Page 25 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay
Adelaide handed Mia another tissue. “Yes, that’d be great. Thanks, Rick.”
He snapped his seat belt and popped the door open. “I’ll be here, in sight, so don’t worry.”
Mia looked up. There was a window for people to walk up and order. He wouldn’t be more than ten feet from the car.
“We’ll be fine,” Adelaide said.
He shut the car door and disappeared.
Mia looked down at the pile of tissues in her lap. She was embarrassing all of them. No wonder he’d wanted to get out of there.
“I’ll be honest, Mia. I didn’t see the movie. I’m not into superhero things, but even if you were terrible, it doesn’t give anyone the right to treat you that way.”
“It was so bad. I really did ruin it.”
“Sounds like they killed your character off, though.” Adelaide smiled. “You can’t cause any more damage.”
A laugh sputtered out of her. “That’s true.”
“And who cares? It’s a movie. You’re a person. A real person, not someone to pick up and yell at in public. It’s ridiculous.”
“Yeah.” Mia took a deep breath. It was shaky, but she wasn’t going to burst into tears again. “I’m sorry. I know you’re in a hurry.”
“Don’t worry about that. Whatever trouble my mom’s gotten herself into will still be there tomorrow.”
Mia sat in the quiet for a moment. “You know, it’s not even that people are being nasty about it.”
Adelaide leaned in. “What is it, then?”
“My mom helped me get the job. She thinks I’m talented, that if I don’t do movies, I’m wasting a huge opportunity.”
“Is that what you want to do?” Adelaide asked.
The car door popped open as Rick returned with a drink carrier in his hands. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I got a cappuccino, something called an oat milk latte, a strawberry banana smoothie, and an iced tea.”
Mia finally felt composed enough to look at him. She turned around. “That’s an interesting mix.”
Adelaide laughed. “Positively inspired, Rick.”
“Just following orders.” He picked up the pink smoothie. White whipped cream floated on top in a heavenly stack. “I see you eyeing this one.”
Mia’s mouth popped open. Was she that obvious? “I don’t want it if anyone else wants it.”
“No one else wants it,” Adelaide said, putting it into her hand. “Enjoy!”
“Thank you.” She took in a gulp. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and so, so cold. It gave her an instant brain freeze and loosened the knot in her throat.
“Forgive me if I’m wrong,” Adelaide said slowly, “but it sounds to me that having a career in film is what yourmomwants for you. What doyouwant for you?”
Mia pulled on the straw and it honked against the plastic. Normally that would’ve made her laugh. “I don’t know, but she’s right. Most women my age would die to get a chance like this. If I don’t take advantage of it…” Her voice trailed off. She was just repeating her mom’s talking points, the ones that kept her up at night.
“You don’t have to do any of it, Mia,” Adelaide put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure your mom means well. She wants what’s best for you. Even still, she may not know what’s best for you, and that is what’ssohard for us moms.” She laughed. “Trust me. She’s trying, but you have to be the one to decide what you want.”
Mia nodded. “Yeah.”
“Do you know the poet, Mary Oliver?”
She shook her head.
