The Grey Patch (BWWM)

Part 31- A Happy Crew.

Right, I don't assume she's leaving anytime soon...Fai thought to himself as he made his way back to his seat to prep himself for what he knew would be endless rounds of banter.

"That—you should take that green painting off your wall, it makes here look tacky" Martha complained, referring to the frame of art on the right side of the wall. It was an art piece which consisted of a painting of a constellation of stars.

He knew it, there was no way in the world that she was going to let that slide. His mother had always been very observant, taking note of every single detail, especially when it came to fashion designs and interior decors.

"That's aunt Regina's doing mother" Fai responded to her as he began working on his computer.

"I knew it" she mumbled beneath her breath with distaste.

"Mom, what are you even doing here in NYC, aren't you supposed to be in LA or something?" he questioned with indifference, earning himself a scorning look from his unimpressed mother.

"Well, I flew in last night if you must know..." she responded with a scoff, "...I came in cause—well, I forgot my scarf in the hotel the last time we came" she stated plainly.

Fai paused the scrolling he had been doing on his computer, then stared at her like she had suddenly grown two heads, "So, wait a minute...you're telling me you flew all the way—from LA to NYC...because you forgot a scarf?" he queried with disbelief.

"Yeah? You should know it's Versace, I paid fifteen-hundred for it! "she defended and he nodded his head sarcastically, all the while he had been mentally face-palming himself. Oh mother...mother..mother... he mumbled rhythmically beneath his breath.

"Oh would you stop it already Fai! Stop acting like me being in town is the worst thing there is, besides, I also came here to congratulate you. My son is on Forbes, not every mother gets that blessing  you know..."she stated boastfully, earning a sly smile from Fai.

"You act like it's the first time mother" he shook his head in amusement of how impossibly dramatic his mother always seemed to make situations look. Martha was the sort to treat a skin cut like a bone fracture.

"Just because it's not the first time, doesn't make it any less exciting, you should be grateful Fai" she scolded with her index finger pointing at him.

"But I am grateful!" he defended.

"Humph! I'll never understand you Regan men and your arrogance" she mumbled to herself and Fai scoffed. Speak of arrogance...

"Did you say something???" she queried with a raised brow Fai knew all too well, it was her signature 'Don't you dare!' look and he knew it was in his best intentions not to provoke her further.

"No mum" he responded with a sarcastic smile.

"Good, well I am proud of you—all of you. You know back in LA, it's literally impossible to walk three stands away from a designer's stand without seeing posters of your brother, he's doing really good these days" she smiled and recalled the memories of what used to be dark times in Faury's life.

He had struggled academically back in high school, and so it had taken him quite a while to figure out what exactly he wanted for himself.

Throughout the entirety of it, the public and family members like Regina hadn't exactly made his struggles easier as they always found ways to taunt him with the fact that he only existed under his father's wings. It had often made him feel like the black sheep of the family, especially since Fai always seemed to dazzle in all works of life.