Mrs. Fitzgerald

"Mom," Amy said as she greeted the woman standing in her living room, her arm clutched with a luxurious purse. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I miss you, too, Amelia." Amy's mom said as she extended her cheeks to kiss Amy. "When Jen told me you were sick, I didn't know it was this bad.

Look at you, still in your pajamas at this time of day," she taunted, looking at Amy from up to bottom, then bottom up. Growing up, Amy's mom had disciplined them to always dress to par- to always be presentable. They have separate closets for house clothes, going-out clothes, business attire, and pajamas.

"Jen told you I was sick?" Amy asked, her brows crimped.

"No, I called her when I couldn't reach you. I presumed you told her to keep this information from me? That poor girl. I had to interrogate her about your whereabouts. But anyway, I had business obligations around the area, so I figured I'd visit you instead," Amy's mom said. Something about her smile is sinister. "If I'm not mistaken, you, Amelia, asked me to visit."

"I did, but I would have liked it if you told me ahead of time," Amy said, annoyed. Ever since she worked under GHO, her mother never came to visit. And what great fortune Amy had that her mom had to drop by on the same day her lover was around.

"Yes, yes. Why don't you change, darling, and let's have dinner together somewhere." She said. "I need to talk to you about some matter. I don't have a lot of time to spare."

This was no impromptu visit-- that Amy knew for a fact. Her mother is not the one to go out of her way to visit her children just because she misses them. Her mom's last sentence gave away her true motive; 'of course, what is it now?' Amy thought.

Amy's mom was about to say something when she caught a glimpse of a man walking out of Amy's bedroom. He wore a casual button-down beige shirt and black slacks that perfectly fit his long legs. His pushed-back hair was light; he clearly just got out of a salon. His face was poreless and tiny.

"Hello, ma'am, my name is Park Yu Jun. Nice to meet you. I'm Amy's boyfriend. Sorry we have to meet this way" Jim said, extending his hand. Amy let a small laugh; she had never heard him tell his birth name.

Amy's mom uncrossed her arms and accepted Jim's handshake. "This is a surprise. I didn't know Amy had company." Amy's mom looked at Amy, her face unreadable. "Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Park," she continued as she looked at Jim suspiciously.

"Please call me Jim, ma'am," Jim said. "Would you like something to drink? An orange juice perhaps?" he continued as his tall and unmovable physique seemed to unfazed Amy's mom.

"An orange would be lovely, Jim. Thank you." Amy's mom sat on the living room cushion and made herself comfortable. "So, Jim, how long have you been seeing my daughter?".

Amy choked at her mom's bluntness. "MOM!" Amy argued. "Stop, please," she begged.

"You don't have to answer her. I'll talk to her about it over dinner," Amy directed at Jim, then looked at her mom. "Right, mom?"

"Let him speak, Amelia. The man can speak for himself." Amy's mom said, looking at Jim.

Jim joined the ladies in the living room and handed Amy's mom her refreshment. "We've been seeing each other not that long but I've known Amy for years now," Jim spoke in confidence.

"Hmmm. Amelia's boyfriend." She said monotonously and matter-of-factly as if she had just confirmed something she already knew. "How old are you? Do you work? Are you in the medical field as well?"

"Mom, please," Amy begged. Her tears swelled up. The last thing Amy wanted right now was to make what she and Jim have to get more complicated.

When Amy's mom found out about her and Noah, it put them under a lot of pressure as she treated their relationship like how she treated her empire; meticulous and under close supervision.

"It's okay," Jim said. He maneuvered his arm to reach Amy's hands, which were shaking uncontrollably. "I am 29 years old. I do not work in the medical field but in the music industry."

"Music industry?" Her mom's voice went an octave higher. "That's interesting. "Where and when did you meet?" She interrogated.

"We met months ago during Amy's commencement party for her research. My sister was one of the sponsors of the project. She invited me to come with her, and there I saw Amy," Jim said, looking at Amy with a passionate gaze.

"She looked like an angel. She wore a white dress, and her hair was tied in a bun. When a party light got a glimpse of her, it looked like she had a halo above her head." Jim held Amy's hand tighter. " I waited for my chance to introduce myself to her, but she was so busy. All the guests at that event wanted to meet her, all in awe of what she had achieved."

Amy's forehead crinkled; this was news to Amy. 'He was waiting for a chance to talk to me?' Amy blushed at his confession. Furthermore, Jim had never told her about her sister or the fact that her sister funded her research.

There were so many things she didn't know about him. Amy's heart ached.

"That's been a while," Amy's mom deduced. "Well, it's unfortunate that I had not known about this earlier. Amelia," Amy's mom glanced at her, "I am disappointed. Here I was, thinking you'd grow alone. " Amy's mom stood up and grabbed her purse.

"I will have secretary Luke give you details about our dinner. I expect you to dress more appropriately." She said and looked at Jim, "I expect you to be there, too."

All of Amy's hair stood up; she couldn't be seen with Jim. All the more, dinner with her mom. If someone recognizes him, it'll create more chaos and tension. "Mom, Jim won't be able to come with us. He has some previous engagements he needs attending to," Amy lied.

Amy's mom earnestly looked at Jim. Mrs. Fitzgerald carried herself in a way that her presence and importance are known. She might be tiny, but she had the aura of a lioness. Jim was intimidated.

"Yes, Mrs. Fitzgerald, I must go check the studio." Jim seconded Amy's lie, his voice shaking.

Amy's mom didn't speak for a while; she was deep in her thoughts. She looked at Amy, then at Jim, and said, "How unfortunate. Your studio would be fine without you for a couple of hours. I will see you soon and if I don't I would be very disappointed," Amy's mom said, her voice cold and cunning. 

She then walked toward the door where Secretary Luke was standing.

When they heard the door locked, Amy and Jim sighed and looked at each other speechless. "Fuck," Amy said. "Don't worry, I'll make an excuse as to why you can't come. Please don't feel bad about it."

"I want to go," Jim whispered. "I wanted to be on your mom's good grace's, Amy. She met me today in the most unfortunate circumstance. I don't want to give her the impression that I am not serious with you because I do."

"Oh, Jim," Amy hugged Jim. "We just got over a scandal; I don't want to sour the mood, especially since you're leaving again."

"Amy, I told you to stop taking all the burden by yourself last night. You don't have to lie about me, not to your mom, especially." Jim hugged Amy in return. "I told you to be honest with me, to communicate with me instead of saying everything will be fine when we know it will not."

"But Jim," Amy hesitated, "you have a career to protect. Not just yours but your members as well. I don't want to be a liability or a problem to be solved or an an issue that needs to be addressed."

Jim hugged Amy tighter. "You are not a liability. I am." Jim sighed.

----

Jim called Manager Wang to inform him of his current situation. He also called the other members and asked them for permission.

"I just want to ask you guys before I go; I do not want to go without you knowing and then wake up to the news of me having dinner with Amy and her mom," Jim said over the phone.

"Thank you for letting us know, bro," J said. "You know we are supportive of you and Amy."

"Yes, Hyung, you should join Amy and her mom for dinner. She asked you to join them herself; it would be disrespectful for you not to come." Min Ho said.

"It's crazy that we have to discuss something like this," Leo said. "This is getting out of hand. We should be able to meet whoever we want to meet."

"Now, Leo, don't get too worked out," GD said, "you are right, this is a ridiculous conversation to have, but this is what our success has brought us."

"I agree with Leo," Seo Jun said, "It's absolutely ridiculous. Have you seen all the dating rumors about Jennie and me lately? We don't even know each other on a personal level. It's a joke. Damn if we do, damn if we don't."

"We have to sit down with the management about this issue," J interjected. "We are allowed to see whoever we want to see, but at the same time, we had to think of the Axis who loves and supports us genuinely. We need to let them know how we feel and see our side of the story; maybe that way, they can be more accepting of us- not as idols but as human beings."

"For now," J continued, "enjoy your dinner with Amy and her mom, Jim. Let's deal with this tomorrow and hope this dinner wouldn't get much media attention."

Everyone hung up, and Jim sighed a breath of relief. Jim hurried toward Amy, who was also talking over the phone. "Yes, secretary Luke. I would really appreciate that. Thank you so much. Bye." Amy looked at Jim, waiting for Jim to tell her how his phone call went.

"Everyone thinks I should go," Jim said.

"Even if this can turn into a scandal?" Amy asked.

"Jim, I can't do that to you."

"Do you not want me to come?"

Amy paused. The obvious choice is clear, she should not let Jim join them. But despite her mind saying she shouldn't, her heart says otherwise.

"I want you to join us. I want to have dinner with my boyfriend and my mom. But…," She whispered, guilt looming all over her conscience.

"I would love to have dinner with you and your mom, as well." Jim interjected before Amy could finished her sentence.