Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 18

I loosen my tie and push through the satin colored doors frowning at the ringing of the bells announcing the arrival of a new customer. The artificiality of the sweetness in the air settles uncomfortably like a blanket on a hot day.

Soft piano notes greet my ears as my eyes scan for a familiar face. Salmon pink curtains drape elaborate windows and the chandelier that sits in the middle of the roof drop shy shadows along the flushed walls. The atmosphere is baroque, almost to the point of being snobbish and very much a duplicate of a good venue for Victorian grandmas for their Sunday gossip.

I begin walking towards a hand that is waving at me. Dropping down in the chair opposite to her, I lean back and feel the soft cushioned seat deflate under my stubborn weight.

"What's with the venue?" I ask

"I wanted to treat her," Mother raises her eyebrows as though she is challenging my scrunched face of distaste

"You are going to make her uncomfortable," I warn her and she waves me off. I hear the soft murmur authentic to the uncomfortably ladylike around me and I shift in my seat. The pillow on the chair is too soft and too pink for me to be at complete ease encased by women either looked over fifty or talked like it.

Pulling apart pieces of a rum ball which had too much of sugar and too little alcohol to appease my discomfort, I try not to notice Mother's fiddling hands. Her fingers have tied her napkin into grotesque knots and the fabric threatens to tear.

I sigh and hook my fingers around hers and bring them towards me.

"Stop it,"

She bites her lips and just nods.

When Diana walks in, the first thing I notice is the awkwardness in her eyes. She is nervously bouncing on the balls of her feet, swaying slightly searching for me. I raise my hand and feel Mother clench up next to me. My free hand encloses around her wrist and I give it a squeeze.

Diana meets my eyes, smiles and then her eyes move onto Mother.

The smile stills on her lips and she doesn't move for a good five seconds and when she finally does, she throws a look at me of shattered betrayal and disbelief and turns towards the door. I close my eyes with a sigh before sliding out of the chair.

Diana turns around accusingly at me and hisses when I near,

"I thought it was only you,"

"You'd never agree. This was the only way; just listen to what she has to say, alright? I promise you, if she tries to take you back, I'll stop her," I say lowly

She looks me in the eye and blinks a little as if she is sincerely trying to determine if I will keep my word.

"You're right," she says finally, "I'd never agree,"

I groan and lock her bicep in between my fingers when she turns away. I pull her in close aware of the contagious curiosity rising from all around and the close, careful gazes in what is their spice to the usually boring and mundane gossip.

("You are making a scene," I grit out tightening my hold

"I'll show you fucking Shakespeare if you don't let go of me now,")

"Would you just listen for once." I grit out. Mother had gotten to her feet and is on her tiptoes trying to gauge the situation.

Diana shakes off my grip and clears her throat. Pushing her shoulders back and casting me a look promising murder, she walks towards the table. Her stops become slower and smaller the closer she got to the table and I didn't miss how her eyes skipped to the nearest exit as she calculates the distance. I tighten my grip and smile thinly because don't even think of running. She had done enough of that. I hear her groan dejectedly.

"It's been a while," Mother smiles quietly and demure when she approaches

Diana looks at her through a half-lidded gaze of poorly veiled contempt and tugs a chair underneath her. I do the same and place my chin on the ball of my palm.

I pick on my food having no other job than to chaperone the meeting and make sure neither of them end up in jail any sooner than they have to for murder and assault. Babysitting women older than me seems to become a hobby, maybe I can make money off it.

"If this is a rouse to bring me b—"

"I promised Aiden," Diana looks at me. I met her gaze. Mother hurries to interject, "I won't force you into anything. I'm just trying—"

"Trying to protect me," Diana huffs and crosses her elbows, "Look. I have an okay life. That's what I want. I want to be okay. I have a girlfriend, friends, I have a job, I have a roof over my head and food on my table."

"But—"

Diana sits forward and places her palm down firmly in front of her,

"I'm happy. And if you really gave a shit, you'd leave me alone,"

Mother looks at me pleadingly and I groan inwardly. I know I didn't want to force Diana into accepting security. And I also know that she knows I didn't want to. So I negotiate.

"What if it's just me?" I ask and both of them turn to look at me

"I'll stick around the apartment and where you work. Wire the CCTVs around the area to my phone." I shrug and Mother is about to retort when she notices the slight shift of agreement hesitating in Diana's eyes

"No," she says and I stare at her

"Either it's me or about ten of them patrolling everywhere you go," I reply holding her gaze, "Take it or leave it."

She blows into her mouth and tongues her gums indecisively.

"Why? Why do you care what happens to me?"

Mother looks at her and then hesitantly winds her finger around Diana's. When Diana doesn't withdraw, she squeezes.

"Because I care, Capo cares—"

"And I'm only agreeing because of Aiden," Diana cuts in and tugs her hands cruelly out of Mother's grasp

My eyes lift up to Diana who returns my gaze and I think I see a ghost of panic and suppressed fear lancing.

"I don't want anything to do with parents. Not ever again," she tells me and out of the corner of my eye, Mother sinks into her seat

I look back at Diana. I see a past we shared together but chose to forget dance in flickering flames of a dying fire in front of our eyes.

"Okay," I say