Lonely Shade of Blue

FOUR: Forgotten Boundaries

Did you miss me?

Here's a humongous chapter to welcome this story back! Thanks for your patience and understanding. I love all of you!

Thanks Sashime and Cuddlebug for your moral support.

.::.

FOUR

'Forgotten Boundaries'

Hilda ended up staying for another week.

Carol had made it back sometime during the weekend, but instead of picking up her mother and her dog, she was advised to rest, and that both Hilda and Sasha (debatable, but she's a dog) had wanted to stay a little while longer. Carol hadn't wanted to, wary of her brother's schedule, but Hilda was quick to reassure her that neither herself nor Sasha were in Ariel's way. Ariel had assured her too, and after much cajoling, Carol finally agreed, saying that she also needed time to adjust anyway. And that is why Hilda ended up staying longer.

In any case, it worked out quite well, because Ariel's birthday was coming up and she was going to come visit him here with Carol anyway to celebrate it. At least, she could be here and actually cook for him on his day (not that he had ever been the one to celebrate it).

So there were many reasons to stay here other than just allowing for Carol to have time to herself. Suffice it to say, she worried over her youngest child and wanted her to have a break from having to take care of her and Sasha, but Hilda would also be lying if she said that she didn't have other reasons to stay. One of the reasons resided next to his son's rented house.

Obviously.

She would say that she was doing it to take care of her son, but her son was in his forties and although she did dote on him, she was old and didn't like lying to herself, either. But of course, there was a thin line she never would traverse, and though saddled in a shady middle, she tried her best not to be an old meddlesome fool. She already knew she lacked subtlety, so she didn't even dare try. She observed, though, and she tried to get to know the woman who so obviously caught her son's fancy, even if neither one of them seemed to be aware of it yet.

Some would say she was being nosy, she thought of it as vetting someone who could possibly end up becoming a part of her family (nevermind that she seemed to be jumping ten fences by just thinking about that, but they did say that 'mothers know best').

And that was exactly what she was doing when she walked into Homebrew one glorious afternoon, a little after Ariel had come home from a day's work. He had excused himself for a conference meeting, and though Hilda would never expect her son to keep her entertained, she was admittedly getting a little too bored at home. With Sasha tucked away upstairs, napping, Hilda had only come up to disturb Ariel to let him know she was going out before she was out the door and was making her way to the Café.

It was deserted, save for two or three people quietly sipping their beverage and engrossed in their laptops. She strode in with quiet steps and walked straight to the cashier.

"Good afternoon, welcome to Homebrew," the pretty girl at the counter greeted with a radiant smile. "What can I get for you today?"

Hilda remembered her from the last time she was here with her son, and she bit down on her lip as she tried to remember the young girl's name. It was... Sta--Ste--something. Her eyes fell to the nameplate on the girl's shirt, finding her name etched on it. Steph, it said it bold, golden letters, and ah, yes, of course, that's what she thought her name was.