Loss and longing

“Did I hear your phone ring?” her mother asked as Stevie walked into the kitchen for a drink a few moments later.

“Uh hah” she said as she grabbed some orange juice from the fridge and poured herself a glass.

“Was it work?” Nina Fielding asked. At a little over five feet tall and without an ounce of excess fat on her, she was a small woman, but she had a forceful  personality and seemingly boundless energy.

“No” Stevie said, hoping her mother wouldn’t ask any more questions.

Fat chance, she thought as Nina fired out the next one.                         

“So who was it then?”

“A friend” Stevie said and wanting to get it all out of the way she said “by the way I’m not going to be here for dinner tomorrow and before you ask no I haven’t forgotten Dean has basketball practice. I’ll get him there and back before I go.”

“Are you going to tell me where you’re going?”

Turning she pinned her mother with her own steady blue gaze and said “no.”

Her mother shrugged and feigned a hurt tone, “fine, don’t tell me.”

“I won’t” Stevie said with a smile, knowing her mother’s tactics well and kissing her on the head on her way past she said “night mum.”

“I’m just glad whoever it is has improved your mood” the older woman teased.

“Night Mum” Stevie said again determined to end her fishing expedition.

“Night honey” her mother said with a grin. “And thank you for transporting your brother tomorrow” she added, “one day I’ll make it all up to you.”

Stevie turned in the door way “it’s fine mum, really. Get some rest.”

“I will. I’ll just hang out the washing and then I’m off to bed.”

“I’ll do that” Stevie said moving towards her again.

“No you won’t” her mother said pushing her out of the room. “You do enough around here as it is as well as work full time. Now go, get out of here.”