The Ring

eight

            It was Friday. I woke up happy thinking about my night with Channing but it immediately turned into a frown. My mom is coming today. Great. I mentally can't deal with this. I know Channing said to be nice and to forgive and forget but I've been holding this grudge forever.

"Mia." I sat up from my bed and saw my dad standing in the doorway.

"Yea?" I groggily asked, wiping my eyes with my hands.

"It's 10:57. We're meeting your mom at Lola's at 12 from lunch so get up." He said. I smirked at him. He was dressed pretty nice: a black button and khakis. His hair was done really neatly and his usual stubble was shaved.

"You're dressed nice."

"I have to show her what she's missing." He winked and walked away. I laughed to myself. I climbed out of bed and walked over to the bathroom to take a shower. I was thinking about what to wear. Show her what she's missing ran through my head.

I got out of the shower and wrapped a light yellow towel around my body. I went to go get dressed. I went in my closet and pulled out a white skirt. I put on a gray sweater and slightly tucked it in. I went to do my hair and make up. I kept that simple by barely putting anything on my face and curling my hair and putting it in a ponytail. I went back in my closet and took out my black bootie wedges and my coat. By the time I was done getting ready, it was 11:43. I'm pretty sure that's a new record for me. I skipped downstairs and found my dad in the kitchen.

"You look nice." He complimented.

"And you do too."

"Ready?" I nodded. My dad walked into the closet in the living room and took out his jacket out of the closet.

During the whole ride, I was freaking out. Saying that I was nervous was an understatement. I haven't seen her since she cheated and now out of the blue. Oh gosh. Why am I freaking out? A part of me wants to go back home and hide yet another part of me want to know what I did wrong to make her leave. This whole situation was getting to me. I don't know what to do. My mind froze when we arrive outside of Lola's. My dad got of the car, waiting for me to get out. I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car with my dad. He led me in the familiar restaurant. The reservation was under our last name.

"Rhodes." My dad said to the host.

"Of course. Your guest already arrived." The man smiled and led us over to our table. Oh gosh. I see her. I see my mom. For the first time in years, I am looking at my mom, in the flesh, and she looked the same. She turned her head to the right and her face beamed. She definitely saw us. When we got to the table, I realized there was another person next to her. No, not that ass hole.

"Mia." She wildly smiled, her eyes becoming glossy.

"Hey." My voice was barely audible. She ran around the table to me and immediately pulled me into a hug. I sat there, frozen. I tried to hug her back but my body kind of froze. I lightly and briefly patter her back. She pulled away.

"You're all grown up!"

"Yeah." The smiled never left her face. She looked behind and her smile diminished a little but still remained. I moved aside realizing she was looking at my dad.

"Daniel."

"Gracie." He slightly smiled.

"Just Grace now." She corrected him with a smile too. I've never felt so awkward. The man at the table next to her cleared his throat and stood next to my mom, wrapping an arm around her small waist. "Oh Mia, Daniel, remember Steven?" That's the bastard she cheated on my dad with.