Forever My Person

60. Lunch with an Apology

"I definitely know who you are. I've been a fan since I was little. I was stoked when you came back to Washington, would have never thought I'd get the chance to meet you, let alone you calling me by my name! How's that even possible?!" He asks looking around.

Now I feel bad for messing with the kid. Meeting fans at a meet and greet or just seeing them as I walk out on the field is one thing but meeting them personally is always humbling. It makes all these years of hard work worth it.

"Thanks man, I appreciate it. Nice meeting you too." I give him a smile still trying not to laugh at his obliviousness.

His smile stretches even bigger across his face. I pat my pockets double checking I have everything before heading in I know my mom is probably waiting for me already. She's always been a punctual person.

I look back over to the kid and see he's still beaming towards me. I miss being that young and naive about life. I hand him my keys before stepping back.

"Bye Cohen! Can't wait to see you're next game! I still can't believe I got to meet you in person! Have a great day." He excitingly tells me.

"Thanks for all the support, means a lot. I really gotta get going but it was nice meeting you. I'll have my assistant call the restaurant for you later and set you up with some tickets for the play offs too." I take a few steps back to head through the door.

"Seriously! Thank you so much."

"No problem. And Nice name tag Bradley!" I yell back towards him as I walk into the restaurant. I sneak a look behind me to see him look confused as he looks down and then face palms his forehead.

"Finally Cohen, there you are I was starting to worry you wouldn't show." My mother says as I pull the fancy gold chair out to sit in.

"Sorry mom, got stopped by a fan coming in the door. Didn't mean to have you waiting." I apologize adjusting my seat closer to the table.

"Well I honestly haven't been waiting that long. You're just lucky it's me and not your father. You know he hates waiting." She speaks raising her perfectly arched eyebrows at me with a slight smirk on her face.

I shift in my seat not knowing how to reply. My mother and I have always had an odd relationship. She's not like the overbearing, love able and emotional type of mother I've seen in shows, movies and even like Everly's mom. She is one of the more poised, high-class, detached kind of mom. I know deep down she loves my brother and I but she rarely shows it, if ever.

Even seeing her smirk is different. I usually see her smile or laugh when she's hanging onto my father's arm or talking to their upper class, money hungry friends. But something is changing and I can see and feel it from yesterday and today.

The way she seemed softer towards Ev and talked to her. She actually seemed relaxed and maybe even happy unlike my father.

" I didn't ever think you would invite me to lunch or even or to your home." Her words interrupt my thoughts.

Her deep blue eyes stare in my direction waiting for my response.
"It was about time to change that don't you think? My life's different now."

She takes a drink of her white wine tapping her manicured nail gently on the glass. As she sets down her empty glass a woman maybe around my age wearing an apron around her waist and a white top that is a little too unbuttoned to be company standards. As I glance up her focus solely on me. She's a fairly nice looking girl but she looks like the next Instagram wanna be model. She has nothing on my girl.

" Honey, are you going to keep gawking at my son or take his drink order? I would also like to have my glass refilled." My mom sternly states to the girl.