Sherry then added, “Maybe I’ll bring her next time, if you’ll let me have a next time.”
Lynn frowned, “Let’s play it by ear. I’m not all that thrilled with this visit let alone anything in the future.”
She could see her mother was disappointed and quickly added, “I guess I really should meet my kid sister though.” Then Lynn thought and added, “And I do mean kid sister!”
Sherry smiled cautiously not wanting to do or say the wrong thing. Lynn’s response was actually more than she expected.
“It’s just that I wasn’t sure you would want to see her. I mean…well, you know…”
“It’s okay mother. We’ll see how it goes today and go from there. She’s five now, right?”
Sherry sniffled a bit and said, “I’d like that. I really would and yes, she’s five. Despite everything that’s happened sweetheart, I would love for you to meet your sister.”
“Mother, I just want you to know that I don’t have anything against Lisa, it’s just…”
“Oh honey, I understand, believe me I do.”
Sherry flashed a sad smile, but a smile just the same.
Lynn thought, “My mother’s child is four years older than mine. Nope…this isn’t going to be too awkward. Lucky for us the entire country already knows our family history. Yep…lucky for us.”
Lynn knew what was coming and her stomach was turning at the thought of it. She still wasn’t sure what she was going to say if her mother brought up the subject of her father, but she knew that’s why she was here. That and to see her grandson.
Sherry took a deep breath and asked, “How is your father dear?”
And there it was, thought Lynn. Time to address the big ass elephant in the room.
She replied a bit louder than she intended, “He’s fine mother, we’re all fine. Is that what you wanted to hear? You came all the way to Maine to hear me tell you my father’s fine. By the way, that was a nice segue, very subtle”
After a long silence Sherry asked, “Lynn, please sweetheart…I need to talk to you about this. If you don’t have any love in your heart for me I understand, but need to talk to you about this. Dr. Royce wanted me to do this long ago but I told her I wasn’t ready then. A part of me knew that you weren’t ready either.”
Lynn looked away from her mother and stared at the wall.
“What makes you think I’m ready now?”
Sniffling Sherry replied, “I’m just hoping that you are. I know things will never be the same between us…but I just can’t go on calling my baby to talk about the weather. I need you in my life Lynn.”
Lynn looked back at her mother and it seemed that she was sincere if nothing else.
“I want to tell you everything I know. Can’t we just have a normal conversation for once? I promise I won’t hold anything back even though you may not like some of the answers. Please honey?”
Lynn was less than thrilled with how her day was working out so far, but decided to make an effort at a normal conversation with her mother. However, if she was going to do this, she wanted to at least ease into their first conversation since she graduated high school.
After a long awkward silence Lynn spoke, “So the last time we talked you said that Nancy Royce was retiring”