"You okay?" Jenna looked at you before looking back out at the road as she drove.
You closed your eyes, thinking over the night again. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. No matter what I do I mess something up."
Jenna put her hand on your leg to try and comfort you. "Stella, you're not doing anything wrong. I've only met your mom tonight, but it's clear she has a specific way of how she wanted you to live your life. It wasn't how you wanted to live, which is why she probably gets annoyed. She isn't controlling you. You're doing what you want at your own pace. You're doing what is making you happy."
"But I want her to be happy as well. She's my mom. I want her to celebrate with me instead of judging me. I want her to get excited when I tell her good news. I don't want to have to fight every time we speak." You looked at Jenna defeated.
She looked like she was thinking hard as she stopped at a red light. She had a look of pity with a mix of anger. She wished she knew how to fix you and your mother's relationship, but she didn't know what to do.
You thought about how good it started out. You were laughing, having a good time with your brother. You talked about old memories you haven't even thought about in years. Then it all went sour. Your mom brought up you using a different last name. She talked about you as a child, calling you ungrateful. And to top it off, you were in last place for daughter of the year.
It wasn't really a surprise. You couldn't remember the last time you and your mother actually got along. But it still hurt. It doesn't matter how you feel, sometimes you just shouldn't say things.
"What was that by the way?" You looked at Jenna thinking over her standing up to your mother.
"What are you talking about?"
"What you said to my mom."
Jenna seemed confused by your question. "What about it?"
"You can't just do that. You can't just stand up and tell her what to do. Did you not see how embarrassing that was? My dad and my brother were there. People were looking at us."
Jenna grew even more confused. "Did you not hear what your mother was saying to you?"
"I'm not deaf, Jenna. I hear every word."
"Then you should know that I was defending you, ella."
You scoffed. "I don't need you to defend me."
Jenna pulled up to the inn you were staying at. She parked on the side of the road before turning to look at you. "So what? You're mad because I didn't stay silent as she berated you?"
"No. I'm mad that you didn't let me handle it myself."
Jenna looked outside as she mumbled under her breath. "Yeah because it looked like you were doing a great job at that."
"Excuse me?"
"Stella, you said people were looking at us when I stood up from the table. Well, they were already watching the fine argument you were having with your mother."
You looked outside at the street lamps lighting up the sidewalk. You had enough so you got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Jenna followed as you were both now standing right outside the inn.
"I was just trying to help you. What she was saying to you was wrong. I wasn't just going to keep on listening to something that was making me angry when I could do something about it."
"Why were you angry, Jenna? It had nothing to do with you."
"But it had everything to do with you."
"So?"
