I was pretty sure he spent most of his time in his office playing solitaire or watching YouTube.
I knew Mom had the day off because she'd mentioned it during our phone call the night before. And right now, I really needed my mother.
I was frightened, worried, and I had no idea what I was going to do.
My mother was a dispatcher for the sheriff's department, so she knew how to keep calm in a crisis and get down to the most pertinent information. She'd also gotten pregnant with my oldest brother, Daniel, when she was younger than me. Granted she hadn't been in school then, or unmarried, but I was confident she would understand how I was feeling.
She always did.
She was always strict when I was growing up, making me toe the line. I always felt like my brothers got away with murder while I had to mind my manners, but I knew she only wanted what was best for me.
I only hoped that she would save her lecture on safe sex for later. I didn't think I could handle it right now.
By the time I climbed out of the car, bags in hand, she was already at the front door, a cup of coffee in her hand and a huge smile on her face.
Until I got close enough for her to see my face.
"Lee, baby, what's wrong?" she asked, stepping out of the doorway toward me.
I tried to smile, but knew I failed. "I need to talk to you about something and I need you to promise me that you'll listen and give me a hug before you start yelling, okay?"
My throat closed up and I sniffed the tears back as hard as I could.
"Oh, my God, honey, what happened?"
She put her coffee on the porch railing and grabbed me up into her arms. I rested my cheek against her chest just like I had when I was little and I'd scraped my knee or gotten a bad grade.
And I cried.
It didn't take long for me to cry it all out and when I did, she pulled back and wiped my cheek gently.
"Come inside and I'll make you a cup of tea. You can tell me what's got you so upset. No yelling, I promise."
I followed her into the cool house and had a seat at the kitchen table.
A few minutes later, she was sitting across from me and we each had a cup of tea. I'd been thinking about what I should say for the last five minutes, but I still wasn't sure where to start.
"Tell me what's going on," my mother said.
I sipped my tea and said, "I have no idea what to tell you first."
"The most important thing."
My indrawn breath was shaky. I exhaled on a rush then told her, "I'm pregnant."
Her eyes widened. "I didn't realize you were seeing someone."
I shook my head. "I wasn't exactly seeing him. It was a short thing."
"A one-night stand, you mean?"
I couldn't control my wince, but I was honest with her anyway. It wasn't like my brothers hadn't pulled this stuff before. I always felt like Mom and Dad expected me to behave differently because I was the only girl, but I guess I just couldn't do it. "Yes. You know I don't have time for a boyfriend right now. I like this guy and he's great, but the timing just stinks."
She didn't say anything aloud, but I could see what she wanted to say in her eyes. That now a lot more than the timing was messed up.
"We used protection every time, and it may have been the first time I'd used condoms, but I took the time to look up how to—"
I stopped talking and closed my eyes. Yes, I'd just told my mother that I'd lost my virginity and gotten pregnant all in the same night. I'd never outright told her I was still a virgin before, but I think she knew.
