Page 58 of Sweet Ruin

“Yeah, that bed is amazing. It was heaven.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he said before he gestured to the table in front of him. “Help yourself to breakfast.”

I marveled at the huge spread of food that covered the long dining table. Almost every breakfast option I could think of was within reach, and I wondered if Matthew had told his kitchen staff to prepare one of everything in their repertoire in the hopes there would be something my mom and I would like.

“Thanks,” I replied with a smile. “This all looks great.” I buttered some toast and filled my glass with some fresh orange juice. It wasn’t like the cheap stuff my mom and I drank. It tasted like it had been freshly squeezed from oranges that had been grown lovingly in someone’s backyard.

“Is my mom here?”

Matthew shook his head. “No, she went out a little while ago.”

“Where’s she gone?”

“To a yoga class.”

“Yoga?” The shock in my voice must have sounded a little silly. I’d just never heard my mom talk about yoga before, let alone go to a class. “She’s gone to a yoga class?” I repeated Matthew’s answer, just to be sure it was correct.

“Yes, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, sure, I just didn’t know she was into yoga.”

“Oh,” Matthew replied with a slight shrug. “I remember her being very fond of it when we first met.”

“Huh,” I murmured. “I had no idea.” I took another bite of my toast as I considered it. I was so close with my mom I thought I knew everything about her. Although now I’d met my father, I was realizing there was a whole part of her past I actually knew nothing about. The yoga wasn’t a big deal, but it made me wonder what else I had to learn about her.

“Are you ready for the day?” Matthew’s question pulled me from my thoughts.

“I mean, I think so, but I don’t know what we’re doing.”

“Well, like I told you, New York is very special this time of year, so I’ve got a few things in mind.”

Before I could question him further, my mom walked into the dining room. She was dressed in sleek black athletic wear, and there was a slight sheen of sweat covering her skin. She looked exhausted but happy.

“Morning, Iz,” she said through slightly heavy breaths.

“Morning, Mom. How was yoga?”

“It was wonderful,” she said, letting out a long, relieved sigh. “I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

“I didn’t even know you knew what yoga was,” I replied.

She laughed. “I used to practice all the time when I was younger. But I pretty much gave it up when I got too busy at the café. I’ve been meaning to get back into it for a while, but Rapid Bay doesn’t have a yoga studio. There’s one right down the street here, so I thought I’d check it out.”

I’d never once seen her practice while growing up, so I had a suspicion it wasn’t just the café that had put a stop to her yoga. When she wasn’t working, she was looking after me. Whether it was driving me around, cooking us dinner, or helping me with homework, she rarely had a moment to herself. I’d always tried my best not to be a burden, and I’d helped out at the café almost since I could walk, but it was nice to see my mom finally doing something for herself.

“That’s great,” I said. “It looks like it was hard work.”

“It was,” she agreed, running her hands through her damp hair. “The first one was always going to be tough. I should jump in the shower.”

She went to walk around the dining table, but her foot caught the edge of a chair, and she stumbled forward. Matthew was up in a flash and reached out a hand to steady her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. At first, I thought it was sweet he was so worried, but then I realized my mom was really leaning on him as she found her feet.

“Yeah, Mom, are you okay?” I said, rising slightly from my seat

“Oh yes.” She forced out a laugh as she righted herself. “I’m fine. My legs are just a little heavy. I guess I’m even more unfit than I thought.”

“You shouldn’t push yourself so much,” Matthew murmured.

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