I decided to speak with my mother while everyone else worked on fixing the situation with Stella. I needed to stop Patterson, but couldn't do that without discussing it with my mom and Iris first. So I invited her to lunch at her favorite restaurant.
"Look who finally remembers his mother! Three days back from your trip and only now you call me," Mom teased as she arrived, her eyes sparkling despite her complaint.
"Mom, I brought you to your favorite place," I said, kissing her cheek before pulling out her chair.
"Well, in that case, you're forgiven." She smiled warmly. "How was your trip, darling? Did you find the clarity you were looking for?"
"That, plus some excellent business opportunities. The trip was productive."
"You were gone quite a while," she noted, studying my face.
I hesitated before asking, "Not too long, I hope. I heard Stella is seeing someone now."
