“I know. Do you know how embarrassing that is? My mom is going to be there!”
“Are you kidding me?” I teased her. “I’m like the coolest and you don’t want me there?”
“Mom, you so aren’t. So, no. But then I can’t hang out with my friends, or dance with any boys if they ask.”
“One, we have not talked about that, so you can’t say you can’t do it. I have never laid down a rule. And two, you can hang out with your friends. I’m old enough to entertain myself and I don’t need you to keep my company, thank you very much.”
I turned onto the main road, making her glance around.
“This isn’t the way home.”
“No, it’s not. But if you’re going to a dance, then you had better have the right attire, don’t you think? You have jeans and boots, but no nice skirts or dresses.”
“Oh my gosh, thank you!”
“See, I’m not so lame.”
She rolled her eyes and fell back in her seat, but the grin never faded from her lips.
“Listen, Tiffany, I just wanted to confirm something. Your dad reached out again, and I wanted to make sure that you didn’t want to fly back to see him?”
“No, I don’t. He didn’t want to see me when I was there, why does he want to do it now? He doesn’t. He just wants to make things annoying and hard for you.”
I couldn’t fault the logic because I believed the same thing myself, but I didn’t need my kid to know that. She didn’t need to see me bash him or confront him either.
“It’s your call, that’s all I’m saying.”
“Maybe later, Mom, but not now. I’m glad we moved and I don’t have to see him either with all the trashy ladies he brings around.”
Once more, she threw me for a loop. Not that I didn’t think that myself, of course, but I wasn’t expecting her to say anything or even think that.
It really was like she was mirroring my thoughts and that could be slightly scary.
But I wasn’t going to ask anymore. She was mature enough to know her own mind and that was that.
I pulled into a small mall the next town over and climbed out of the truck, motioning for her to do the same.
“Come on, shopping time.”
She squealed as she got out of the car and then linked her arm with mine. I’ll take the moment in time right now when I’m not lame.
Fifty minutes later, she twirled in front of me, the denim skirt adorable as it floated out around her legs. The white tank top had little roses on it, and it suited her. It was light weight and fun, and something that was totally Tiffany.
I imagined she’d want her hair pulled back and I could frame her face.
I was glad I could watch this beauty grow, but it did pain me that her dad didn’t want to see it. Or that he was just being too much of a pain in the ass to really want to.
And of course, that only made me upset because I really couldn’t understand what the hell I saw in him. Well, nothing. But it was a small town, and I didn’t think I could do much better.
“Do you really love it, Mom?”
“I do; I think the outfit works. And there’s some fancy boots we can get you, if you want?”
“Yes please!”
I grinned as she went back into the dressing room to change and I knew I would never trade a moment of this. Life with my ex wasn’t easy, but this was better. And out here, we were making the most of it, having fun in ways I never thought we could have.
There is nothing about this I would change.
