazing too, she's younger than us but is knowledgeable and handles them both well. She's worth her weight in gold so far." Sarina smiles warmly and I can see that she trusts this nanny immensely to feel so at ease. 

We make it back to the workshop and give Art his sandwich before I join her at her office so she can eat. We continue our chit chat and by the time she finishes her food, I feel more at ease. I send Dave a message that I'm ready before giving Sarina a hug so she can get back to work. 

When I get back to my house I enter and my mouth drops wide open as I stare in horror.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!"