Wake Up ||ONC 2021|| GxG

2. Meddling Mother

"How was your first meeting?"

Esme moved her phone to her other ear before she answered her mother. Her soup sat in front of her still half full and growing cold. Who needed a lunch break when there were mothers so talk to? "Long, I think my boss hates me," Esme groaned.

"He couldn't possibly hate such a sweet, wonderful— "

"Mom," Esme interrupted her mother curtly. Her desk chair squeaked as she rolled back towards the whiteboard behind her. Lists in written in colorful ink spread across it, full of check marks and half-finished notes. There was so much to get done and staring at it all made her head spin sometimes. "I don't think Mr. Bowers has the same bias that you do."

On the other end of the line, her mother sighed. "I just don't want you to push yourself too hard. That crash nearly took you from us and I just worry you'll overdo it and set back all you're hard work."

"Don't worry mom, I'm taking all my meds and going to my appointments and doing my exercises, I even did a crossword yesterday," Esme finished in a teasing tone. Of course, she hadn't gotten more than five answers right but at least she had gotten a few right. She snuck a quiet sip of her soup while her mom went on and on about taking care of herself.

"And what about that model fellow, how are things going with him?"

Esme could practically hear the smirk in her mother's voice. She'd made the mistake of telling her mother about the cute guy who had taken her to lunch on her first day. Ever since then, her mother had pestered her for when she'd have a grandchild to show off. The thought made Esme blush every time.

Yes, the tall blonde man was objectively handsome, and she wouldn't mind dating him, but marriage was another thing all together. She was willing to bet his home life was incredibly boring. He had that feel to him.

"I think you should give him a chance. You know nowadays girls can ask out the boys," her mother suggested. A muffled voice came through the phone and Esme could hear the faint sound of a man's voice. Her mother answered back just as muffled. "Ja, det er hende."

"What was that?" Esme frowned.

"Oh nothing dear, just the tv," her mother answered sweetly. "I'm sure you have important things to do so I'll let you go. Remember to visit soon." There wasn't even time to say goodbye before her mother hung up.

"Love you too I guess," Esme dropped her phone onto the desk and leaned back in her seat. It was strange for her mother to hang up so suddenly. At least, she thought it was strange. She hadn't been able to assume anything with certainty since the car accident last April. The mild amnesia had fixed itself for the most part but it had shaken her. There were days when nothing seemed to be the way it was. There were days when she didn't feel much like herself at all.

She shook the thoughts away and closed her cold tomato soup. The smell was starting to turn her stomach. There was a knock at her door, and she snapped her head up to meet Easton's inquisitive stare.

"Have you eaten already?" he asked, glancing quickly at her takeout bag.

"Yeah. Did you need something?" Esme shuffled her papers together to unearth her laptop. It flickered on and she opened the list of proposed photoshoots for the first spring issue.

"No," Easton replied, taking a seat in one of the plush pink chairs across from her. "Are you coming to happy hour tonight?"

"Yeah, I just need to run home and change. This skirt is ridiculous," Esme mumbled. She was already beginning to tune him out as she went through the dates listed in front of her. The tapping of his fingers was the only part of him managing to break through her outer calm. "Are you certain you don't need anything?"

"I just wanted to see if you got the texts." Easton stood, brushing imaginary wrinkles from his dress pants. "I guess I'll see you tonight then bird." For a moment he leaned forward over her desk. His hands pressed down on the edges of her papers. Esme noted the faint scar across the back of his left hand, wondering if he'd learned to be more careful around can openers. She shook the thought off as quickly as it had come and he sighed when she stayed silent. "Bye then."

Esme nodded quickly but didn't bother to raise her eyes to look at him. Once she was alone, she hurried around the desk and closed her door. She silenced her phone and scooted in close to her screen, as close as she could comfortably get. From then until six she needed to be completely in the zone, especially if she wanted to make it to happy hour.