“It’s the guy we saw you with at the fair, right?” He asks and takes another bite.
“Yes.”
“Cool. He’s really nice.” This isn’t the reaction I thought I would get. Especially from Isaac.
“And you’re okay with it?” Keith interjects. No doubt wanting to make sure he isn’t just saying things to appease me.
“Yeah.” He rolls his eyes and takes another bite. Once he’s finished chewing, he adds, “I’m not a little kid anymore mom. I have friends on my team who have divorced parents. After we saw you, I figured that’s what was happening.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I knew you’d say something when you wanted to.”
“Well, okay.” Eric was right. My kids will surprise me in ways I never know. Isaac can also handle more than what I thought he could. “Do you want to talk about it? Or meet him officially?”
“No offense, Mom, but I don’t need to know about your dating life. Keep it to yourself like Dad does.” He shakes his head. “I do want to meet him…just not today. Can I meet up with the guys to practice a bit?”
“Um sure.”
“I’ll take you wherever you need to go, kiddo.” Keith ruffles Isaac’s hair and our son grimaces. “Just let your mom know when she needs to pick you up.”
That wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Maybe I’m not so bad at this whole teenage mom thing as I thought I was. I can’t wait to tell Eric.
21
Eric
WasI dick to Joan at work last night? Yes. Do I regret it? Also, yes. I let my emotions get the best of me. She’s telling her son about us today, and I should be happy about it. But I can’t help the annoyance I feel. She never mentioned not telling him earlier in the week like she said she would.
‘Why do you look mad at the world?” Mom asks me as we sit down for lunch. Cameron is looking at his phone as Mom gets everything sorted on the table.
“Just stuff with Joan.” I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t hit me upside the head when she pulls the story out of me.
“What did you do?” She yanks the phone out of Cameron’s hand and puts it face down on the table away from him. “You know the rule. No phones while we’re eating.”
“You could have asked,” he argues. “You didn’t have to grab it out of my hands.”
“Do I pay for it?”
“Yes.”
“Then I can do as I want. Be happy I’m not like those other parents who dig through their kids' phones.”
She has a point. I’ve heard those horror stories from parents at the bar. Both from those that do this, and the others that don’t. “At least you know you can go to her for anything, and she doesn’t need to snoop because of that relationship.”
“Why are you changing the subject, big bro? Sounds like you’re buttering her up before you admit what you did.”
“Shut up.” I kick his leg under the table and he winces.
“Yes, Eric. What did you do?”
“Why does it have to be something I did?” Offended, I take a bite of the sandwich she’s made.
My brother snickers and winces again. I guess mom kicked him that time. “Because you are impatient and want everything to happen on your timeline.”
She’s not wrong. I knew Angie and Carlos were looking for someone to promote, and I worked my ass off to get it. I may have all bugged them every other day. But it’s always worked out for me in the past. Which is why it stings so badly that it hasn’t worked the way I wanted it to this time.
Joan and I aren’t broken up, but since I overheard her talking to Carlos last night, it feels like things aren’t the same. Also, my fault. Why did I get so defensive?
