Sigh

Inviting my mother to Crimson City for a visit over spring break ...

- seemed like a good idea, considering that my weekly phone calls to her have taken on almost a friendly tone in the weeks since the House O' Vomitousness (we were all sick over the holidays)

- was approved as "an investment in the future mother-daughter relationship" by my life coach

- was reacted to very hesitantly by the aunt and uncle

- was reacted to by the mother like this:

"Do you want to invite your aunt and uncle?"

"I hadn't thought about it, actually. I thought it would be nice for you to come here and take a break from them and from Seattle."

"Well, they don't seem too excited about traveling. I mentioned going to see you in London and Hong Kong this summer, but they don't seem that excited."

"Uh, okay. Well, I guess that would be a good time to come visit, since I'll have corporate housing."

"Yeah, that's what I said. Well, I'll think about coming to visit Crimson City. Thank you for inviting me."

"Well. Sure. But, uh, it's weird that I invite you here and you say you'll think about it, and I don't invite you to Hong Kong, and you assume you're going."

"Yeah?"

"Well, what if I wasn't going to be set up in corporate housing? What if I couldn't house you?"

"I can stay with friends or at a hotel."

"How would you pay for it?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I think you should ask me before you make these plans. So we can talk about it together."

Pause. Laughter. "Okay."

Oh, mom.

Sigh. Why do I try? And have I now insulted my aunt and uncle by not inviting them? And why is it that family is always such a convoluted mess?