Paige blew out an exasperated breath. “Will, think about it a second. Mom wants us to meet someone. What do you think it means?”
The look of confusion melted off my older son’s face. “Oh. Seriously?”
Paige nodded significantly, before looking over at Charlie, who just shrugged. “I already figured it out. Mom, I have to be at school at ten on Saturday.”
“Ten? Okay, no problem.”
I set Paige and Will to the dishes, and I took a moment to relax without the T. V. on for once.
Me – We’re on for Sunday. Five O’clock?”
Sandy – Sounds great. We’re doing this. Big smiley face.
Me – Absolutely. I love you.
Sandy – I love you too. Have I told you yet today how beautiful you are?
Me – No.
She proceeded to do so, the warm, fuzzy feelings wrapping themselves around my heart as she did.
***
“Holy crap, that’s Paige’s coach?” Will craned his neck for a better look. “Why is she here? I thought we were meeting Mom’s new boyfriend.”
Paige rolled her eyes hard before heading to open the front door. Good to know I wasn’t the only one who could elicit that reaction from her. “Hey, Coach.”
“Hi, Paige, can I?”
“Oh, yeah, come in, sorry.”
Sandy came into the dining room, wearing a nice blouse and slacks that set off her figure. Her hair was in its usual ponytail, and her make-up was done. She looked incredible, and I floated over to her, almost forgetting we were surrounded by my children.
I grinned stupidly up at her. “Hi.”
“Hey.” Her expression matched mine, and I decided if I was in for a penny, I was in for a pound. I put my arms around her neck, went up on my toes and kissed her, feeling her hands slide around my back.
It was a chaste kiss, and I turned towards my children. Paige was biting her lip trying not to overreact, while my two boys were just staring at us with dumbfounded looks on their faces.
“So this is Sandra Dalton, and we’ve been dating for the past few months.”
“I take it you’re Will, and you’re Charlie. I’ve heard a lot about you all.”
The timer went off just then, and I let go of Sandy to head in and take the chicken out of the oven. “Boys, help me and finish setting the table.”
We sat down to eat a few minutes later. Charlie and Paige were talking to Sandy, her telling them a bit about how she grew up and what her family was like, but Will was being oddly quiet. Sandy made a few attempts at bringing him into the conversation, but he wasn’t having it.
I was doing my best to ignore his surliness since he wasn’t being actively disrespectful, but when he responded to something Sandy said by looking away, sitting back and crossing his arms I’d had enough.
“Will, what is going on.”
“Nothing.”
I let the ‘mom look’ settle over my face. “Uh-huh. Spit it out, Son.”
“Are you going to tell Dad? Or Grandma and Grandpa?”
“Eventually. We’re telling you first.”
“So we’re not allowed to tell them?”
“I’d rather you didn’t until we’re ready, but I guess it’s up to you.”
“And at school?”
“Don’t tell anyone you’re not comfortable telling. What’s this all about, Will?”
“Have you thought about this? What this mean for us?” The volume of his voice rose as he leaned forward. “You think they’ll let me on the varsity baseball team this year if this gets out? What kind of shi, er, crap I’ll get from my friends if this gets out? I could lose Anna over this. Her parents would never let me date her if my mom’s a dyke.”
“Hey, you don’t use that word!”
“Why not?” He waved toward the outside. “Everyone else will! Jesus!” He flopped back into his chair.
“That’s it. Room, now. Leave your phone. No internet.” I pointed at the stairs. I knew he wouldn’t abide by that last one, so as soon as he got to the second floor I told Paige to go shut off the Wi-fi.
As she did I turned to Sandy. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, I’ve been called a lot worse.”
“I don’t mind, Mom. I think it’s great.” Charlie helped himself to another piece of chicken and some more noodles.
***
The rest of the evening was good. We ended up playing a game of Hearts, and it definitely brought out both Sandy’s and my daughter’s competitive sides, but it was fun, and for a brief moment I could see how this could be more, how it could be a family. Maybe it was just a pipe dream, illustrated by the coming conversation with my older son, but it felt good.
Night had fallen when I walked Sandy out onto the porch. “Well, that mostly went well.”
Sandy laughed, glancing up at the second floor. “Think he’s going to be okay?”
“Eventually. I mean Will, well he’s his dad, and his great-grandfather, and my brother. He’s my little politician. I’ve known that since the day he gave me a speech about why he deserved to have another piece of Halloween candy. He was five.”
We both laughed, and she smiled down at me. “I love hearing you laugh. I loved seeing this, you as a mom.”
“Even when I’m yelling at them?”
Her smile stretched wider. “Oh, especially when you’re yelling at them.”
“Yeah?” Heat flooded me as we pressed together.
“Hell, yeah. So sexy.” Her lips found mine, and my eyes closed as I enjoyed our kiss. When I pulled away I glanced back at the porch window, where I saw the curtain shake as my curious kids pulled them closed.
We laughed again, Sandy’s hand gentle on my cheek. “Goodnight, Melanie. Wednesday, lunch?”
“Absolutely. I might be wearing something fun.”
Sandy’s eyes flashed and she kissed me again before heading off into the night. I waved as she drove away before taking a deep breath and heading back inside.
I took a minute to make sure Paige and Charlie were on their way towards bed before turning my attention back to Will’s door. I could hear his music coming from that side. One thing I’d learned as a parent of teens, don’t try to understand their music. It just pisses them off, and they’ll find something weirder and more annoying to listen to. Seriously, think about it. When you were sixteen, how would you have reacted to your parents trying to ‘get’ your favorite bands?
I knocked on Will’s door once, and then twice before cracking the door open and shouting his name. “Turn it down, now.”
He did, tossing the stereo remote down on his desk and closing his laptop. I sat on the edge of his mattress, since it was either that or the bean bag chair which I would never have been able to get out of.
“So what was that? I raised you to treat people better than that.”
His face was twisted, and he wasn’t looking at me. “Nothing.”
“Oh, bullshit.” That snapped his eyes up. “Well you’re clearly disgusted that I’m bisexual, so why can’t I swear a little?”
“Mom!”
“Look, I know you’re a sixteen year old boy, and everything related to anything is embarrassing. But I am not going to stop seeing Sandy because it bothers you. Are we clear? Will?”
He jerked a nod.
“Contrary to popular belief, I do not spend my life trying to make you miserable. But regardless, you will treat Sandy with the respect she is entitled to as an adult, and as my friend.”
“Just, why?” His voice was small and scared, upset.
“Why? because I like her, and she likes me. Why do you like Anna?” He hemmed and hawed for a moment before I stopped him. “What if I told you you couldn’t see her any more, because she has the wrong color eyes, or isn’t tall enough, or has the wrong last name, or any other reason she can’t control? What would be the big deal? Just pick someone else. Someone less embarrassing.”
“Anna isn’t embarrassing!”
“I know that. And neither is Sandy. Understood?” He nodded. “Can I count on you to behave better next time?”
“Yeah, okay.” I’m not sure I believed him, but I’d take the small win for now.
***
“Mmm, wow. I could get real used to this.” Sandy ran her hand over her face as she reclined on the bed. I turned my head left, then right, kissing her soft inner thighs, savoring the taste of her still in my mouth.
“It was yummy, but I don’t think I would call it a healthy lunch.”
Sandy grinned down at me. “I don’t know, minimal calories.”
“Does that mean I can have seconds?”
“I guess, just don’t ruin your dinner.”
“Goody.” I leaned back, running my tongue through her folds and swirling it over her clit. She gave a throaty moan and pushed her herself against me as I pleasured her, and I took my time bringing her back up to another orgasm. I crawled up into her arms, where sweet, gentle kisses waited.
“Y’know, Melanie, we probably should have something else to eat before I have to go.”
“I don’t have anything in the house that tastes as good as you do.” I kissed her again, but we eventually did head down to the kitchen where I threw together some sandwiches.
“So I have to figure out how to be two places at once on Monday. Charlie has a Robotics club meet, or whatever you call it, over in Brier Creek. I guess Paige will probably be able to find a ride home. Hashtag Mom of Teens.” I raised my glass of iced tea as I said it, which made Sandy laugh.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she isn’t stranded.”
“Thanks. Normally I could get Bill or Ashley to help, but they have some dinner for his firm Monday night. And then Will has debate club, so I have the same problem again next Tuesday, which is Will’s first competition. Maybe I should just get her a car.”
“Why haven’t you?”
“Probably because Bill and I both remember all the trouble we tried to get into when we were her age and had access to cars.”
“Tried to?”
I shrugged. “Lost my virginity in one when I was seventeen. We had no idea what we were doing. The condom he was using fell off halfway through and we didn’t realize it until after. I got lucky. Mom caught me with a pregnancy test and immediately put me on birth control, so it was less scary after that.”
“She didn’t just threaten you or anything?”
I shook my head, remembering that very frank, matter of fact conversation. “My mother isn’t a prude. She’s not a conservative or a liberal, either; she’s a politician. She believes in power, and control. And she taught me, unabashedly, that one of the best ways to control a man is through his dick.”
Sandy’s eyes went wide. “She told you that?”
“Seventeen-year-old me. I don’t think she used the word ‘dick’, but yeah.”
“What’d you think?”
“I hated it. I didn’t want to control anyone. I just,” I shrugged, my voice cracking a bit, a tear stinging my eye.
“You just wanted someone to love you.”
I nodded. Yes, that was exactly right. That’s all I’d ever wanted. I hated the games, the subterfuge. A teardrop rolled down my cheek, and I looked up at Sandy, who had moved next to me.