Page 16 of Blind Bite
Chapter Twelve
The next day, I was blessed with a rare day off from both class and work. Normally, the shop would be open, but Krista decided to take a “me day” and all but demanded I do the same. Knowing her, she was neck deep in a mud bath while she sipped champagne. She was no stranger to living life to the fullest.
My calm morning left me energized to work on my web comic. Finally, after having broken through my most recent creative block, I decided my heroine would fall out of a tree to escape her enemy. As I sketched the scene, my phone lit up beside my tablet. My mother’s face flashed on the screen. I smiled as I tapped to answer and set it to speaker.
“Hey Mom, what’s up?”
“Hi Dear, I just wanted to call and check in on you. How’s your week been?”
Well, Mother, it has been a mental fuck fest and my emotions were out of whack thanks to some stupid hockey player.
“It’s been alright. Class and work, ya know?”
“Have you been getting out? Are you seeing anyone new?”
I groaned. Of course she’d be checking in, hoping for some hot guy gossip. “Well, I went on one date, but it wasn’t for me. I’m not really focused on that right now, Mom.”
A static-like sound came through the line. “Honey, this is the best time to date! You can’t let one terrible date get you down.”
“Mom, I don’t really want to talk about this right now.”
“Well, I’m just trying to help. You’ll never meet the one if you give up so quickly. I dated plenty of men before your father came along. This is your time to experience new things.”
An itch creeped down my spine. There was something about my mother bringing up dating and “experiencing new things” that rubbed me the wrong way.
“Dating isn’t a top priority right now. Besides, most of the guys around here are duds.”
“Lilith, you have always been so driven and ambitious.” She sighed. “I remember all the times we’d watch those sappy romantic comedies, and you would sigh and wish to fall in love just like that. You can, you just have to be open and let the universe bring that kind of love into your life, sweetie.”
Tears welled in my eyes, thinking of those fond memories. I always imagined an epic love, fiery or gentle. Sometimes I forgot how well she knew me.
“You hold your head high because you’re a catch. Any man or woman would be absolutely lucky to have the opportunity to love you. You are so worthy of love.”
The tears I held back began streaming down my face. With a sniffle, I replied, “Thanks Mom. I really needed that.”
“A mother always knows what her baby needs,” she quipped, “I better let you go. Your father is insisting he needs my help for something I know he can do on his own.”
I chuckled. “Tell him I said hey. Talk to you later, Mom.”
“I love you, Lilith.”
The line went dead, but my mind spun with what to do next. Mom was right. I wasn’t down for the count yet. There was someone out there for me, and I couldn’t give up because of a blind date gone bad.
I ran to my closet, peeping through my clothes until I found the dress I was searching for.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I pinged Amelie.
* * *
Lilith
Alright, I’m in. Tell Martha to have my order ready.
Amelie
YAS! See you soon!
* * *
