“Sometimes it feels like you’re the adult and I’m the child,” she said.
“So that means no curfew tonight?”
“Nice try.” My mom gave me a look.
“So, are you two going out or what?”
“He invited me out for coffee after the convention tomorrow.”
“Wow, Mom. You go, girl!”
I laughed when my mom blushed.
“What’s his name?”
“Michael Thompson.”
“Well, tell me how he looks.”
“He’s tall and slim, has a nice tan with thick salt and pepper hair with the most beautiful gray eyes I’ve ever seen.”
“Does he live in this area?”
“Well, he actually lives in Montgomery, West Virginia. He’s a ninth-grade Geometry teacher at a private school there. He goes back home on Friday to start the school year.”
That wasn’t good. I didn’t want my mom to get her hopes up, she was too fragile. She was like a baby deer. One wrong move, and she could snap her leg in half.
“I know what you’re thinking, but your father and I lived in different states at one point, and everything worked out for us. I’m not saying that I’m going to marry Michael since I barely know the man, but I would like the opportunity to get to know him.”
“I’m really happy for you, Mom. This is your first date since Dad died, you deserve to be loved and cherished by any man. Michael is lucky to have met you.”
My mom started to cry.
“Stop it Mom, you’re going to make me cry too,” I said as I gave her a hug.
Since Michael and my mom are both teachers, it was easy for them to visit each other during breaks from school. From there, the relationship blossomed. Michael is a really nice guy. He doesn’t have any children. He treats me like a daughter. I couldn’t ask for a better man for my mom. They made their long-distance relationship work by keeping in constant communication through phone conversations, texts, and video calls. Sometimes, my mom would travel to West Virginia to visit Michael, other times he came here, like this summer. He found a small apartment to rent for the summer so that he could spend time with my mom. Michael has been in Los Angeles for about two weeks now. He arrived in mid-June. My mom and Michael have been spending time together nonstop since his arrival. I’ve never traveled with my mom to visit Michael in West Virginia. When my mom goes there, I usually stay with friends or visit my family in Maryland. During the school year, they don’t have the opportunity to see each other often, so I don’t want to impede on their quality time.
“Hi, Mom,”I say, looking up at her as I lie on my bed.
“Hey sweetheart, did I wake you?”
“No, I was listening to music. How was your date with Michael?”
“It was fantastic,” my mom says, barely able to contain her excitement as she lifts her left hand.
I see a huge, shining diamond ring.
I jump to my knees on my bed and cover my mouth with my right hand while frantically waving around my left.
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”
“Michael asked me to marry him.”
“Congratulations.” I hug her. “Let me see.” I grab my mom’s hand to get a closer look at the ring. “Mom, it’s so beautiful.”
The band is white gold with a huge diamond at the center surrounded by smaller ones.
“Oh baby, I’m so happy. I never thought I would be able to love another man after your father.”
