“That boring carrot is Therese…” Rindy introduces her friend to the brunette closing the lid back on the crock pot in the kitchen.
“Hi,” the friend greets with a slight nod of his head.
Therese stares back as the two young adults disappear into the living room.
“Can she speak?”
“When she feels like it,” Rindy snorts. She gestures around.
“Make yourself comfortable. We can watch whatever.”
They end up watching Anora on Hulu. Therese announces the cabbage stew is “all set” and leaves for upstairs. She blushes at one particularly scene with Ani and Vanya having sex in Las Vegas. Rindy and her friend crack up the minute she’s gone.
Carol arrives back from the airport with her handbag, house key and phone. Calling out, she swoops past the living room then stops to move backwards. She finds her daughter and a young man settled on the couch with a blanket thrown eating out of bowls of tonight’s dinner.
“Hi, hello,” she says, acknowledging the friend. Her eyes lock back on Rindy’s.
“This is Gavin.”
“Hi, Gavin…” Carol presses a smile, trying hard not to let the location of the blanket get to her and the fact there were already balled up napkins strewn on the floor.
“Nice to meet you.”
He grins at her that makes her uncomfortable. Carol turns to the TV playing Anora and blinks away. “Therese upstairs?”
“Yup. Being the owl that she is.”
“She’s not an owl.”
Rindy clicks her spoon against the rim of her bowl. Her friend doesn’t stop grinning at Carol. The moment she makes her exit, he throws his hand across the air.
“Damn! That’s your mom?!”
“Stop.”
“She’s smokin’! How are you two even related?”
“Shut up! That’s gross!” Rindy snaps.
Their bedroom door was left open with Carol closing it shut behind her. Relieved to find Therese reading a Dean Koontz hard copy on her side of the bed, she walks over.
They exchange a small kiss before Therese sets her book aside.
“Made it here alright?”
“Mm-hmm,” Carol replies, hand cupping her face.
“The kids took over the living room.”
“I’ll kick 'em out. Gavin already bothers me.”
Carol now pulls away to kick off her shoes. She then crawls on the bed on top of Therese to lay and snuggle up against her.
“There’s cabbage stew in the crock pot.”
Carol holds onto Therese the second her arm slips around her by the shoulders. They are nestled like that until they hear muffled voices coming from downstairs finishing it off with the front door slamming.
Rindy has the TV still playing the movie the time Carol retreats the bedroom. She has the dishes on the coffee table, blanket toppled on the floor. Her eyes flash annoyance at her mother.
“Did Gavin leave?”
“You don’t see him anywhere, do you?” Rindy demands.
“Why are you attacking me?” Carol questions.
“Gavin wants to fuck you, that’s why!” Rindy yells. “You’re the reason I can never bring any friends over!”
Carol, stunned, watches Rindy storm off with the dinner bowls to put them in the sink.