AllFreeNovel
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“What about those friends of yours in Maine, or a certain GQ hottie?” Gavin asks with a renewed interest. “I wouldn’t mind meeting him in person.”
“Quinn can’t leave her shop again so soon. Andi has a prior commitment with her nephew. And I didn’t invite Dylan. Things between us are complicated, and he has a business trip this weekend, so he wouldn’t be able to come anyway.”
He lets out a low whistle. “You’ve been holding out on me, babe. That doesn’t sound like you’re talking about someone who’s just your boss. You better dish out all the details when you get here.”
“You and Quinn are relentless.” I chuckle. “I promise I’ll catch you up once I get to New York.”
“I’ll hold you to that. You better call your mom before you get cold feet.”
“Yeah, you’re right, I’ll see you soon.”
“Can’t wait. Bye, babe.”
I polish off the last of my sandwich and hop off the counter to pace the length of the kitchen, trying to find the courage to dial my mom. Gavin’s right. If I don’t do it now, I’ll chicken out. I doubt this is the typical reaction most people have when they call their parents.
Drawing in a deep breath, I muster the strength to press the call button. As it rings, it takes every ounce of willpower not to end the call before she answers.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mom.”
“Oh, hi, dear.” She sounds caught off guard by my call. “Is something wrong? Do you need your father to send you money?”
“No, Mom, that’s not why I’m calling.” I nibble my lower lip as I try to adequately articulate my thoughts. “I wanted to remind you about my gallery showing at The Artist this coming Saturday. It would mean a lot if you and Dad could be there.” I’m shaking once I get the words out.
“What art show? You haven’t mentioned it,” she says, sounding confused.
“I told you about it last month.” I keep my tone steady. “You asked if I could email you the details, which I did—twice.”
There’s a prolonged silence on her end before she finally responds. “Oh, yes, I did see those. I must have forgotten to email you back. Listen, honey, this coming weekend isn’t good for us. We have a dinner planned with a group of alumni at the university on Friday night, and you know how your father feels about New York City.”
I sink down to the floor, struggling to hold back tears. I’m not sure why I’m so emotional. It’s not like I didn’t expect this. My parents haven’t come to any of my shows and don’t like traveling outside of California. I just wish the outcome would have been different this time… but it never is.
“It’s okay, Mom. I understand.”
“I am sorry, dear. Why don’t you come to visit us soon?” she suggests. “But please don’t bring that dog of yours. You know that I’m allergic, and he’s far too loud.”
My parents haven’t met Waffles in person, but we video chatted shortly after I adopted him. My mom expressed concern about how I could afford to feed him on an artist’s salary, and my dad questioned my ability to care for a dog when I could barely take care of myself. As a result, I don’t mention Waffles much during our infrequent conversations.
“The next few months are going to be very busy for me, but I’ll see what I can do.” It’s been a while since I’ve visited my parents, and I have no plans to change that.
“Listen, dear, I have a stack of papers to finish grading, so I have to go,” my mom says abruptly.
“Oh, okay. Please tell Dad I say hi.”
“I will. Bye, Marlow.”
“Bye, Mom.”
My unshed tears stream down my face the moment I hang up.
Waffles comes racing over from his dog bed in the corner, jumping in my arms. He nuzzles into me, whining and licking my face. I’ve always appreciated his uncanny ability to be in tune with my emotions.
“I’m okay, boy. I promise.” I hug him tightly. By dictionary standards, I had a perfect childhood. I was raised in a comfortable house in a nice neighborhood and provided with the best education.
My struggles stem from my parents’ affection having conditions attached to it. They constantly encouraged me to fit into a mold because my thoughts and actions often differed from those around me. And they brushed me aside when they realized I would never be the person they wanted me to be.
I remind myself that I’m a strong, brave, and independent woman, not to mention a successful artist. My family might not get me, but I’m lucky to have the unwavering support of my friends.
