“Mm hmm. Not the way you were just grinning.”
I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips to keep from telling her about Koko’s prank.
“Fine,” she continued. “I’ll leave it alone for now. There are more pressing issues.” She gestured to my bundled up state before she backed out of the driveway. “It’s a rather warm, early March night and you’re dressed like we’re going to a football game in the dead of winter. It’s not that cold.”
I looked at her purple pantsuit, multicolored scarf and black leather jacket. She looked warm, but fashionable.
“I’m a California girl now, Mom. Forty-five degrees might as well be sub-zero.”
Mom and I laughed, joked and talked as we ran errands on our way to our favorite Italian restaurant to meet Dad. As she told me about the pro-bono case she took on for a small business, I found myself completely riveted.
“…because giving up is the first step toward failure,” she concluded, using her favorite motivational line.
My stomach tied itself in a knot as I nodded in agreement.
She’s talking about her case. She’s not talking about me, I assured myself as she moved on to tell me about the items she ordered from Neiman Marcus.
Sometimes the line blurred where my mother ended and Elise Jordan the attorney began. My mom was a badass in the courtroom and in life. With her short black hair contrasting with her bronze complexion, she was beautiful. She dressed like she was going to a business meeting with a fashion company at all times. And although I was blessed with her skin tone, hair color, and shapely figure, my mother’s beauty extended beyond her looks.
My mom was fearless. She was the smartest person I knew and a fantastic storyteller. She was the youngest person to make partner at her firm and the first woman. She did mission trips to change the world. She volunteered her time to feed the homeless. She advocated for women in the workplace. She was well-traveled and entertained me with stories about her adventures before she had my brother and me. I’d spent my entire life wanting to follow in her footsteps.
I felt incredibly relaxed as we pulled into the parking spot. For the first time since I arrived on Friday, she didn’t ask me why I came home unexpectedly. She didn’t try to pepper me with questions. Everything felt like it was finally back to normal. It was the best conversation we’d had all week.
“There’s your father,” Mom pointed out as soon as we walked through the front door.
Zachary Jordan II was sitting at a table near the front politely ignoring the flirtatious waitress. Even from across the room, I could tell by the hair flip and arched back that she was flirting.
It wasn’t unusual for women to flirt with my father. He was a handsome man with an awesome wardrobe, courtesy of my mother. He regularly got complimented on his light brown eyes and long lashes, in which I was fortunate enough to inherit.
Besides the fact that he was a great father, what always resonated deeply with me was that the successful pharmacist made it clear that he only had eyes for my mother. And as if on cue, he looked up and spotted her. His grin stretched from ear to ear, but his eyes always seemed to hold so much adoration for her. Even after almost thirty years of marriage, when they were apart for any amount of time, he looked at her like she was the only person who existed. Looking at that type of love and devotion caused my heart to swell.
One day someone will look at me like that. Hopefully.
Once the hostess led us to his table, Dad stood to kiss his wife before pulling me in for a bear hug.
“Hi Dad.” I pulled out of the hug and removed my coat. Once we were all seated, I noticed the table was set for three. “Zach isn’t coming?”
My older brother never turned down a free meal.
The look my parents exchanged gave me pause. I shifted my eyes from one to the other. “Is Zach okay?”
“Yes, of course. He’s working,” my mother answered before the waitress arrived.
We ordered drinks and our favorite dishes without glancing at the menus.
“Okay, what’s going on?” I asked cautiously, nervousness coursing through my veins.
“Zoe…” Dad took a sip of water before he leaned forward. “Is everything okay?”
They know.
With a deep breath, I nodded slowly, looking between them. “How long have you known?”
My mom clasped her hands in her lap. “It’s a two-day exam and you arrived on what would’ve been the second day. We’ve known the whole time.”
Averting my eyes, I nodded and attempted to get my thoughts together.
“Did something happen?” My father’s brows furrowed with concern.
“No. I’m okay. I just…” The words wouldn’t form and my sentence just trailed off into the light buzz of people around us.
“This isn’t like you. You’re impulsive at times, but you don’t shirk your responsibilities. And you’re not frivolous with money,” he sat back in his chair. “I don’t understand, Zoe.”