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11
“What are you doing here?”
Checking the time on my phone, I see it’s been less than three hours since I spoke to her. Not enough time for her to get to the airport from our house let alone fly all the way here. Either she’s a magician or she was already on her way when we talked. Which means she knew I wasn’t home. She knows more than she’s letting on.
“I came to see my daughter. Is that a crime?”
No, but she’s lying. She refuses to make eye contact as she takes a seat on the couch. Her posture stiff. Her voice as uncertain as I’ve ever heard it.
For such an amazing actress, you’d think she would have perfected lying over the years. I mean, that’s really all acting is. Saying words that mean nothing and making them sound the way you want them to. The proper infliction in your voice can change the meaning of a simple statement.
“I don’t have time for this right now. Call time is in less than an hour and I need to make sure the set is ready to go. So, whatever brought you here, just say it. Stop pretending like you’re here because you care.”
Harsh, but I don’t have time for her bullshit, and right now, I don’t want to deal with it.
“Fine. I don’t want you working with Steve Ansen.” The way she blurts the statement out makes it sound like the decision is already final. As if I don’t have a say in the matter.
“Yeah, I picked up on that during our phone call. You didn’t have to fly here to drive your point home.”
“You weren’t listening to me, Taylor.”
“That’s because I’m an adult, Mother. I can make my own decisions. I have been since I was in middle school. Not that you would know. You weren’t there.” My voice raises an octave even though I’m trying to keep my anger under control.
“You act like I was never around. I was working to support us.”
“My thirteenth birthday.”
This causes her to suck in a noticeable breath. Yup, I went there. I try not to with her, it only causes more animosity between us, but she’s pushing me past my limits, and we’ve been in the same room for less than five minutes.
“That couldn’t be helped, and you know it. I was on location in Paris. It’s not like I could fly home for a day.” My mother rolls her eyes in dramatic fashion. I swear one of these days they’re going to roll into the back of her head and stay there.
“And high school graduation?”
I know I’m pushing her, but it always feels like she missed more milestones than she made it to.
“Taylor Jane.” The warning in her voice used to scare me. Not anymore.
“Brenda.”
She narrows her eyes at me but doesn’t speak right away, collecting herself the way she always does. She’s afraid to let anyone, even her own daughter, watch her fall apart. To let her emotions show. Even if that emotion is anger.
“Listen, I’m still your mother. Whether you want to listen to me or not. And Steve is bad news. I’ve worked with him before. There’s nothing about that man you want to be associated with.”
“I get you don’t like him, and that’s fine. Most people don’t. I knew what his reputation was going into this. But I’m committed to this project, and I plan to—”
Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Are you expecting someone?” my mother asks at the same moment Eli calls my name through the door. “Who is that?”
“That’s Eli Simms, the actor who’s playing the lead of Jackson,” I mutter, turning my back on her as I speak so she doesn’t see my reaction.
Opening the door only a crack, I peek my head out and try to dismiss Eli quickly. He isn’t taking no for an answer, pushing his way into the room, stopping suddenly when he catches sight of my mother who’s now standing by the window with her back to us.
“I didn’t realize you had company. I’m sorry,” he quickly says, taking a step back into the hall.
“It’s fine. I’ll see you on set shortly.”
“Don’t mind me. Please, come in,” my mother calls.
