Past or Future

"Jian, are you alright?" John asked as she smiled sitting upright again. "I am good, thank you," she said as she cut the thread and he smiled asking, "Should we move the supplies to your room?" Jian nodded as he got up, he had already taken all the dresses except for the one she was working on inside so all he needed was to take the pins threads scissors and needles inside.

Jian smiled as she sat down, she glanced at John she knew what he was thinking and sighed saying, "Go ahead and ask." He turned to face her sitting down on the bed, asking, "What was all that about?"

Jian sighed saying, "John, it's a little difficult to explain, my mom's usually gentle, caring and collected as you know, but recently she's been more distant. Today's interaction was one of the few times where she has bluntly warned me, and it hurt a bit if I am being honest."

John nodded asking, "Do you think it's her work?" Jian shook her head saying, "Mother's a workaholic but she doesn't let work affect her emotions."

John smiled as another possibility popped up in his head and he sighed asking, "Do you remember when it started?" Jian frowned slight as she took a few seconds to think before she relaxed saying, "It might have been from when we moved here, mother wasn't excited about moving, but she also didn't care too much about it or at least that's how she looked at first."

"Jian, has your mom been to New York before?" John asked and she frowned answering, "No, mother's never left my side, maybe before I was born." He nodded asking, "You have any pictures of you two when you were younger?"

Jian shrugged saying, "I think so, it's probably in mom's room." He nodded saying, "Maybe she had pictures of herself before you were born, we can use that to see if she's been in New York before."

Jian smiled saying, "Sure, here could you thread a few more needles, I will go get the album." John nodded as she passed him the needle before walking out. She came back quickly with a book in hand as John handed her over the needles and she kept sewing while he looked thought the photos.

"John, why are you taking pictures?" Jian asked not glancing up and he smiled saying, "Memories, and also you were such a cute baby." She sighed asking, "How about you, do you have any baby pictures?"

He nodded saying, "Ya they should be somewhere at my place, you wanna go see them tomorrow?" She surged saying, "If I finish this by tomorrow then sure, talking about pictures do you remember the portfolio I was working on. I want to add these dresses to that portfolio, and it might sound a little ambitious, but I have been thinking about creating an official brand and not just a small school project."

He paused looking up and she smiled continuing, "So I know it started out as me designing to fill a quota, but I have enjoyed sewing and now I wish to own a couture boutique to follow this passion for fashion. I know it's cheesy, but I am serious, and I think I should start by building a good online presence with a digital portfolio and use the website I made for class to be transferred into an official online boutique since I can't own properties yet, all this would require a few more paperwork and I already have a somewhat stable career to fund my first few projects without worries about major expenses, what do you think is it too much?" Jian asked at the end and took in a deep breath and Johnny looked at her a soft smile on his face as he shook his head gently.

"I don't think it's too much, since you have an opportunity to showcase your talent and love, you should take this opportunity and use it to its fullest, and if you need anything, just know that I am only a call away my lady," he said as he reached out to her hands.

She smiled holding onto his hands saying, "Thank you my kind sir." Their smiles turned into laughter before Jian continued to sew while John searched for more pictures.