I motioned for them to have a seat on the window side of the booth and Janet slid in to make room for Mom, but she was pushing in on my side and I slid over to the wall to make room. Janet was giddy and said, “Hey little brother. How have you been? It’s been ages. I’ve missed you.” I knew the last part was bullshit.
Donna returned to the end of the table with her pad and pencil out and asked if we wanted coffee. Mom and Janet did and I didn’t. Donna had heard Janet say ‘hey little brother’ and she was hanging around a little to be introduced. At least her green-eyed monster expression was gone. She had to assume that the older woman was my mother even though Janet and Mom look like sisters. I hadn’t seen either of them for years and mom looked different than I had remembered. She looked great though and I told her so. She was pleased.
Janet spoke up, “I guess she should with the face lift and the boob job and the tummy tuck.” Mom gave her a scornful look and Janet looked away and unwrapped her silverware from her paper napkin and examined each piece for water-spots and then used her napkin to wipe each one. They were both dressed very nicely. The last I knew neither of them had a pot to piss in. Something had changed that led to the nice clothes and the body work.
Janet blurted it out, “Mom is married again.” She leaned across the table and rubbed her index and middle finger on her thumb indicating ‘money’.
Mom gave an embarrassed grin and said, “His name is Jeremy and he’s very nice. After all the abusers over the years, I wasn’t sure I could go for him.”
Janet interjected with obvious sarcasm, “And his money had nothing to do with it, huh Mom?” Mom’s face reddened as she examined her silverware too. After continued conversation it became apparent that Jeremy was in his eighties and loaded. Mom provided none of that information but Janet seemed eager to. I congratulated mom on her marriage.
Donna returned for our order and I yielded to them. They hadn’t paid any attention to the menu before Donna arrived so they weren’t ready to order. I ordered my usual and after a few moments, Janet placed hers. Mom couldn’t decide and Janet examined Donna as we waited.
When Donna left for the kitchen with our orders, Janet leaned her breasts on the table and said, “She very pretty and she’s definitely into you. Are you tapping that?” I gave her a disapproving look as I thought, ‘you can take the lady out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto out of the lady.’ Janet’s expression morphed into one of surprise and she said, “Oh my God. You are. You have to introduce us.”
My eyes dropped from her gaze and I could feel the heat in my face from embarrassment. Mom had watched the whole thing and she looked over at Janet and said, “I think you nailed it Janet.” She looked toward the kitchen to see if Donna was close by. She wasn’t and I feared for what she was going to do and say when Donna returned with our meals.
I didn’t have to wait long to find out. Donna came out of the kitchen with a tray held in one hand at face level. She placed my meal in front of me and then looked at the two remaining meals trying to remember which was which. She got it right. I figured that Donna already knew who my companions were but I introduced Donna to them and them to Donna. They all smiled at each other and thankfully, that was it.