“You should tell him. As soon as possible, frankly, especially if you’re dating some new fellow. That must sting for him.”
“Mom, the man I’m datingisDavis.”
“Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“Because as soon as I said I had something to talk about you launched into singing his praises! I wanted to see what you had to say.”
Chester patted her hand. “I say he needs to know; he needs to make that decision. Right now, you and Sophia are making the choice for him. That’s not right.”
“I didn’t see it that way, and I did plan on telling him. I had to work up the courage in case he decides to leave me.”
“You wanted time to bind him to you so she wouldn’t have a leg to stand on?” Iris asked.
“That’s pretty much what it was, yeah.”
“When were you going to tell him?”
Luna looked into her mother’s soft brown eyes. “He asked me to move in with him, and I wanted to tell you first before we made it official. When I get back home, we’re going to live in his apartment together, and that’s when I was going to tell him.”
“Lord have mercy, Luna. If he did choose his mother, you’d be homeless in that great big city.”
She dropped her head into her hands. “I know.” She looked up again. “But once I was there, I figured it would be harder to get rid of me. He loves me, as you said. We have an amazing relationship. He makes me incredibly happy, and I think I can say the same in reverse. He works so hard at his job, and he has a real position. He takes care of me, and I take care of him.”
“As it should be,” Chester said.
They sat in silence again, but it was a comfortable one. Luna ate a few cookies and drained her tea. Then she noticed her parents exchanging looks with one another.
“Speaking of news we waited to share until we were in the same room,” Iris began. “It looks like you’re going to be a big sister after all these years.”
Luna stared at her mother, unable to put the words in any order that made sense. “But you’re old.”
“Excuse me? I’m not that old, Luna Hazel Moss.”
“Sorry, I just, ah, I guess I need a minute to process the idea.” The idea of her parents having sex.
“Looks like it’ll be a summer baby which means you can visit at the right time,” Iris said.
“Not that we planned it that way—”
“Or planned it at all.”
“—but it would be nice to have you home when the little one comes along,” Chester finished.
“I’ll see what I can do.” She pushed back from the table. “I’m going to go lay down.”
She suddenly felt as if she’d entered an alternate reality.
