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Uproot

5. Mell

5. Mell

Mar 07, 2025

I’m dealing with a few different emotions. Disappointment is a big one, followed closely by upsetness and confusion. Oh, also stupidity. I waited for a while for Lanie to come back from the bathroom but she never returned, even though she promised she would. I’m trying to figure out what I could’ve said to make her upset. Maybe I pried too much into her life? I’m not sure. Not knowing what went wrong is stressful.

“Was there anyone else in the bathroom when you were in there?” I ask a woman as she leaves the bathroom, forty minutes after Lanie said she’d be back. She gives me a weird glance. “Sorry, a friend I was with said she was headed to the bathroom.”

“Nobody was there when I went in,” She says hesitantly. I thank her before she gets weirded out any further and leave the cafe. I’m worried I did something wrong. 

I decide to visit Ma and Dad, but mostly Ma. She’ll have some insight to what might have happened. Dad would just tell me to suck it up and try harder next time… Not that he has much experience with women outside my mother. She was his first and only love and partner. Ma on the other hand has had her share of relationships. 

It takes an hour by public transit to get there so I text Ma while I’m on the way to let her know I’m coming. She opens the door right as I’m about to knock and pulls me into a hug. “There’s my boyo,” She says fondly, her Irish accent thick, as she smiles warmly up at me. I must look especially dejected because she frowns, the lines on her face creasing slightly as she does so. “What’s wrong, love?” 

“Is Dad home?” I ask before saying anything else. I love my father but don’t feel like dealing with him much today. I love my father, I do, but he can be a little rough around the edges and also likes to put me to work when I’m home. I look past her into the house.

“Your father is out fishing with friends this week,” Ma says softly, rubbing my arms. “What’s wrong? Come on in, I’ll make tea.”

I’m not one for tea but I’ll drink it when Ma makes it. Usually I opt for an energy drink or black coffee but there’s something comforting about my mother making me a cup of tea. I smile at her. “Thanks, Ma.” I follow her inside the house. 

“Tell me what’s bothering you,” She says as we enter the kitchen. She gets started on the tea and then rummages through the fridge, pulling out a slice of pie and handing it to me.

“I asked a girl out today after work,” I say with a sigh, scratching the back of my neck.

“Oh? What’s she like?” Ma perks up at the mention of a girl.

I sigh sadly, my face falling. “She seems amazing. I don’t know her that well and she’s super anxious and nervous so it’s hard to get a read on her. But she’s beautiful and she seems super nice. She’s also a dancer! How cool is that?” I pause. 

“Sounds like getting to know her would be a good move,” Ma says pensively. “So what happened? You seem glum.”

“It went poorly,” I mumble quietly, and run a hand down my face and look at the ground.

“Aw, sweetie,” She frowns. 

“She let me help her with her workout and then we went to a cafe, but then she got really weird and went to the bathroom. She promised me she’d be back and then she never came back. I wonder if I insulted her somehow.” I hum. I wrack my brain, going through the date to remember if I had done anything wrong but I’m not sure. Maybe she just didn’t like the questions I asked? Mom ushers me into the living room as I think and as I sit I frown and take a huge bite of my pie to drown my sorrows. 

Mom clicks her tongue and frowns. “I’m sorry Michael,” She says softly, “That’s brutal. Always disappointing to be stood up on a date like that.” She sits down across from me.

“Has it happened to you before?” I ask, defeated, looking across the coffee table at her. It’s not that I want her to have dealt with this, but having some insight to what I could do better or where I possibly went wrong might be nice. 

“Oh, once or twice,” She says, waving dismissively, “But they didn’t matter, none. I ended up marrying yer father, didn’t I?” The kettle whistles and she finishes fixing our tea. 

“Must’ve hurt though when it happened,” I say, prying a bit. She hands me my cup of tea which I place on the countertop so it can cool off slightly. She takes a sip of hers immediately, seemingly unbothered by how hot it is. 

“Course it did, but it was nothing I’d done. Some people just aren’t ready, or are idiots.” She tilts her head. “Think yer lady was either one of those things?”

“No,” I say with a sigh, “Well, maybe not ready. She seemed very unsure of herself.”

“Maybe ask herself what happened next time you see her, sure,” Ma says with a smile. “Agreed go out with you in the first place, didn’t she?”

“Yeah,” I breathe out, “True. I’ll try again another time. Thanks, Ma.” I feel a little lighter now that I’ve talked to her, just like always. She’s a comforting constant in my life, and I’m not sure what I’d do without her.

“Welcome, lad, now drink your tea before you forget.” Ma gestures to my cup with hers and I nod, scarfing down the rest of the pie before I pick my teacup back up. 

The tea burns my tongue but I do as I’m told and drink it anyway, knowing if I put it back down I’d forget about it almost immediately. When we’re done with our tea we get up and go back into the kitchen where I wash the cups out in the sink. “Oh, I got a new tattoo,” I mention in a sing-song manner, smiling slightly. I pull up the sleeve of my tee shirt and reveal the Dara knot on my shoulder. 

Ma gasps. “Lovely,” she says, touching it softly. “Same side as yer olive branch?” 

I nod. “I’m glad you like it,” I say happily. 

“Well yer my strong smart boyo,” Ma lays the praise on thick, “The Dara knot makes sense for you.”

“Aw, Ma,” I shove her gently enough that she doesn’t budge at all when I do it.

“Thinking we should get matching tattoos, Michael,” She says after a moment of thought. “Always wanted one, sure, and what better way to start than a matching one with my favorite lad?”

I perk up at the thought of this. “What would you like to get?” I ask, curious. “I never knew you wanted a tattoo, how come you’ve never gotten one then?” I’m happy to get a matching tattoo with my mother but I have never heard even a hint that she’d want any before.

“Yer dad doesn’t like them, you know that,” She says dismissively, “But am getting old so might s’well do what I want for once, yeah?”

“So what would you want?” I repeat, eager to know.

“Hush you, let me think,” Ma scolds, then hums. “A poppy. Okay with you?”

Poppies have always been Ma’s favorite flowers. “I think that’s a great idea. I’ll call the shop and set up an appointment. It’ll probably be at least a few months out, but at least it’ll be set.” I grin at my mother, who grins back.


spacepig94
Emu

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Uproot
Uproot

2k views11 subscribers

Lane is going through the motions, trying to become a professional ballet dancer, when things start to shift and change in her mind and heart. Male pronouns become uncomfortable, her name no longer feels like her own.

Meanwhile, she meets a boxer named Mell who takes interest in her for who she is, anxiety and all.

When Lanie's parents don't take her coming out seriously, Lanie begins to doubt herself as well. Lanie must figure out what she wants for herself and fight through the haze of her declining mental health while doing it.
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38 episodes

5. Mell

5. Mell

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