The Roommates – Fast Forward to 2019: Chapter 33

After leaving The Porter Gallery, Tina drove to her parents’ home. She was greeted by her mother who was surprised to see her. She stood on the doorstep, her hands in the pockets of her black trench coat.

“Christina,” said her mother.

Tina forced a smile. “Hi Mom.”

“Well hello, come on in,” she said.

Tina followed her inside to the kitchen. Since retiring, her mother spent a fair bit of time in this room, preparing meals and creating a space for her existence to mean something. Tina could smell chicken backing in the oven and a faint hint of apple cinnamon in the air.

“Take off your coat, Christina. Stay a while,” said her mother as she moved to the refrigerator.

Tina did as she was asked and draped her coat over a stool near the marbled, granite island. Tracey Kennard sat a bowl of mixed crudité and a side of dipping sauce on the counter in front of Tina.

“Eat something. You look thin,” she said.

Her mother poured her a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade to accompany the snack and Tina sat down. She nibbled on a carrot stick as her mother updated her on what was going on in the world around her.

“Your father will be home soon. Are you staying for dinner?” asked her mother.

Tina swallowed the bit of carrot in her mouth nodded. “If that’s okay.”

Tracey smiled. “We’re glad to have you. We don’t see enough of you these days.”

“I know. I need to do a better job of visiting. Work has been busy, but I know that’s no excuse.”

“I understand. I was a working woman, too. It’s hard to balance it all. Especially when you have children,” she said with a pointed glance at her youngest daughter.

Tina rolled her eyes. “I will give you more grandchildren one day, Mom.”

“You’re not getting any younger.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“You don’t want to be an old mother. Your sister was the perfect age when she started having kids. Have you and Henry talked about it?”

Tina slipped into an all too familiar pattern of appeasement and told her mother what she wanted to hear. “We haven’t talked about it a lot, Mom. But you know, I think I’m ready.”