[Center][h2][color=D2691E][b]Elijah Edwards[/b][/color][/h2] [/center]

[Color=gray][color=D2691E]”No, ma, it was just a little blood draw,”[/color] Elijah sighed into the little receiver on his cell. His mother had texted him at least a dozen time since he had went to the clinic. Apparently there had been whispers of some kind of rumors going around on facebook that had her in a tizzy.

[I][color=gold]”But it’s all over social media—even a few articles written. The government is trying to locate mutants!”[/color][/i] she buzzed back in his ear excitedly. He silently sent up a thanks that she couldn’t see him roll his eyes in response while he moved the phone to his other ear. 

[Color=chocolate]”Those are clickbaits, ma. You can’t listen to them. They’re just trying to get views by using flashy gossip. Plus, what does Harold think anyway?”[/color] He had hoped that the old man would help be the voice of reason for once. 

[I][color=gold]”Oh you know how he is. [B]'The government knows what they’re doing, stop worrying so much'[/b],[/color][/i] she said in her best imitation. Elijah couldn’t do much but smile—that guy was going to be red, white, and blue until the day he died. An admirable, if not mildly annoying, trait.

[Color=chocolate]”You should really listen to him, Ma,”[/color] he said with a grunt, standing on tippy toe to polish the top of the metal horse before him. A full polish wasn’t his usual trademark—preferring to leave the metal dull and flat on the outside with slivers of polished ribbons carefully placed to catch the suns rays. But the client wanted it polished from mane to hoof and with the cash they were willing to throw at him, Elijah wasn’t about to argue it.

[I][color=gold]”Oh, are you working now?”[/color][/i]

[Color=chocolate]”Of course, ma. I’m always working, you should know this.”[/color] He could hear her sigh softly in response and hastily tacked on, [color=chocolate]”But you know I always make time to talk to answer your calls.”[/color] He didn’t call her enough; he knew it, she knew it. But she never spoke up about it, knowing he was usually wrapped up in an order or working on a side project. But the guilt would gnaw at him sometimes. 

[I][color=gold]”What’s the project this time?”[/color][/i]

Elijah let out a little hiss, he had been working on this for months. Had it really been that long since they had talked for more than a few minutes? He tried to recall the last time he sat down to just talk about their lives and days—but nothing came to mind. [Color=chocolate]”The Yoya Horse Farm ordered a customer stallion. Oh you should see it, reared back on his haunches. It’s not solid either, I did a basic metal outline of his body that tapers off into this beautiful point,”[/color] Elijah launched into full details, the pride oozing through every word. To him it was more than beautiful, and he had loved throwing himself into creating it. 

[I][color=gold]”That sounds wonderful, my boy. Take photos for me, please,”[/color][/i] her tone matched his own glowing one. No matter how long they went without talking, she always showed her pride in his work. 

[Color=chocolate]”Will do. I’ll make sure to give ya a little tag on my page.”[/color]

[I][color=gold]”I’ll let you go for now. Gotta start supper. Make sure you eat, and go look at what I was talking about! The screenings weren’t for nothing, son. You and Harold may think it’s nothing, but I think these news articles are onto something!”[/color][/i] she pressed while Elijah sated her with a few cloying ‘uh huh's'. Anything to shift the conversation off of the impossible.

[Color=chocolate]”Love you, ma. I’ll be seeing you for thanksgiving, alright,”[/color] he rushed while waiting for the click of her phone to signal that he was free. It was a strange feeling, on one hand he felt the guilt from being so distant but on the other he really wanted to get back to work. 

[Color=chocolate]”I can push back the Richardson deadline by a few weeks and go out there as a surprise,”[/color] he mused to himself before setting his phone down in the little work desk off to the side of the room. [I][color=chocolate]And mutants, ma? Really?[/color][/i] Elijah merely shook his head in disbelieve. How could a woman that smart be so easily mislead? He didn’t know, and hoped that when he reached her age he would still hold onto his strong sense of common sense. [/color]