Jessica gave a high-pitched giggle that made Elena wince as it made her eardrum vibrate. “Oh, Elena! You’re my daughter. We can talk about anything at any time.”
Elena knew that wasn’t the case with her mother. Whenever Jessica called outside of their once-weekly phone calls, she always had a motive. Mostly it was to comment about how she had come across a handsome young man who would be perfect for Elena.
“What have you done, Mom?”
“You’re really suspicious, do you know that?”
“For good reason. What did you do? Did you give my number to a complete stranger again and set up a date for us?”
Jessica’s hesitation before she responded was telling. “Well…”
“Mom!” Elena groaned. “What do you think you’re doing? I’ve told you to stop setting me up with random guys! It’s getting silly, and you’re embarrassing me with guys calling me suggesting we go out somewhere.”
“What’s wrong with a hot guy giving you a call? If it were me, I’d be delighted.”
“The problem is, I don’t know them! And given your taste in men, they’re probably guys I don’t want to know.”
Jessica sighed. She sounded like she was talking to a child. “Elena, you need to get a move on with your life. Going around at your age with no man in sight…well, it’s just embarrassing.”
“I’m thirty-two, Mom! And this isn’t a hundred years ago. I can be single at this age in the twenty-first century.”
“But you should be thinking about settling down,” Jessica protested. “When I was your age, I was married with two kids. I was set.”
Elena didn’t point out that just a few years later, Jessica’s marriage had fallen through and what came after was Elena and her sister going back and forth between houses. Also, given that Jessica had broken the marriage due to her affairs, Elena didn’t feel that she was the best person to handle relationships for anyone.
“That was back when you were thirty-two, Mom. There’s nothing wrong with what I’m doing.”
“Your clock is ticking, Elena. And I would like for you to get married and think about children. Preferably sooner rather than later.”
“What about Fleur? Are you pestering her as well?”
“Fleur is approaching thirty, and she’s actively looking. I know she’ll be a good girl. You, though?” Jessica huffed. “Why do you have to be so rebellious?”
“Maybe because I’m an adult, and I can do what I want?” Elena countered. “Just stop it, Mom. I’m not meeting you for lunch, or anyone you’re planning to replace yourself with. If you find him attractive enough for me, have a date with him yourself.”
“But I talked to him about you, and he’s keen to meet you. You’d like him.”
“I doubt it. Stop setting me up with strangers, and leave my love life alone. It’s driving me insane. And you wonder why I don’t talk to you much?”
Jessica gasped. “Elena! Don’t talk to me like that. I’m just going what’s best for you.”
“I don’t believe that. Now stop calling me!”
Elena could still hear her mother complaining as she hung up. God, the woman was infuriating.
While Elena could understand Jessica getting concerned that her daughter was still single and carrying on without a care in the world, she didn’t appreciate her mom trying to do something about it. The one time Elena had given in to these surprise blind dates had been a disaster. She wasn’t doing it again.
Crossing the road when the lights changed, Elena entered the coffee house and got into line. It didn’t take long to get to the counter and the barista gave her a smile.
“Morning, Elena. The usual?”
“Please, Matt. And a panini as well.”
“Sure thing. What would you like?”
“I’ll eat anything. Just as long as it’s got some meat in it.”
Matt nodded as he tapped at the cash register. “Coming right up. Do you want me to bring it to your table?”