Good news! We talked this morning for an hour after agreeing to go instead to a Mediterranean restaurant, relaxed Panera-like prices! My Mom's satisfied going over to the mall a quarter-mile away so I'll drop her off and pick her up after, she'll love it there. So happy. She's got ADD and OCD she tells me and was on IEPs when younger, so feel like I can be an open book with caution. Not sure how intimacy will be should the time come, but for now I'm happy to have the emotional warmth between us.