Felix arrived separately in black jeans and a band shirt.
Mom watched us gather through the front window.
“Too much?”
When she came out, her eyes went straight to my clothing.
“Did he make you wear that?”
“I borrowed the necklace and chose the dress.”
“I see.”
Mara opened the passenger door for her.
“Did he make you wear that?”
“Morning. You’re up front. I like the back seat.”
Mom looked at Lenald behind the wheel, then climbed in.
Mara and I took the back seat; Felix followed in his car.
We’d barely reached the end of the street when Mom turned toward Lenald.
“Where exactly are we going?”
“You’re up front.”
“About ten minutes away,” he said.
Mara leaned forward. “Felix remembered the boxes. Jonah’s already there.”
“Good. We should make it before they start.”
Mom turned to look at me.
“Before what starts?”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
She faced forward again. At the next intersection, she checked her phone, then the road.
“Melany, this isn’t funny.”
“What’s wrong?”
“All of you turning up like this, taking me somewhere you won’t name. Are you… kidnapping me?”
“You’ll see.”
Lenald glanced toward the curb.
“I’ll pull over. Would you like us to take you home?”
“You agreed to come, Mom,” I said. “You can change your mind.”
She looked back at Mara, who was fastening a loose button on her sleeve.
“Somebody should see what you’ve become involved in,” Mom said, turning back to the windshield.
“You can change your mind.”
A few minutes later, we turned into a parking lot.
Mom read the sign above the entrance.
RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY KITCHEN.
“Here?”
The side door opened. A woman in a blue apron waved.
Mom read the sign
“Lenald! Congratulations! Aprons are by the sink.”
“Hi, Ruth,” I called.
Mom turned toward me. “You know her?”
“I’ve helped here before.”
She got out and caught my sleeve as Felix approached with two boxes of food containers.
“You know her?”
“You arranged this?”
“I arranged for you to come.”
“And all his friends just happened to be available?”
“We’re here most Saturdays,” Felix said. “Melany comes when she can.”
Mom released my sleeve and followed us inside.
“You arranged this?”
Lenald washed his hands and joined Jonah at the vegetables.
“How long has he been coming here?” Mom asked Ruth.
“Since before I took over. Why?”
Mom turned to me. “Well, you’ve certainly made your point.”
“Which point?”
Mom followed us inside.
“You brought me here to embarrass me.”
I had wanted her to question her judgment of Lenald.
Instead, she was blaming me again.
I could let it pass, finish the shift, drive her home. Then she’d expect us to carry on as if none of this had happened.
She was blaming me again.
I stepped toward the side door.
“Come outside a minute,” I said.
Lenald looked up.
I nodded toward the door, and he and Mara followed us out with water.
Before I could speak, Mom rounded on me.
“Come outside a minute,”
“You frightened me for nothing!”
“You were already frightened for nothing.”
“You wouldn’t even tell me where we were going.”
“I kept the destination a surprise. I understand why that annoyed you—”
