“Who is it?”his mother, Nancy, asked.
Big Dick looked at his mother.There were times he couldn’t stand her.
“George.”
“I should go,” Big Dick said.
“Do you seriously think that is any way to talk to your mother?”Nancy asked.
Big Dick looked between his parents.They looked so concerned.This was kind of scary.He was used to their judgement.Or at least his mother’s judgement, his father usually remained silent.
“Come inside, right now.I will get hot chocolate on,” Nancy said.
He was even more shocked for his mother, who was wearing a pair of pajamas, to herd him into the house.Even when he had been a teenager and angry at his parents, they had often left him to his own decisions.
Stepping over the threshold into his childhood home, he had missed the last couple of Sunday lunches, mainly because he couldn’t be bothered.Also, one of them was when he was with Larissa.He was not going to sacrifice his time with her for his parents.
Much to his surprise, he was walked into the kitchen, where his mother immediately went to the stove and started to gather a saucepan and some milk.He looked around the kitchen, and it was the strangest thing.His mother had always been someone who liked a clean house.She would often make the home look like it was straight out of a magazine.Everything always had a perfect spot.Nothing was ever out of place.Yet, he saw so many changes.The large utensil basket, with a multitude of used wooden spoons.They had all seen better days, but then, they were his mother’s favorite.She had attempted the silicone ones that had a popular minute, but she hated how they would chip away.They had soon made their way into the secondhand stores, as she donated them.A mixer, good processor, and a coffee machine also graced the counter.Her cookbooks that had seen better days were in pride of place, even with books she had clearly taped together with all the use.He also noticed the vegan cookbooks.
“You’ve got vegan cookbooks?”he asked.
“Yes, yes, I think it is time I started to learn to cook vegan.Your father and I have a vegan meal twice a week now,” his mother said.
“It’s hard, son, I’m not going to lie.It’s hard to go without meat, but your mother is getting pretty good.”
“You did that for Harlow?”he asked.
“Of course,” his mother said.
Within minutes, she had a can of whipped cream out of the fridge, and she made him a lovely hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.
“Erick, uh, he came around a few months ago.”
“Of course he did,” Big Dick said.
“Son, I know you and Erick don’t get along, but he came and gave your mother and I an eye-opening reality check.”
This was news.“Erick gave you guys a reality check?”
“I know there has always been tension with you all.Erick was never my favorite.”
Big Dick couldn’t help but snort.
“I love all of my kids.I always have and I always will.Erick was just ...easy,” Nancy said.
“Easy?”
“He wouldn’t make waves,” Drew said.“He didn’t get into fights at school.He would brush his teeth, do his homework.He was a good kid.”
“You just didn’t see him when your back was turned,” Big Dick said.
“And he told us that,” Nancy said.“After Harlow’s accident, when we nearly lost her and discovered she was pregnant, it hit him hard.He came to us and told us the truth of what was happening.Then, when she came out, and she didn’t come to see us, she was just living her life.It was like a slap to the face.She’s pregnant, and I know I have pushed her away.I wanted a daughter so damn badly, and when I got her, she was not what I expected.I loved her, but I didn’t know how to communicate with her.”She took a deep breath.“I pushed my daughter away, and because of that, I might not get to meet my grandchild.So, that is what we’re doing.We’re slowly realizing our mistakes.”
Nancy reached out and touched Drew’s hand.
“I also know that you guys adore your father, and it is me you all have a problem with.I ...push.I criticize.I became my own mother, and in doing so, I pushed my kids away.”
Big Dick looked into his mother’s eyes, as she pointed to the house.“She would always tell me I had to have a good house.A good house meant a good wife and a good mother.Kids that behaved was the sign of a good woman.Whenever you kids were just being kids, and she would see, she would tell me nonstop that I was doing everything wrong.I should discipline you all.I should tell you how to behave.”Nancy sighed.“I ...I listened to her, and I stopped being the mother I wanted, and instead became the mother she wanted me to be.For that, I am sorry.We have seven kids, and you know, none of you come to see us.Seven kids, and we don’t even get to meet girlfriends or partners.You come to visit, and you’re always checking your watches so you can leave.”
