Whirlwind

35

[Riley]

"Mom, I can't wait for you to get here." I sang as I folded up the last few pairs of jeans hanging in my closet. I was fifty percent excited to see her while the other fifty was presently tipsy off too many glasses of wine I had consumed while packing. The little girl in me was preparing myself every other minute for her to ask why I was so giddy, only to then curse me out. But she had yet to do that until now.

"Are you drinking over there while you're on the phone with me?"

"No....yeeees."

"Mhm, you gone make me tap that ass when I land in New York." whe threatened as I sat down on top of one of my stuffed suitcases and took a look around my crowded room. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't drink when you're stressed out? You would get back to meditating, doing yoga, journaling or just taking your medication."

"And I am. I just wanted a drink."

"One drink only?" she asked as I bit into my tongue. I didn't want to lie but whatever slipped out was bound to be one. "One?"

"It was three." I blabbed feeling ashamed of myself. "It was three and no more for the evening."

"I'm serious, Riley. Keep taking good care of yourself. Do you need me to define good for you?"

"No mom, I don't. This has just been a long couple of months and I'm frustrated for even going through with it. It's just a handful I wasn't quite equipped for."

"Well you did volunteer."

"Volunteer?" I scoffed, scrunching my face up at her choice of words. "Oh come on, that word sounds so horrible."

"Well you did." she noted coldly. "No one forced you into this, so the show must go on. Are you nervous?"

"Of course I am, it's a wedding. If everything goes wrong and this all fails then, I'm not even sure. It'd all be a waste, that I am sure of."

"Well think positive, okay?"

"I will. I just can't wait to see your face, it's been too long. What time is your flight landing tomorrow?"

"At two on the dot. So don't be late, hear me?"

"I just love how you still treat me like I'm a baby."

"You are a baby, you're my baby and you will always be my baby. I don't care if you're inching toward thirty or not."

"Oh I'm aware." I sneered back, running my fingers through my slack and partially damp curls. "Daddy would've been the same way if he were still here."

"Oh he would have been worse." she swore as a smile stayed permanently embedded on my face at just the mere thought of him and the wonderful man he was.

"You think he would be proud of the woman I am today?"

"More than proud. Riley, whether you want to believe it or not, you are the best child a parent could ever ask for. You're so strong, wise and lovable. Your aura is something anyone can quickly pick up on and become attracted to. Always maintain that, always be yourself and do what is always in your heart. Stay focused on this career of yours and everything else will follow. As of now though, be happy with how your life is and know that you're well off. Also know I've surpassed proud."

"I love you, mommy."

"I love you too." she cooed and sealed it with a smooch through the receiver. "We've been on this phone for an hour or more now, I think I'll call it a night and let you get back to packing. Drink some water and put that alcohol away."