Mom's Dinner and Fun

The smell of ginger and garlic drifted through the brownstone, wrapping the air in a comforting warmth that only mother's cooking could create. Lex paused in the doorway of the kitchen, momentarily lost in the familiarity of it all. His mother, Lian Mei Latham, moved with her usual precision, flipping vegetables in a wok like it was a dance she'd rehearsed a thousand times.

"You've been cooking again," Lex teased, setting his coat over a chair.

Without looking up, she replied, "Eating out doesn't taste like this, does it?"

Lex smirked, grabbing plates to set the table. "Not even close."

As he adjusted a setting, his phone buzzed on the counter. The screen lit up with a name: Jason Wilde. Lex answered immediately.

"Tell me, you've got good news," Lex said, slipping into his business tone.

Jason's voice came through, brimming with excitement. "RCA just gave us a number."

Lex leaned against the counter, a spark of interest flickering in his eyes. "How high?"

"Seven point two million," Jason said, his voice almost breathless. "Exclusive rights to five tracks—three of them from Riverstone."

Lex's thumb tapped against the marble countertop rhythmically. "They're not blinking at that price?"

"Not even a little," Jason replied. "But I didn't say yes. Figured you'd want to play this slow."

"Smart," Lex said, nodding even though Jason couldn't see him. "We'll give them four tracks. Two from Riverstone, two others. Hold the fifth."

Jason hesitated. "You sure? They're gonna push hard for more."

"Let them push," Lex said coolly.

Jason let out a low chuckle. "Man, you're really playing long ball with this, huh?"

Lex's gaze drifted to the kitchen window, the soft orange glow of the sunset casting the Manhattan skyline in hues of gold. "We are not selling scarps."

"Got it," Jason said, a grin audible in his tone. "Oh, and I'll bump the price by ten percent. For fun."

Lex smirked. "That's why I keep you around."

Jason laughed. "Fine, but you owe me drinks when this clears."

"Done," Lex said, ending the call.

Five minutes later, Lian Mei turned from the stove, balancing a steaming dish in her hands. She set it down on the table with a graceful nudge in Lex's direction.

"Sit," she ordered. "You're too thin."

Lex raised an eyebrow, amused. "I'm not thirteen anymore."

Her expression didn't waver as she grabbed another dish. "Sit."

He chuckled softly, sliding into the chair. The warmth of home-cooked food and the comfort of the familiar kitchen momentarily eased the weight of his constant calculations.

They ate in silence for a while, the quiet punctuated by the faint clink of chopsticks against ceramic. Lex let himself relax, savoring the flavors that reminded him of simpler days.

Finally, Lian Mei set her chopsticks down, her gaze lifting to study him. Her eyes, sharp yet kind, scanned his face like she was piecing together a puzzle only a mother could see.

"You're working too much," she said.

Lex avoided her gaze, picking at a piece of bok choy. "Business is good."

Her voice softened. "Business is always good until it isn't."

Lex paused but didn't reply, the truth of her words hanging in the air.

After a moment, Lian Mei's tone shifted, lighter, more casual. "How's Rose doing?"

He glanced up, startled. "She's fine. We've been working on a project."

Lian Mei's brow arched, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "A project? Or are you finally asking her out for coffee?"

Lex nearly choked, coughing as he reached for his water. "Mom."

She laughed softly, her amusement genuine. "She's a sweet girl. You could do worse."

"It's not like that," Lex said, shaking his head. "I'm helping her launch a music career."

The shift in her expression was subtle—a flicker of pride tempered by a mother's restraint. "Does she have a stylist?"

"A stylist?" Lex repeated, blinking.

Lian Mei nodded, tapping her glass thoughtfully. "If she's going to be on stage, she'll need one. Fashion's half the performance."

Lex leaned back, a faint smirk on his lips. "You got someone in mind?"

"I know a few people," Lian Mei said, her tone nonchalant but deliberate.

Lex tilted his head, studying her. "You'd fund it?"

Her smile softened. "Consider it my investment. I like Rose—and I know talent hear when I see it."

Lex's eyes warmed as he nodded. "She'll appreciate that."

Lian Mei waved a hand dismissively. "Just make sure she knows where the credit really comes from."

"Don't worry," Lex said with a grin. "You'll get the spotlight."

They returned to their meal, the weight of the day lifting slightly. For a brief moment, business could wait. In this kitchen, it was just a mother and her son, sharing a meal and the unspoken understanding that they had each other's backs.