Page 4 of Collin: Episodes 4-6
“Labradorite.”
Dr. Ryker looked like a gender studies professor from a small town even on the weekend. She stood a good five inches shorter than Collin and looked as out of place as Alice in Wonderland standing on the big city sidewalk next to Ellisandre.
Collin followed Mr. Reevesworth through the gate of the train station and walked straight to her. “Mom.”
She moved toward him, both arms outstretched. “My boy.”
Collin returned her hug, then turned her toward the man behind him. “Mom, this is Mr. Richard Reevesworth.
“A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Ryker.” Mr. Reevesworth held out his hand. “I read your piece in the university journal last quarter.”
“You read it?”
“Of course. Collin comes by his research skills naturally.”
Ellisandre snapped open their fan. “I am famished. Compliment each other over breakfast.”
Dr. Ryker blushed.
Collin covered the awkwardness with a cough. “I know just the place. It’s a bar at night but serves breakfast and lunch earlier in the day. Mom, I think you’ll like it.”
The place in question was a risk, but it was worth it. The art inside the first room was expressive and supportive of love and life in all its forms, but the second and third rooms, the side that was focused on the bar, contained local art that spoke back to the era of Stonewall and up into the present day with all the inhibition of a place designed for those of the age to order their own drinks.
A brittle facade of normalcy settled over the group as scripts set in. Yes, they wanted a table. For four, please. And no, no one had any food allergies. Yes, these were the menus. Did anyone want anything to drink? Collin ordered coffee. Ellisandre asked for juice. Dr. Ryker sighed and relented, ordering coffee as well. Mr. Reevesworth kept to water.
With Ellisandre and Mr. Reevesworth sitting between Collin and Dr. Ryker, there was no privacy for her to try to bend his ear for a private word. Her lips thinned as she studied the seating arrangements. She snapped up a menu and held it in front of her face.
For a few moments, everyone except Ellisandre pretended to read the breakfast offerings. Collin dragged his eyes across the glassy surface of words three times and gave up. The returning drink service was an excellent excuse.
Ellisandre leaned forward, arms crossed on the table in front of their chest. Their hair was platinum blond and styled within an inch of its life into something short, coiled, and historical looking. Collin had no idea what it was, but it brought up the word “glam” in his mind.
“What are you getting?” they asked him.
Collin shook his head. “Don’t know yet. You?”
They tapped their nails against the surface of the table and sat up straight again, as if they’d never heard the phrase “poor posture”. “The crepes with cranberry sauce, I think.”
“I didn’t see those. Where are they?”
Ellisandre held up the menu and pointed with a long-painted nail. Collin squinted at it. There was a blueberry version, and it came with sides.
“I’ll have to try that.”
Ellisandre grinned. They turned to Dr. Ryker. “And you, ma’am?”
“The eggs breakfast.”
Mr. Reevesworth raised his hand and nodded to the server.
Collin rubbed his sweating palms on his pant leg under the table as the server finished taking notes and walked away.
“I suppose you’re here about my college plans.”
“Collin!” Dr. Ryker flinched mid-sip from her water. “That is a family matter. We can talk later in private.”
“Mr. Reevesworth is my mentor, Mom. He literally picked me up off the floor and helped me to the hospital. There’s more about the last few weeks that he knows than I do. And Ellisandre is the one who helped put all my classwork on hold while I was under medical supervision. They already know everything.”
Dr. Ryker shot glances at the two non-family members at the table. “I thought you said the concussion was minor.”
