Episode 918: Rules

“It’s certainly ancient in appearance,” Katherine said. With a faint laugh, she added, “I’m half afraid the ceiling is going to come down on us.”

“The ceiling is fine. It’s ancient in a good way.” Adria shook her head. “This was a bad idea. You don’t get it. Let’s just leave. I’ll take you back to your office. That you get.”

Adria stalked off, her high-heeled Mary Janes clicking on the black and white checkerboard floor.

Katherine threw up her hands. Just when she thought she’d set a foot right with one of her children, it went wrong again.

“Adria.” She caught up with her daughter, clasping her elbow.

“Mom, this is a waste of our time. You don’t even appreciate… We just see things really differently. Let’s forget this. You have work and I have a daughter with a babysitter, we can both be a lot more productive elsewhere.”

“I want to be productive here,” Katherine said. “You brought me here for a reason, but I don’t know what that reason is. You said I don’t get it, well, you’re right, I don’t get it, I can’t, I can’t read your mind. Maybe I can’t help with whatever is going on, but maybe I can. We won’t know unless you actually speak to me before you dismiss what I have to say.”

Adria blinked. “Okay. Yeah. Maybe.”

Adria filled Katherine in on the opportunity to buy the theater and her hesitancy because of her daughter.

“So,” Adria said, “I wanted to ask you how you feel about the balance you and daddy struck between career and family.”

“You mean the balance we didn’t strike.”

Adria nodded.

“It’s not like I’m oblivious,” Katherine said. “I realize I’ve generally been there for my patients more than I was there for you.”

“Same with daddy and his company.”

“Yes, the same with your dad. He and I were very compatible that way and maybe not as compatible with parenthood. That’s not to say we didn’t and don't love the three of you with our whole hearts, we just didn’t do so with the traditional trappings all that often, family dinners and weekends and vacations. We’re not the slow everything down, devoted to the home sorts. I’m sorry we let you down on that score, but we are who we are. More importantly right now, you are who you are, someone who wanted the trappings of home, someone who won’t let that slip away for anything, not even a career she loves. There are no rules, you don’t have to do things the way we did them, you can make your own rules, do what works for you. Just the way you are agonizing over this tells me you can do this, you are not your parents, your priorities are different. You should do this, be the mom you always wanted to be, and own your own theater. And, I want to help.”

Episode 919: Look What You Made Me Do