“Felicity, can we please eat first and talk after? It feels like we never have time to do that anymore. We're either at work or out, our schedules never meshing.”
It's taking everything in me not to roll my eyes at her. “Yes, we can do that. School was great. Hard, but good. No work today, so that was amazing. So now, tell me what it is you wanted to tell me tonight.”
I dish some of the pasta and chicken onto my plate along with a piece of garlic bread while she sits there silently with pursed lips.
Fuck, was I too harsh?
“I'm sorry,” I whisper as I pick up my fork, twirling some spaghetti around the tines.
I lift the cheesy, saucy goodness taking my first bite as a mix of garlic flavors bursts in my mouth. While I chew each bite, I'm already winding more around my fork.
“Calvin and I are getting married. We’re eloping tomorrow.” She rushes out, not taking a breath between words.
I'm caught off guard, nearly choking on my food as I drop the fork to my plate, sauce splashing onto my shirt.
“What!?” My mom's face drops, her eyes welling with tears at my outburst.
“We're getting married.” Her voice is sharp as she looks down at her plate.
She's hurt. I can hear the hitch in her voice, the slight rise of her shoulders and the tremble in her hands.
It's all because of my reaction. I didn't act happy, more pissed. But it's not how I really feel.
“Mom, I’m sorry.” The room feels awkward and quiet, and I finally notice her shoulders shaking a little. I didn’t mean to sound mad. “I really am happy for you. Calvin seems like a good guy and he makes you happy. It just seems kind of sudden. And eloping?”
“But it's not sudden. We both know what we want and it's each other. When you get to be my age, Felicity, you'll understand.” She smiles warmly at me.
“Okay. But still, why elope? No wedding? No family?”
“We don't want anything fancy. Calvin knows how much I want to travel. We're going on a cruise and getting married on board. I'm fifty-two, Felicity, and I don't need some fancy affair. I want something quiet and simple, just him and me.”
“Okay, if that makes you happy… but I still want pictures. I mean, I get it—you want something simple—but I’m your only kid. It just feels kinda weird not being there, you know?”
I try to smile, try to sound light and okay with it, but there’s a small ache settling in my chest. Just the two of them. No family. No me. I know it’s her choice—her life—but I can’t lie, it stings a little. I always imagined I'd be there when my mom got remarried. At leastinvited.
I force a laugh to cover it up. “And Calvin better know if he ever hurts you, I’ll kill him. I’ve watched enough CSI to know how to hide a body.”
She laughs loudly, and I let go of her hand, picking up my fork to resume eating.
“I'll make sure to tell him.” She picks up her fork, but instead of eating, she simply moves her food around on the plate.
“There's more, isn't there?”
Mom doesn't answer, simply nods, confirming what I already know.
“You’re pregnant, aren't you?”
Her face doesn't give away her answer, but she doesn't deny it.Ahh shit.
We sit like that for a couple of minutes, both at a loss for words. Until she finally opens her mouth.
“You can stop being petrified. I'm not pregnant. Neither Calvin nor I want to raise any more children. Now grandkids, we'd love some of those, but not for a few more years.”
I let out a huge sigh of relief. Let’s be honest, I like being an only child. The fact I never had to share anything or get hand-me-downs was amazing. Not that I would get any now with a sibling having more than a twenty-year age difference with me.
“We're moving in with Calvin when we get back from our honeymoon. I've already let the landlord know and given our thirty day notice.”
The words land like a punch to the ribs. I blink, confused. This house—our mismatched curtains, the squeaky stairs, the sticker on my bedroom door from eighth grade—it’sours. How can it just… not be?
