The phone call was unexpected. Eva was on set of her new show, reading lines with her new castmate- Zendaya! Freaking Zendaya!- when her phone went off. They were in the middle of a huge scene, one that set up the rest of the show, really, but Zendaya insisted she take the call.
"I'll be right back," Eva promised, pulling her phone from her pocket and answering without looking at who called. She assumed it was Bea. She was wrong.
"Eva Mae?"
Eva grimaced, checking the caller ID to confirm the caller. Yep, she read it right and heard it right. She put the phone back to her ear with a sigh.
"Mom?"
"Eva." There was a moment of relief that was palpable in the silence that followed. For Eva, that silence was full of discomfort. "Eva."
"What, Mom? I thought we weren't speaking on account of my gay." Eva's words were biting, cold, calculating.
"That's actually, uh, why I wanted to talk to you." The silence that followed was heavy, and there was another sigh, this time from her mother. "Your father is very old-fashioned, and I love him, so I went with his rules and stipulations because of that. But I love you, Eva. You're my daughter, and I don't care who you love. I just want you to be happy."
"Okay," Eva replied shortly. She chewed on her lip, waiting for any kind of follow up. Her mother hadn't apologized, and Eva wasn't going to forgive someone who didn't want to be forgiven.
"I'm sorry, Eva Mae. Truly, I am. You are strong, independent, lovely. I'm so sorry it took me so long to come around. I don't know if your dad will, but I'm here."
There was a pause. A big pause, one that kept the tension palpable between them. Finally, Eva let out a sigh.
"I accept your apology. What about Jaiden?"
"Lily?"
"Jaiden." Eva left no room for argument, her voice cutting off any further comment from her mother. There was another pause, and then, "I am willing to accept Jaiden's choices."
"Are you going to apologize to them too? And stop asking them- and me- for money?"
"Yes, of course. I'd like to be involved in both of your lives again, if you'd have me. I'd like to make up for the years of terrible parenting I've inflicted on you. Do you think I could do that, maybe?"
There was hope in her mother's voice. It was a hope that Eva couldn't bear to crush, no matter how hard she tried. She paused, mulling it over, and then, "I think that can be arranged."
"Thank you, Eva. I love you." She could practically hear her mother's smile. She nodded, running a hand through her hair.
"You're welcome." There was another pause, and then, her mother hung up. Eva should have felt bad, probably, for not saying she loved her mother, but the truth was, she wasn't ready to yet. They needed to have a better relationship. Hopefully, her mother would understand.
She walked back to where Zendaya was standing. Zendaya looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. "You good, girl?"
"I'm good," Eva replied, and for once, she actually meant it.
✿
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