"How was the trip, mum?"
"Tiring," she answers flopping down on the couch and laughing amused when my dogs jump on her lap to try to lick her face while she ties her blonde hair up in a ponytail. I pour her a glass of water and rush to sit next to her, happy because she's here, while my mate comes back from the guest room where she has left her luggage. "Jet lag will get worse eventually, I guess."
"I don't think so," I shake my head while watching Iselen sitting on a corner of the couch shyly. "I work at night most of the time and sleep all morning so I'm following Australia's time zone in Vancouver. You'll be able to visit the Batcave as often as you want, it's an amazing set, isn't it, babe?"
"Yes, it's massive and looks like a real cave even if it's made of Styrofoam..." she answers smiling.
"Oh no, come here, darling. Sit down next to me." My mate obeys slowly and my mum takes her hand kindly. "It's been a long time since I've seen my daughter so happy, with so much energy, even her skin seems to glow and her wide smile almost blinded me. Thank you very much, Iselen." My girl blushes slightly and shrugs.
"I do nothing special, cooking and making sure she eats healthy food, she's the one taking care of me, actually..."
"That's not true," I answer quickly, frowning. "My mate is wonderful, smart, funny, she's so talented, mum... I'm really lucky. And all my friends adore her..."
"They adore my donuts," she replies laughing.
"That too. You'll love her food. That thing smelling so good in the oven is roasted cauliflower with spices and tahini sauce and also there's pasta with mushrooms and artichoke sauce. In addition to this, she's a wonderful teacher, I helped her to make those dishes but didn't set the kitchen on fire, what do you think?"
"I'm shocked, actually." My mum nods scratching Ru's ears and turns serious suddenly. "I heard your father is here, do you have any idea of what he wants?" I shake my head while leaning back on the couch, my mum keeps holding my girl's hand while she's looking at us worried. "You'll never know if you don't talk to him... At least you'll be able to find out what he's up to and fight back this way. Whatever he's plotting, it's not good..."
"I know, I'll have to get closer to him and talk eventually but... it's so hard to have a rational conversation with him without losing it, I can't stand his smug smile and that haughty tone of voice." I sigh frustrated and my mum nods sympathetically.
"But you have a mate now and you told me that you feel better, stronger and more balanced, so maybe this is the best moment to fix this situation. Iselen will help you."
"Iselen wants to shoot Peter and make a coat with his fur..." My girl shrugs and smiles shyly but I don't think she regrets the words she said while my mother bursts into laughing.
"I wouldn't recommend it: his fur will cause hives, most likely, or something like that. Anyway, you have to do something, Ruby, you can't go on like this. Aussie journalists talk about him all day long, they copy the articles of their American friends and wander around my home in order to get a statement. I can't go to the supermarket or go for a walk on the beach alone, no matter how many times I tell them I won't say a word. My neighbours have started complaining because they're a nuisance when they park their vans on the street day and night and I think they're right."
"I'm sorry, mum..."
"It's not your fault, sweetheart." My mother leans forward and takes my hand too. "Your father is an idiot, we all know that, but solving the situation is your responsibility: talk to him and this way at least we'll know what he wants." My stomach turns of rage thinking that I'll have to look at his ugly face and talk and my mate grimaces when feeling it. Fuck! Mum is right, we can't live like this.
