Page 33 of Waves of Time

“I’m just fine, honey.” Hilary wrinkled her nose. “I’m sorry about last night.”

Aria shook her head. “It’s okay. Really.” She paused, then added, “You worried me.”

“You worried me, too.”

Aria frowned, studying Hilary as she sat across from her at the table. “I’m sorry I said what I said about moving out.”

“It’s okay, honey. I understand. You probably want to move on with your life. It’s only natural.”

“It wasn’t the right time,” Aria said. “And it’s not like I’m ready to move out, anyway.”

Hilary’s heart lifted, if only slightly, before Aria said, “Can you be straight with me about what last night?”

Hilary sipped her coffee, considering how much of what Sophie and Sam had told her she wanted to share. “I heard a rumor about a group of people you were hanging out with, and I panicked.”

“What kind of group?” Aria asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hilary swallowed the lump in her throat. “I heard you might be on drugs, which seemed crazy to me at first…” Aria looked at her in disbelief, but Hilary raised a finger and kept going. “Before you say anything, remember that Sophie was a high-functioning addict. Nobody knew about her drug use for years. And my imagination ran away with me.”

“Mom,” Aria finally managed, “I’m not on drugs. Trust me. Drugs terrify me.” Her eyes shone with fear, as though she worried Hilary wouldn’t believe her. “Back in San Francisco, that old friend from college was using drugs at the club, and I totally freaked out. She called me lame, and I ran out of there.” Aria chuckled softly, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

Hilary was awash with sudden pride, so much of it that she couldn’t hold Aria’s gaze nor speak. At this moment, as Aria told this secret, a part of Hilary pushed her to tell Aria about her strange vision problems. But saying anything would make it real.

“I’m so sorry I doubted you,” Hilary said finally. “I knew, in my heart of hearts, that you wouldn’t involve yourself in something like that. But…” She considered asking Aria about the druggy guy, about the nature of their relationship, but she didn’t want to argue any more. She was too tired.

Aria scooped some oatmeal onto her spoon and smiled at her mother lovingly. “What are your plans today?” Her tone was bright and playful.

“I’m embarrassed to say!”

“Uh oh. I think I know what that means,” Aria teased. “You have a date with Mr. Handsome!”

Hilary laughed. “You can see right through me.”

“What are you going to wear?” Aria asked.

Hilary sighed, genuinely unsure. “You want to help me pick something out?”

“Let’s do it,” Aria said.

After breakfast, Aria and Hilary went back to Hilary’s bedroom, where Aria sat cross-legged on the bed and watched as Hilary went through her closet, trying on the navy dress that hugged her figure, the long, dark green dress she’d bought in New York City, the maroon dress that was slightly too short for family functions, and the onesie that was adorable yet logistically difficult.

“I love the ochre dress,” Aria sighed, pointing toward the closet at one of the dresses Hilary had worn out in San Francisco, the very one that Marc had complimented her on. For some reason, the fact that Marc had liked the dress made it impossible for Hilary to wear the dress with another man. She wasn’t sure why she still kept things sacred for Marc.

“I love it, too,” Hilary said, “but I just wore it out in San Francisco.”

“I remember,” Aria said wistfully before she raised her chin and announced, “I love the maroon dress, too. It’s leggy and sexy.”

“Leggy and sexy,” Hilary repeated with a laugh. “It really isn’t too much?”

“No way. It’s perfect for a second date,” Aria said. “Frank won’t know what to do with himself.”

Hilary hung the dress on the hook outside the bathroom, then collapsed back on the bed next to her daughter, her heart buzzing with adrenaline.

“I should look up conversation topics or something,” Hilary said. “What on earth will we talk about?”

“You’ll just talk the way you talk to everyone else!” Aria said. “You’re great with people.”

“Not when I’m nervous.”

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