414 The Brunch Date - Part 1

Just as expected, he received a call from Lillian Grey.

The jinx occurred, and Shane regrettably sighed to answer the call. His weary greeting went unnoticed by Lillian, who was sounding edgy. Lillian didn't care if her friend was in a state to talk. Nonetheless, she needed him the most right now.

Pretty soon, Shane learned the reason behind her dreading and why Lillian had called him so late. Lillian had given her word to Giselle about meeting her parents.

Shane was surprised to hear the good news, but it honestly puzzled him, considering how Lillian tried her best to hide for a while from Giselle. Regardless, Shane knew this was necessary if Lillian chose to date Giselle.

"This is the first time for me, Shane!" Lillian groaned anxiously.

"Really? You never met parents in any relationship?"

"Yeah, you tell me! Have I gone that far with anyone?"

Shane knew the answer, so he didn't bother replying. Instead, he inquired why Lillian reached out to him, and that late too.

It was clear that Lillian needed help, and Shane was a gentleman. He had pretty much earned himself the title from anyone he had met. He knows all the tricks to charm anyone literally, according to Lillian. Besides, Lillian assumed that a man like him would surely know his way around the family. Shane's family is big too, which is an added advantage.

"So, when are you meeting them?"

"Tomorrow- no, yeah, it's 12 already. I'm meeting Giselle's mother on Sunday. I plan to book a reservation for brunch. That works, right?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Shane replied.

"What should I wear? Should I bring a gift or something? How should I behave? I need to know all!" Lillian exclaimed in hysteria.

"Fine. Fine. I'll help you," Shane replied, agreeing to extend his assistance.

***

Wishing herself a bit of good luck, she took a taxi rather than driving herself down to the destination.

Lillian arrived as early as planned. She checked the reservations and waited outdoor until her company arrived.

**

Melanie and Giselle reached on time. Lillian noticed their arrival and dived into action. She went out to greet them. Lillian's eyes transfixed only at Giselle's mother. She sneaked a glance at Giselle from far, and they grasped the situation already.

Giselle's mother is here to inspect if Lillian is worthy of her daughter. She is not here to make friends but test Lillian's feelings for her daughter. Melanie's face matched the description that ran inside Lillian's head. She studied the woman's face and could perhaps expect a hard time impressing her.

Melanie returned the greeting for the sake of courtesy and followed Lillian as she guided them inside to their reserved table. Giselle finally had the chance to look at the place they came to have their brunch date. She knew Lillian made reservations for them on her own.

Located at Bleecker Street, this classic, old-fashioned brunch spot in New York serves upscale pub eats and crafty cocktails under a rustic atmosphere. It was Sunday, yet the place was lively with a crowd.

Lillian made sure that their table came with some privacy. And as expected, they had glass windows to separate between tables. It is what Lillian checked as soon as she reached the place first. Now that everyone's arrived, Giselle and her mother took a side together while Lillian sat facing them alone. There was no other way to do this, as Giselle had kept quiet by her mother's side. Lillian, too, retained her silence. However, she couldn't help but remember how Melanie used to look back then. The light in her face had sunk to endless worrying about her daughters. It was visible on her face. Other than that, she still aged gracefully.

"How are you doing?" Melanie asked, bringing back Lillian's attention to the present. Only then did Lillian remember missing something. Following her reply, she handed over the gift she had got for Giselle's mother. A beautiful collection of premium scented candles. Lillian wasn't sure if Melanie would appreciate it. But Giselle's mother couldn't refuse the kindness and thus accepted it regardless.

And the atmosphere returned to silent with Melanie's presence. Lillian finally looked at Giselle, meeting her eye to eye. Giselle looked just as anxious as Lillian.

The last time they met was at Shane's party. They had parted ways after confessing to each other, and that's all. Lillian never returned that night, and it had been two weeks already. Seeing each other face to face after a short separation made Giselle forget her worries momentarily. Meanwhile, Lillian remembered the dreadful and became uneasy while her presence reassured Giselle. Instantly, she looked away from Giselle to encounter Melanie's inspection. Her demeanor earned a faint sneer from Giselle, who expected Lillian to reciprocate the sentiment.

Giselle released a hefty sigh, almost earning a face from her mother.

Just then, the waiter came to hand them the menu card. He waited patiently until the party ordered food. As soon as he noted them down in his little pad, he walked away, returning their privacy.

The tension returned between Lillian and her company as she calmly waited until Melanie started the conversation.

"How many years has it been since the last time I met you- wait, no, we met at Lia's school event," Melanie noted in recollection.

"Yes," Lillian replied in one word.

Melanie expected more than that, but it was adequate. She didn't expect too much anyway. Regardless, she knew she couldn't let the silence rule their meeting.

"I never came to know anything about you. What about your parents?" Melanie inquired.

All while Giselle's family knew of Lillian's feelings towards their daughter, they never knew about her family or anything. Now was an opportunity to learn about the woman Giselle has been in love with for years.

Lillian let Melanie know about her mother, who had died in her childhood days.

"Your father?"

Lillian briefly mentioned Edwin Grey. She kept it short and crisp and completely avoided trying to tell a funny story. It was supposed to be a brunch meeting, but Lillian felt she was getting interviewed.

The waiter returned with a tray full of food. He served the three their meals, placed the drinks, and walked away again. Lillian gulped air, silently thanking the waiter for his timely service and for kindly reminding him that it was a brunch session, not an interrogation.

Lillian knew she couldn't let herself get eaten up by Melanie's overwhelming disposition, but she could always devour the rice bowl.

"haha… let's eat then! I'm starving," she hinted to lighten the mood and began eating.

Giselle and Melanie followed, and the three started eating together.

The food was delicious, and it helped Lillian get comfortable. She hadn't eaten a bite of food since waking up early to get ready. Lillian enjoyed her comforting rice bowl with poached eggs and avocado. She even kept an eye on her company, checking if they liked the food as well.

"Is it delicious?" Lillian asked Giselle.

Giselle got herself a veggie burger and appeared relishing that she ignored to answer. Lillian grinned and then glanced at Melanie, who ordered a chicken dish. She asked if the taste was to her liking, and Melanie softly responded.

The food took away the tension between the three and created a bond for the first time. Melanie eased as she enjoyed her food. It put her in a good mood, and she was interested in learning about her daughter's love interest.