Diamond Pumps

4. Not so lonely chilling

Delia took out the keys from her purse and put them in the keyho-

They weren't working.

"Changed the lock? Okay, Ash, okay..."

But, seriously, what was she thinking? Ash was a thirty years old man. He couldn't let his mom have the keys to his apartment, his private space.

Usually, Delia didn't come to this apartment. She shouldn't bother Ash. He seemed to want her less and less in his life, and she really didn't want to make things worse.

But today was different. She wanted to have a serious conversation with him.

Delia rang the doorbell. She could faintly hear the R&B music on.

"Yeeeah?" Ash opened the door quickly. "Oh." he hid what seemed a lit cigarette behind his back. "Hi mom. What's up?"

"Are you going to leave me at the door, sweetie?"

"No." Ash stepped to the back. "Of course not. Come on in."

Delia got inside and Ash rushed to turn off the music and smash the cigarette onto the ashtray.  He collected the clothes that were on the couch.

"Are you with someone?" Delia stopped walking.

"No."

Delia watched him go in the bedroom. She looked around. "I feel like I'm interrupting something."

"No, not at all." Ash left his bedroom. "I was just chilling."

"You mean smoking."

"It's what chilling means for me." He nodded. He noticed there were two empty beer bottles on the table and went to fetch them.

When Ash got inside the kitchen, Delia peeked at his bedroom. It was in its usual mess.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?" Delia looked at him. She smiled nervously. "Hum?"

Ash looked inside his bedroom. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing. I just think you really need to clean that room. It doesn't look like a bedroom anymore." Delia couldn't take her eyes off of the bed. The sheets were all mingled, she couldn't tell.

"Okay..."

"Like, look at this!" Delia walked toward the bed and pulled the duvet. "You should take it out often."

Ash stood against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest.

"And put it - like this." Delia set the bed. She looked a bit shaken. She turned around. "Okay?"

"Okay." Ash was starting to feel a bit irritated. His mom was inside his bedroom and he didn't like that. "Coffee?"

"Sure." Delia smiled. Everything looked in order. She could have her coffee peacefully now.

Ash chuckled and walked away.

On her way out of Ash's bedroom, Delia caught with the corner of her eye something right inside the slightly open closet.

Making sure Ash was out of sight, she walked toward the large closet and opened the doors.

Delia gasped slightly as she pulled out a shoes box. She opened it to make sure the content matched the wrapping, and it did.

High heels.

Very high heels, designer brand, a glittery black; brand new. They still had the tag, but without the price.

There was even a small note inside the shoes box. Delia opened it.

"Moom?"

Sorry for hurting you. Please accept this. Ash

"Moooom?"

"Coming!" Delia panicked. She put the note back inside and pushed the shoes box back inside. She shut the closet.

"Mom - is everything okay?" Ash got in the bedroom.

Delia pretended to check her face in the mirror on the closet door. "Do you think I should get plastic surgery for my wrinkles?"

"No, mom! It looks so fake." Ash made a face. "Come on, the coffee is ready."

"Right..."

Delia gulped and followed her son.