Page 71 of Point of Contact

His mother was suddenly right in front of them, shoving a pair of slippers her way. "These are for you. You will wear them in the house."

Courtney took the embroidered house shoes, a little surprised at how perfect they were. The main portion was pale pink and a set of roses tucked into greenery bloomed across the toe of each. "Thank you. They're beautiful."

Reed's mother nodded. "Reed said you like pink."

Her throat went tight. Not only because Reed told his mother at least enough about things to share her favorite color, but also because his mother went out of her way to choose something she would like.

Courtney ran one finger along the soft side of the slipper, swallowing hard as emotion tried to clog her throat. "He’s right. I love pink. It's my favorite color."

Instead of responding, his mother looked her over again before turning away and walking through the small living room they were standing in. "Come. It's time to eat."

After quickly slipping on her new house shoes, Courtney followed behind, ready to do her best to make friends with the woman in front of her. She wanted to make a good impression. Wanted to be liked and accepted by her. And not just because she was Reed’s mom.

The house smelled amazing, and her stomach, which was threatening to revolt just a few minutes ago, was interested in what she would find in the kitchen. The house was small, making the trip from the living room to the kitchen short, but it was so sweet. Pictures of little Reed hung on the walls, following his progression from birth through high school and even into the Academy. None of the furniture matched, but everything looked comfortable and cozy and inviting. The ceilings of the home were much lower than she was used to, but that only added to the feeling of being cocooned in warmth and comfort.

It was a home. A place where a real family lived. And she wanted to soak up as much of it as she could.

Reed followed close behind her, his hand coming to rest on her lower back. As they stepped into the small but well-laid-out kitchen, his mother's eyes once again went to the spot where he touched her before moving from Reed’s face to hers. She narrowed her eyes, standing a little straighter as she swung one hand in a beckoning motion. "Come here, Courtney. You can help with lunch."

Courtney hurried to his mother’s side, her eagerness for any attention Reed’s mom was willing to give her overshadowing the intimidation she felt in the woman’s presence. She’d never had this. Never had any sort of motherly figure encourage her in any way and, even as a grown woman, she was still hungry for that kind of relationship.

His mother motioned to the sink. "Wash your hands first."

Courtney went right to the faucet, scrubbing down before drying off and turning back to face the tiny Korean woman who clearly had a huge amount of personality. "What can I do?"

She could swear his mother appeared surprised, but the almost imperceptible lift of her brows was gone in a flash. "You need to cook the carrots for bibimbap." She pointed to a pile of shredded carrots sitting beside a large bowl-shaped pan on the stove. "Do you know how?"

Chewing her lip, Courtney deflated a little. She knew the basics of cooking, but nothing extremely involved. And, while cooking carrots seemed simple enough, the tools laid out were not what she was accustomed to. "I know how to cook a little, but I've never made bibimbap before."

Reed's mother's lips pressed into an appraising line as she leaned back to peer at her. "Have you eaten bibimbap before?"

Courtney shook her head, a little embarrassed that she had to admit how unfamiliar she was with Korean cuisine. "No. I have not."

Reed's mother gave her another long look before moving to the stove. "At least you say it right." She grabbed a bottle and held it up. "You cook the carrots in just plain oil. No sesame oil." She shoved the bottle Courtney's way before turning her eyes to the pan.

Courtney tipped a small amount into the pan. The oil immediately rippled and started to smoke.

Reed's mother snagged the oil and pointed to the carrots. "Now put those in."

Scooping up the pile, Courtney dropped them in with the oil. They were barely out of her hands before Reed's mom shoved a flat utensil that was a cross between a spoon and a spatula into her grip. "Stir."

Courtney did as she was told, moving the carrots around the pan. Reed's mother started tossing in different seasonings, adding a splash of this and a sprinkle of that. In what felt like under thirty seconds, his mother was grabbing the handle and pulling it off the heat. "Done."

Courtney blinked. "That was fast."

Reed's mother dropped the carrots into a waiting dish. "They are small pieces. They don't take long to cook." She set the empty pan on a cool burner before picking up the bowl of carrots and turning away. "Now we can eat."

She marched to the already set table in the small dining room adjacent to the kitchen, lining the bowl of carrots next to an array of other bowls. All were filled with varying items, from some sort of sprouty looking things to a green, shredded, leafy pile that almost looked like spinach. A giant pot of rice sat in the middle of the table with four place settings circled around it.

Reed rested his hand on her back again, urging her into the space before pulling out a chair. "You sit here. I'm going to go get my dad."

Courtney nodded, her stomach twisting into a knot. She knew Reed's dad had a stroke and that it greatly impacted him, but she didn't know exactly what his condition was, or exactly how to handle the situation. So she focused on his mother. Offering a smile across the table. "Thank you so much for inviting me to lunch."

His mother adjusted the dishes, moving them around. "Reed said you lived in Miami. Are you from there?"

Courtney's chin tucked in surprise. Exactly how much had Reed told his mother about her?

"I was born there. I lived there up until recently."

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