Elena felt a weight lift, one she hadn't realized she was carrying. She reached out and squeezed his hand. "When did you get so wise?"
Elena sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I was actually thinking about the gallery opening tonight. Marcus asked if I’d go." mom mature son sex
At twenty-four, Julian had his father’s sharp jawline but Elena’s quiet, observant eyes. Their relationship had shifted since he graduated and moved back home to help her run the shop. It was no longer just mother and son; they were partners, confidants, and witnesses to each other's lives. Elena felt a weight lift, one she hadn't
"Then I’ll be happy I don't have to be your only source of dinner conversation," he joked, though his eyes remained soft. "Seriously. You spent twenty years putting me first. It’s okay to let someone else in now. I’ve got the shop covered tonight. Go to the gallery." "I was actually thinking about the gallery opening tonight
"Living with a bookworm for two decades," he grinned. "Now, go upstairs. You have that silk dress you never wear, and the rain is letting up. Don't make the man wait."
As Elena headed toward the stairs, she felt a strange, new sense of freedom. She was still a mother, and Julian would always be her priority—but for the first time in years, she felt like she was allowed to be Elena, too.