Daddy Issues

30 - Disaster

'Emma,' mom says to greet me. 'It's good to see you.'

I force myself to walk up to her and give her a hug. Looking over her shoulder, I meet Dan's eyes, who gives me an encouraging smile behind Mom's back.

'How was your flight?' I ask her, stepping back again after I let go of her. 'Did everything go okay?'

'It was fine,' she sighs, taking off her coat. Dan swoops in as the gentleman he is to take it from her. 'But you know how it is. Somehow they can never get the temperature right on a plane, can they? It was freezing.'

'Oh, that sucks,' I say, hoping the flight didn't put her in a bad mood. 'Well, you're home now. Can I get you a drink or something?'

She smiles at Dan as he takes her coat and grabs her luggage, but turns a suspicious eye to me at the suggestion. Of course, she's not used to me offering to do anything for her. But today, I want her to see me on my best behavior.

'Sure?' she says, sounding doubtful. 'I'd like a coffee.'

'Okay.'

I take a quick dive into the kitchen, happy for the escape even after only 2 minutes. At least the greeting went okay. That's one hurdle down.

I can hear her and Dan talking in the hallway while I turn on the machine.

'I'll take your suitcase up,' Dan says.

'Thanks, honey,' Mom replies.

I try not to cringe when I hear the sound of them giving each other a short kiss after that conversation. What follows is the sound of Dan dragging her suitcase up the stairs. And the sound of Mom walking into the kitchen. I tense up a little when I hear her move back a stool and take a seat at the kitchen table.

But I smile when I turn around and hand her her coffee.

'Here.'

'Thanks,' she says, taking it into her hands. 'So, how did everything go here? Dan kept me updated here and there, of course...'

'Everything went fine,' I tell her cheerfully. I try to ignore the anxious strain on my chest as much as possible. 'Nothing crazy.'

If you forget Dan tracking me down at the club, getting hit by Calvin's crazy girlfriend and, of course, the mental breakdown over running into Jack.

'Um, we went to see uncle Bob and aunt Aileen,' I say, settling on one of the less controversial events.

'Dan told me. And Bob texted me too. He said you guys had a great time.'

'Yeah, we did,' I tell her truthfully. 'I should go up there more often.'

'Well, I appreciate that you apologized for Christmas. Even if you should have done it months ago.'

Don't react.

'Can't go back into the past, unfortunately,' I say, keeping my face neutral. 'They were happy to forgive me.'

'Bob's always been too easy on you.'

I clench my jaw trying not to say anything. I just shrug and smile at her instead. She raises an eyebrow as she blows at her coffee. Almost as if she's surprised I haven't popped off yet.

'He said you made them a birdhouse,' she continues.

'Yes.'

'Why?'

Her tone makes it clear she finds it a waste of time. She's probably right. It was just something to do.

'I don't know,' I shrug. 'I felt like making something.'