I gestured around. “We’ve been to this place tons of times, and you know their menu better than you know my childhood, so why are you having trouble deciding?”
“Maybe I want something new.” My mother tapped the menu. “And they add new things all the time, you know. So, it’s important to check to make sure I’m not missing out a good opportunity.”
“Uh-huh.” I narrowed my eyes, wondering what her scheme was. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you order typically one of three things, no matter what they add.” I laughed. “You said their new syrup flavor was too exotic for your tastes. And that was last month.”
“I wouldn’t have thought you would object to me expanding my horizons. Isn’t a woman allowed to ever change her mind?”
I nodded. “Sure, you are, but you don’t. I know you too well. What’s your game, Mother?”
“Game?”
she said, her tone suggesting forced innocence. “What on Earth are you talking about, Logan? I’m not playing any sort of game. I’m trying to figure out what to have for brunch.”
“Why are you stalling?”
My mother looked past me, a smile appearing on her face. My stomach knotted. Something was about to happen, and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it.
“Logan,” squealed a familiar young girl’s voice from behind me.
I spun around and found Emily, Juniper, and Sally standing there. I burst out laughing, the tension leaving my body with my laughs. All those worries and it turned out that my mother’s scheme wasn’t so bad after all. Welcome, even.
Emily frowned at her mother, and I fought back a smile. I suspected I wasn’t the only one who had been misled that Sunday morning.
“This is why you wanted me to come here, Mama?” Emily asked, her hands on her hips. She stared directly at Sally. “To have lunch with Logan and Amelia?”
“I think it’s more a brunch thing,” Sally said. “Besides, I’ve heard a lot of good things about this place from Amelia.” She shrugged and helped herself to a chair at our table. “Now, I’m not saying that I wasn’t aware that Amelia might be here with Logan this Sunday, but I don’t see why that’s such a big deal. A meal with good company is a tastier meal, dear.”
Juniper hopped into my lap, and I patted her on the head.
Emily sat down beside me, rolling her eyes. “If you wanted to eat with Logan and Amelia, you could have just said so, Mama.” She made a circular motion with her hand. “You didn’t have to trick me. I don’t see why you think I’d say no.” She shot me an apologetic look, and I shrugged back with a smile.
“I don’t know what I have to do with you,” Sally said. “You get so lost in that head of yours that sometimes I do have to trick you. Besides, surprises can be fun.” She smiled at Juniper. “Don’t you think so, Juniper?”
“Surprises are fun,” Juniper declared.
“Don’t turn my own daughter against me, Mama.”
Everyone laughed except Emily.
Emily sighed and gave me a pained smile. “I’m so sorry to intrude, Logan.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I said. “Whatever wicked plan our mothers put together, I’m still happy to see you.”
I only barely didn’t add a comment about the night before. There were some things our mothers didn’t need to know about.
Amelia beamed a smile at Juniper and patted the seat next to her. “Juniper, dear, why don’t you come over here and sit by me, so Logan will be able to eat his meal?”
“Okay,” Juniper said. She wriggled down and hurried over to sit by my mother.
The waitress reappeared, and then blinked, surprised, I assumed, by the sudden addition of more customers at our table.
“Did you need more time?” she said, now looking a bit panicked.
“Yes,” my mother said. “Just five more minutes, dear, and this time we’ll be ready. I promise you. I apologize for all the inconvenience.”
“And do you need more drinks?”
“Some sweet tea for me and my little girl,” Emily said.