Libra—2 Pancakes x 2 Eggs x 2 Slices of Bacon
Scorpio—Bottomless Bloody Mary
Sagittarius—Belgian Liege Waffles
Capricorn—Acai Chia Pudding Smoothie Bowl
Aquarius—Baked Egg Danish with Kimchi and Bacon
Pisces—Giant Cinnamon Roll
Elle.Elle.”
Elle tore her eyes from thenotesapp on her phone. Across the table, Mom stared at her, dark brows raised expectantly. Pen poised over a notepad, their waiter smiled tightly.
“Oh, shoot, sorry.” Elle tossed her phone on the seat beside her and scooped the laminated menu off the table, scanning it quickly. Everything sounded delicious and the smells wafting from the kitchen weren’t helping her make up her mind. Fresh brewed coffee. Maple syrup drizzled over banana nut pancakes. Sticky cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven.Bacon. Oh man, bacon. She wanted it all,right now, her stomach unleashing a vicious grumble of agreement. She licked her lips. Hunger transformed Elle into an instant-gratification seeking Veruca Salt, albeit hopefully less bitchy. “Um, I’ll have the cinnamon sugar crepes with raspberry jam and— Ooh, do you have whipped cream?”
The waiter nodded and scribbled down the order. “Sure.”
“Elle.” Mom pursed her lips, theelevensbetween her eyebrows deepening.
“Scratch the whipped cream?” She grinned, eyes darting between Mom who looked torn between amusement and exasperation, and the waiter who’d begun tapping the end of his pen against his pad.
“You’re going to be in a carb coma all day, honey.”
“Which iswhyI was ordering whipped cream. Dairy equals protein.”
Mom rolled her eyes and reached for her green tea latte.
Elle shrugged at the waiter. “I’ll have a side of scrambled eggs, too, please.”
The waiter nodded and hurried off to the back of the crowded restaurant.
“How’s Margot?”
“Good. She’s been moderating this fic fest for rare pairs in one of her Harry Potter fanfiction groups and there were triple the number of entries than anticipated, but her new foray into rock-climbing seems to be helping with her stress. And her belay instructor is super cute, so.” Elle grabbed her peppermint mocha and blew on it. “Yeah, she’s good.”
Tongue poking the inside of her cheek, Mom nodded slowly. “I understood most of that.”
Elle sniffed theatrically and wiped away a fake tear. “I’m so proud.”
“Cute.” Mom took a sip of her latte before setting it aside. “It’s funny that you mentioned rock-climbing, actually.”
“Is it?”
“Lydia’s boyfriend, Marcus, is an avid rock-climber. Loves hiking, too. He’s gotten your sister into it.”
“Lydia goeshiking? Our Lydia?” The idea of her sister in a pair of hiking boots was too much for Elle to wrap her head around. Lydia who refused to admit she sweated, instead referring to perspiration asglistening. Not that Elle was inclined to hit the gym, but come on. “Wait, back up. Lydia has a new boyfriend? Since when?”
When Mom’s brows did the forehead equivalent of a shrug, Elle was in trouble. “Marcus isn’tnew. If you hadn’t missed the past three family dinners, maybe you’d be up to speed.”
Elle’s molars clacked together. She’d heard similar iterations of the same chastisement on the phone. “I’ve been super swamped with—” The deal with OTP, but Mom didn’t know that and Elle wasn’t sure she was ready to broach that subject on the heels of hearing about Lydia’s new—to her—boyfriend. “Life. I’ve been super swamped with life. Adulting. Bills, taxes, existential doom. You never told me it was such a drag.”
Mom studied Elle, an inscrutable expression on her face. “How about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Elle took a leisurely sip of her coffee and licked the lingering chocolate sauce from her bottom lip. “I see lots of people, Mom. I’m seeing you right now.”
“Yes, dear, you’re a smartass, I’m well aware.” Mom set her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her laced hands. “That’s not what I asked.”