The Scholar and the Star

Ch. 14: Skyler

The view from the hotel's restaurant looks over the bustling downtime during midday. Kate arrives, escorted by the maitre d' before I've been waiting long.

"Hi, am I late?" She asks.

"What, no-" I turn my head at the same time she leans in for a greeting. Her lips graze mine.

"Oops, sorry." She wipes lipstick off me with her thumb before settling into a chair. I stare at her incredulously. "Is your mother here yet?"

"You're here to meet Mother, too?"

"Well, I didn't come just to see you." Kate teases. She catches my expression and drops the smile. "What's wrong? Your mother said the three of us should catch up..."

I only shake my head as I process.

Kate sits back in her chair as understanding dawns. "Oh, no, no. Is she setting us up again? What about Mitch?"

Fuck. I slap my hand to my face. Mitchel was right, and Mother has been purposely bringing Kate in.

Leaner closer, Kate admits, "Skyler, no offense, but I don't want to get back together."

"Me, neither!" My voice carries across the restaurant. Lowering it quickly, I place my napkin on the table and move to stand up. "I'm sorry, Kate. I think there's been a mistake."

"Oh." Kate's attention is caught over my shoulder."Your mother is here."

My head whips around to see Mother usher herself to the table. I'd been trying to get in touch with her since yesterday morning when she invited me at the last minute to lunch at our downtown hotel.

"Hello, darling. What's the matter? Aren't we having lunch?" She waves her hands for me to sit before seating herself next to Kate. "Thank you for joining us today. We didn't get enough time the other night to catch up."

I gingerly sit back down, keeping a wary eye on Mother. Clearing my throat, I tentatively mention, "You didn't tell me you invited Kate."

"Oh, goodness, Skyler, do I have to tell you that? I simply wanted to have lunch with my son and Kathryn, one of my favorite people. It's not as if you two don't know each other." Mother ends with a chuckle, ridiculing my concern.

Leaning towards her, I lower my voice. "I need to speak with you about something."

"Go ahead, darling. You can talk with me about anything here; Kathyn's a dear friend, after all."

"No, Kate is your dear friend. She's my ex-girlfriend, and this," I shift in my seat as Mother's eyes turn steely in my direction. I finish more subduedly, "This doesn't seem appropriate."

"You're being rude," Mother sniffs. Turning a friendly face to Kate, she changes the subject. "Have you seen the menu? I heard the poached halibut is good."

Kate sends me a confused look. Her hands play with the handle of her bag on her lap. "Lily, if Skyler's uncomfortable, we can always get together some other time, you and I."

"What is there to be uncomfortable about having lunch?"

"Because," I chime in, "I'm dating Mitchel, and he said-" My words cut off in my throat when Mother's head reels in my direction.

"He said what?" Her tone is icy. "Darling?"

"You know what? I'm just going to go powder my nose." Kate gets up, bringing her bag with her, and scurries off.

Mother folds her hands on the table and waits.

"No, I mean, nothing, it was nothing..." I fiddle with my napkin on the table.