love in the time of trash fires

Athena had once looked a lot like her mother, but it was almost hard to believe they were mother and daughter now. Athena briefly wondered if that should make her sad or just relieved, but she was too busy wondering why Veronica was here. She glanced around the apartment and seemed to be trying not to touch anything. Like she’d catch some kind of virus from the small apartment.

“What are you doing here?” Athena asked. “In my home. Unannounced and uninvited.”

“A mother can’t stop by to have a chat with her only daughter?” Veronica asked. Athena snorted and her mother pursed her lips slightly at the noise.

“You haven’t stopped by for a chat since I was five years old,” Athena said. She glanced over and saw Max slumped against the wall with his arms full. He looked about to topple over and Athena rushed to help him back to the couch, tossing the bag and coat he was holding off to the side.

“Those are designer,” Veronica gasped, looking at Athena sternly as she plucked up the coat and smoothed it out.

“Oh, well I’m glad to see you’ve seen the error of your materialistic and shallow ways,” Athena said, glaring at her.

“I want to ask you to come home.”

Athena stared at her in confusion. “I am home.”

“I don’t mean this…hovel you currently reside in.” Veronica looked around with disdain. “I meant home with me and Kent,” she explained; referring to the man she’d married after leaving Michael.

Athena started laughing. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Athena, you’re living in The Bleak, shacked up with a criminal.”

Athena felt her blood rushing in her ears and abruptly stood up.

“You have the nerve to come into my home and criticize my life choices?”

“Athena—“

“You abandoned me,” Athena snapped. “I don’t give a shit if you don’t like my boyfriend or where I live.”

“Language,” Veronica said disapprovingly. “Athena, dear, I’m trying to do you a favor. I wanted to invite you to tea at the Barringer on Saturday. Clearly you’re too emotional to have a rational discussion right now, but if you’ll just come to tea and hear me out you’ll feel differently.”

“A rational discussion,” Athena scoffed. “You are unbelievable. You show up here and insult Max and want me to rearrange my entire life out of the blue and you want to talk about rationality?”

“If you’ll just think about it for a bit you’ll see that I want what’s best for you,” Veronica insisted. “Your father clearly didn’t do you any favors, letting you run around like this.”

“Get out.”

“Excuse me?”

Athena pointed toward the door. “Take your ugly designer rags and get the fuck out of my house. Now,” she snarled.

“If you come to your senses, you can find me at the Barringer on Saturday at noon,” Veronica said. She shrugged into her coat before giving the apartment another contemptuous onceover. She looked down at her nose at Max for a moment before turning and stalking out of the apartment. Max was slumped down on the couch, looking bewildered. Athena was so angry she was shaking.

“That woman,” she spat. “The nerve. The fucking nerve. It’s audacity, that’s what it is.”

“Maybe you should go to tea with her.”

“What?” Athena whirled on Max with an incredulous glower and he grimaced.

“Fuck, you’re terrifying right now,” he mumbled. “I’m not sure whether I’m more scared or into it.”

“Max. What the hell do you mean I should go to tea with her?”

“Look, I just think you need some kind of closure with your mom,” he said. “You never talk about her and I think the whole thing bothers you more than you’re willing to admit. And maybe she is trying to reach out in her own…abrasive way. And if she’s not, then you can be the one to close the door. For good.”

Athena made a growling noise and sat down in the recliner with her arms crossed, pouting. “What are you, a therapist now?” she asked sulkily. “You’re the one on the couch, not me.”

“Come on, Athena.”

“I can’t go, I have to stay here with you.”

“I can get around just fine. I’ll be fine if you’re gone for a couple of hours.”

“You were two seconds from falling over when I came out here,” Athena said.

“That’s because your mom shoved stuff at me and caught me off guard.”

“But if something happens there won’t be anyone to—“

“Athena. I’ll be fine,” he repeated. She heaved a dramatic sigh and flopped back, scowling.

“Fine. I’ll go. But no trying to do stupid stunts on your crutches while I’m gone. You’re almost ready to start physical therapy so don’t give yourself any fresh injuries.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Athena begrudgingly put on a ruffly blue wrap dress and white heels on Saturday to catch a cab to the Barringer. Of course Veronica had chosen a place so far away; Athena had to leave by ten just to make sure she’d make it by noon. She was finishing winding her hair up into a bun when she came out of the bedroom, firmly reminding Max to be careful while she was out. She glanced over when he didn’t answer.

“Max.”

“What? Yeah, yes. I know. No crutch stunts. You look really pretty.”

“The Barringer has a dress code,” she muttered.

“Well you look great.”

She sighed, her grumpy expression softening a little. She leaned down to give him a kiss.

“Thank you. I’ll be back in a few hours,” she promised. She was still crabby when she arrived at the posh, pretentious hotel for high tea. Her mother was dressed in black, her chin length blonde hair looking fresh from the salon. She took in Athena’s appearance and her lips turned down slightly.

“I had hoped you might remove the blue before coming,” she said.

“Well I didn’t.” Athena sat down stiffly and a polished waiter quickly swooped in to fill dainty little cups with tea and set an assortment of finger sandwiches and pretty cakes on the table. Athena dumped four sugar cubes into her tea and filled her plate. If she was stuck spending time with Veronica, then she was at least going to enjoy all the sweets. Her mother took a deep breath, like she was trying to keep from losing her temper.

“Athena, sweetie. I’m so glad you decided to come. I want to extend an olive branch and implore you again to come back home with me.”

“No.”

“I can offer you so much more than what you have here.”

“I’m happy with my life.”

“That’s because you don’t know any better,” Veronica insisted. “Growing up in that area, it’s no wonder you think the best you can do is work in a clinic patching up addicts and criminals, just to go home to that tiny apartment and that thuggish boyfriend.”

“He’s not thuggish. You don’t even know him,” Athena said irritably. “I love Max, and no amount of penthouses or fancy cars would make me leave him to go with you.”

“What kind of future can a man like that really offer you?”

“A happy one,” Athena snapped. “What’s with the sudden interest in my life, anyway? I doubt you came here because you suddenly recovered a conscience and felt bad for being the worst mother ever.”

“I am here, young lady, because Kent is running for office,” Veronica replied, giving Athena a hard look.

“Oh, well good for Kent. He’ll be a perfect fit for the festering cesspool of corruption. So what, are you here to give me some little ‘vote for Kent’ buttons?”

“Hardly. Now that Kent is trying to become a Senator, people will be looking for anything they can use against him to smear his good name. They’d have an absolute field day with this whole situation of yours. But you can come back with me, and we’ll get that awful blue out of your hair and get you some nice clothes and proper licensing to be a real doctor. Kent can make that happen, you know. Despite your questionable choices, you are a pretty girl. A pretty doctor for a stepdaughter would be good for Kent’s image.”

Athena just stared at her. She knew she shouldn’t have been, but she was disappointed. Some tiny part of her had still been hopeful that maybe Veronica really did regret abandoning Athena. But that was way too much to ask.

“And there are so many eligible men your age,” Veronica went on, seeming to mistake Athena’s silence for interest in her sales pitch. “I can set you up with someone. And we could do nice things like tea at the Barringer all the time.”

“If you wanted to do things with me, you should’ve visited when I was a kid.”

“I realize that leaving you to be raised by your father must have been a struggle for you, but—“

“Dad is an amazing parent,” Athena said sharply. “I’m glad that he raised me.”

“Mrs. Hamilton, is that you?”

“Oh, Seth! Do come join us won’t you?”

Veronica suddenly dripped with sugary sweetness as a younger man came over to their table. Athena rolled her eyes. His suit and haircut probably cost as much as six months of her rent. He had burnished blond hair and green eyes, which he was clearly trying to use to their full capacity as he flashed a smile at Athena.

“You must be Veronica’s daughter,” he said. “If I may say so, you’re even lovelier than she said.”

“You may not say so,” Athena said.

“Pardon?”

“Athena, this is Seth Rathbone,” Veronica said, shooting her a warning look. “His family are good friends of ours. Seth, I didn’t know you took tea here.”

“I come with my aunt once a month.”

“Well, isn’t that just precious of you,” Veronica laughed. “And you being such a busy man. Athena, Seth is about to take over as CEO of his father’s business.”

“How precious for him,” Athena replied. “And how does he know about me, have you really been talking me up to a bunch of strange guys?”

“Honey, you’re my only daughter. Of course I mention you to our friends. Especially our young, single ones.”

“It really is nice to meet you, Athena.” Seth gave her another one of those movie star smiles and extended a hand. Athena didn’t shake it.

“Put your hand down, Seth.”

“I’m sorry?” His smile wavered as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“My mother can’t talk about her only daughter, because she doesn’t have one,” Athena explained. “I am a one parent child. Any real mother would know that it would take more than a smile from a pretty boy in a flashy suit to impress her daughter.”

“Athena, you’re being dramatic,” Veronica scolded. “Not to mention rude.”

“Did Veronica happen to mention that I have a boyfriend?” Athena asked. “Or did she omit that little detail when she tried to pimp me out to you?”

“Athena!” Veronica gasped. Athena stood up, downing the last of her tea. She flipped open a tin that had held some little cookies, but Athena had already eaten those under Veronica’s critical gaze. Athena scooped up some of the remaining little cakes, filling the tin with them.

“This has been horrible, so I’m afraid I have to go,” Athena said.

“What can you possibly see in that ruffian you’re seeing?” Veronica demanded, frustrated.

“He makes me eggs and we have rough sex in public places,” Athena deadpanned, not bothering to keep her voice down. Several people looked toward their table and Veronica looked like she might faint.

“Goodbye, Veronica.”

Athena marched from the hotel, flagging another cab. She was still fuming when she got home. Max was sitting on the couch, Zip curled up on his chest. Athena slammed the door so hard that the cat let out a startled chirp and fell off Max.

“If I ever see her again I’m going to rip out her hair and feed it to her,” Athena growled.

“So…it went well?” Max asked. Athena gave him an unamused look.

“Shut up and eat your snacks,” she grumbled, shoving the tin at him. “I never want to speak to that woman again. She only cares about me in terms of how I affect her image. Her husband is running for senate so she’s worried that I’ll embarrass them. She tried to set me up with some guy. She acted like it was a coincidence but I know she planned it. I can’t believe her.”

“Hey, cake. Wait, did you say a guy?” Max frowned. Athena kicked her heels off so hard they flew across the room.

“She walks out of my life and then comes back without even trying to make amends. She just wants to change my hair and set me up with an approved guy, like I’m her prized Shih Tzu and she wants to pick a stud for me to mate with so our puppies will win dog shows.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You made me go, you jerkface.”

“I thought it would help you know what her intentions really were,” Max said, giving her a wounded puppy face.

“Well, that’s my closure. I’m a Shih Tzu.”

“Would this be a bad time to ask for my pills?”

Athena grabbed them off the counter and chucked the bottle at the couch.

“I’m going to change,” she said crankily, stomping off to the bedroom.

“Thanks. Love you, my queen.”

“Don’t push it, Max.”