Judith walks off the ferry to meet her daughter Erica at the terminal. As discussed, Erica is child free and driving she and her mother to a dinner of their own. The two woman embrace as Judith approaches and then Judith steps back and bounces the bottom of Erica’s new haircut on the flat of her hand. Erica looks like a younger version of her mothering many ways except for the very pronounced map of freckles splashed across her face. Those are from her father’s side and skipped a generation even. She has chestnut brown hair in a curled under bob and is wearing a black v-neck t shirt, a light grey cardigan and skinny grey jeans with little black ballet flats. Judith is wearing her brown knee high lace up boots over brown leggings and a light green sweater dress with a pretty scarf.
“Back to the short. I like it.”
Erica rolls her eyes and smiles looking at her mother’s own similar haircut “You may be a little biased, but thanks. New job, new cut.” The smile fades instantly at the words new job.
Judith catches the facial expression and makes a note to come back to the job topic over dinner. “What are you hungry for Erica? I was thinking Thai food myself.”
Erica smiles “You always know where to go. Just plug the address into my Google map app. It’s nice to go out on our own. Haven’t done this in a long time.” She unlocks her phone and hands it over to her mother.
Judith smiles and nods as she keys in the restaurant name “Too long. This one’s called Leela and its right in White Rock. Untested by me so there’s the disclaimer.”
Erica wiggles her eyebrows “Fooding with the foodie. Come on hop in and we’ll see if it measures up.”
It’s a short drive and a short wait to a table and the two women are seated with menus and pouring over them.
Judith runs her finger slowly through one section as she squints a little at the menu. The lighting is terribly dim. “You guys are still doing the gluten free thing right?”
Erica inhales audibly with irritation “It’s not a thing, it’s an intolerance.”
Judith looks up kindly “Alright, you know your body. Have you seen a doctor about it?”
Erica folds her arms and looks squarely at her mother “I went to a naturopathic doctor. Have YOU seen a doctor recently?”
Judith smiles wryly “Point taken. I just worry about you honey.”
“I’m fine mom. And Thai works well for gluten free. They have lots of rice noodles. We should get Pad Thai in the mix.”
It dawns on Judith that Erica knows her buttons and is carefully steering her back to food to cease the medical conversation but she does love food and complies “Pad Thai is always the benchmark for a good Thai place, so yes. And some of those summer rolls with the peanut sauce…..and a curry…..my vote is green.”
Erica finds the green curry on the menu and notices her mother squinting again “Did you forget your glasses Mom?” She teases and then reads “The options are tofu, chicken and prawn.”
Judith huffs but smiles “They make me look like such an old lady. And I’m assuming tofu with the Pad Thai so let’s do prawn…..mmm you know what, chicken.”
Erica shrugs “Either is fine with me. But I’m amazed you’d choose anything over seafood.”
Judith looks neither here nor there about it “I’ve had a lot of seafood lately so chicken tonight.”
The waitress is very on the ball and is at their table almost as soon as the menus close, taking the order and pouring them jasmine tea in tiny mugs. She leaves the short metal pot on the table.
Erica looks at her mother curiously “Had a lot as opposed to made a lot? Does that mean you’re getting out more?”
Judith resists the urge to blurt out everything at once about why and says “Yes. Yes I have been. And it’s been very nice.”
Erica nods “Well good for you. Are you going to Mexico with Connie again this year?”
Judith shakes her head “Well we haven’t talked about it. I did love it though. I’m not sure what I’m doing with my spring break week. It’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you alone.”
Erica holds up a hand “Mom, I can see where you’re going with this, but there’s no way in hell I can get time off that fast for a trip. In fact I was going to beg you to take Maisy again because that damned daycare closes for the week because it’s in the school. I can sign Penny up for another riding camp though and she’ll love it. Jeff might get one or two days off then but certainly not all five.”
Judith smiles and sighs “I wasn’t asking you all to take a trip with me. And I’m glad it won’t be all five days, as much as I love having Maisy. You know I’ll help. Erica, I’ve met someone.”
Erica blinked hard over her tiny cup of tea and then sputtered “You….mean…a man, like romantically?”
Judith chuckles “Yes, a man, like romantically. His name is Hank Stanley and we met online. Connie talked me into one of those sites.”
Erica set her tea down and rotated it on the table between her pointer finger and thumb. She looked stressed out by the whole idea “How long has this been going on?”
Judith saw her daughter’s reaction and looked dismayed, but explained “Not very long. We started messaging just after New Years. I know it’s crazy, but we just clicked. He’s wonderful and kind Erica, and funny. I’d really like you to meet him.”
Erica took another sip of her tea and looked away and out the window “Since New Years? Well you can’t have been out that many times? Mom, I don’t want to put a damper on your excitement about dating again but maybe wait it out before introducing the family. That’s not even a month.”
Judith sighs “I know the timing. Our connection has been very intense for the amount of time it’s been. His work schedule is odd. He’s a fire Department Chief so he gets bits of time off in shorter spurts. We make the most of it….I can’t explain why but from the moment I met Hank, it was just instant chemistry.”
Erica’s eyebrows go up “Make the MOST of it? Instant chemistry? Mom….you haven’t….” She starts to ask anxiously but the waitress comes back with the summer rolls and she stops herself.
Both women are completely gracious to the waitress, betraying none of the tension between them at all.
Judith does finish her daughter’s question right after she leaves “Slept with him? Yes I have. I didn’t plan on it happening fast like that, but it felt right and he’s wonderful that way too. He didn’t use me and leave me either so it’s not like that. We care about each other a lot Erica.”
Erica rolls her eyes “Well he’s not going to leave if he’s still getting some. Please tell me you used condoms. Sex has changed Mom. It’s scary out there.”
Judith looks annoyed now “He’s not just with me for THAT. And not that those details are any of your business, but we’re both clean. We even took an HIV test on our first date.”
“On your FIRST DATE? What the hell kind of a date was your first date? Did Connie sign you up for Tinder? Was it just a hook up?” Erica looks incredulously at her mother.
Judith’s jaw tenses “It was not Tinder…or a” She does quotes in the air as she repeats back “a hook up” and then drops her hands to her lap and leans forward “We met on the ferry and went for dinner and then spent intimate time together because we just felt that connected. I know it’s a lot to take in and not what you’re used to from me, but I need you to keep an open mind. Please.”
Erica leans back, folds her arms and looks up like she’s seeking some sort of divine intervention. Then she snaps her gaze back to her mother “When I met Jeff, if I had said we met and slept together the same day, you would have been terrified for me. Please understand my perspective. I don’t want to deny you happiness. I just don’t want to see you get hurt. I’ve seen enough of you in pain for one lifetime Mom.”
Judith softens “I know honey, I know. Hank is also a widower. He’s been through a lot himself and I feel nothing but support and adoration coming from him about what I’ve gone through. He has three grandchildren who he loves to bits. He’s not just some guy from the internet.”
The food arrives and the waitress looks at the untouched summer rolls in confusion “Is everything OK?” She asks as she sets down the other dishes.
Erica awkwardly nods “Yes, sorry. We were distracted by conversation.” She takes a summer roll to her plate and some peanut sauce and then passes them to her mother for her to do the same.
Judith smiles apologetically “I’m sure they’re lovely. Everything smells wonderful. Thank you so much.”
The waitress goes and they silently plate up their shared food and eat a bit, unsure where to begin the conversation again until Judith decides to take a break from the tense topic and ask about something else “So how’s the new job?”
Erica puts down her fork and bursts into tears unexpectedly “I hate it. I absolutely hate it there.”
Judith looks concerned and reaches across the table to take Erica’s hand “Oh honey…”
Erica continues to talk through her sobs but they calm as she goes “The staff is gossipy and backstabbing and competitive. I feel like they hate me as their new hotel manager and they’re rebelling against me. The restaurant manager takes bookings and doesn’t tell me so we’ve had two scheduling catastrophes that I ended up taking the blame for. The home daycare was a relief to give up but I would give anything to go back to it now…maybe that’s not true. I wanted conversation with adults. I wanted to problem solve about more than sippy cups and fights over toys. I guess I am, and these overgrown children just have more colourful language. And I miss working with Jeff. I should never have let that post go. I mean he doesn’t love it where he is either but he also doesn’t hate it. I don’t know what to do now Mom.” She lets go of her mother’s hand and blows her nose in her napkin and then wipes her face and takes a bit of food “This isn’t bad Pad Thai…” She laughs about her outburst “Sorry…”
Judith shakes her head “Don’t be. You shouldn’t keep all that in. My god.” She takes a bit of Pad Thai as well to confirm or deny and nods slowly “Mmm….yes not bad.” She has a critical tone about it but this is not the time “Erica, keep your head down and scan the job postings. Don’t stay in misery.”
Erica takes a cleansing sip of tea “I was out of the field for years though, inconsistently back in after Penny and then out again. I feel like I need to reference from this place if I can stand it long enough to get one. I mean it’s the Waterfront right?”
Judith snorts “Yes it has a good name for anyone who doesn’t know what it’s like to work for them. What about some of the hotels in smaller areas. There’s that Mariner’s chain. I stay with them in Alexandra. The staff seems very happy and relaxed and…consistent. Not a lot of turnover is a sign of a happy work place. Incidentally, Hank lives in Alexandra.”
Erica nods about the consistency “Yeah. He’s the Fire Chief in Great Aunt Martha’s town? Oh shit…” She actually cracks her first smile in relation to Hank “And he still wanted to go out with you?”
Judith laughs “Yes! See? He is a good man. And they all adore Martha there. Apparently she flirts with all the men in the town, especially the uniformed ones.”
Erica laughs now “Go Martha!” And then she gets serious again “Mom, I’m sure he’s nice. I’m just not ready to see you with anyone who’s not…I know it’s been seven years….” She trails off looking out the window.
Judith looks kindly at her daughter “Dad? I know. No one can replace him honey. I don’t want Hank to and he doesn’t want that either. He gets it. When you’re ready, I’d love for you to meet him. But I won’t push you OK? I love you.”
Erica blinks, trying not to cry again, in a restaurant and nods with a quiet “Thank you. I love you too.”
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