“Let’s just say that I’m…aware that you were quite reluctant to join me.” Dylan responded as she also smiled at my mildly successful attempt at humor.

“You’ve eaten here before?” I asked while looking over the entrees.

“Once or twice.” Dylan responded, “My manager conducts a lot of business here.”

“Is there anything in particular you’d recommend?”

Dylan recommended the New Zealand lamb, which I duly ordered and she was right, it was cooked to perfection. The conversation remained light as we caught up on the general passage that each other’s lives had taken over the past eleven months. Dylan explained how she had driven across country to New York where she was able to find a new financial backer who provided the means for her to finish the documentary after Shaolin cut all funding. The film had already gained a large amount of publicity from a handful of screenings at selected film festivals. Dylan’s profile as a cutting edge film maker was growing as rapidly as her bank balance and the film was due for a mainstream release in two weeks.

“Enough about me” Dylan insisted once our dinner plates were cleared, “What about you? What bought you back to New York?”

“I’m just more at home on the East Coast.” I said with a small shrug of my shoulders, “And I had hoped to spend more time with my children.”

“Hoped?” Dylan questioned as her expression clouded slightly.

“Winnie moved to San Francisco three months after I returned to New York.” I explained, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

“I’m sorry, Helena.” Dylan responded sincerely, “I know how much they mean to you.”

“I miss them terribly and these days I simply can’t afford to fly them out whenever I please.” I said, hoping that Dylan would take the bait and ask why the future heir to a billion dollar fortune couldn’t afford cross country flights.

“I’m guessing that your mother has something to do with this change in your financial status?”

“Mummy always has and always will hold the purse strings.” I answered with a bitter smile.

Dylan leaned back in her chair and bit her lower lip as she seemed to struggle with what to say next. She took at deep breath before asking, “Is it because of what I did to you?”