“Mom. Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” I ask innocently.
“Don’t call it a date. We’re just hanging out. But can I go? He said he could drive to our house.”
I put on a serious face. “He drives? How old is this boy?”
“Seventeen.”
I digest that. “Would Dad and I get to meet him?”
“I guess. If you want to.”
“Of course we’d want to,” I reply.
We drive in silence for a moment.
“Will Dad even be there?” Amanda asks.
I tap my thumb a few times on the steering wheel. “I’m not sure. What time would Jeff arrive?”
“Around noon.”
I slowly nod. “Then Dad should be home, so it sounds fine. Tell Jeff to come to the front door and ring the bell.”
We drive the next two blocks in a second round of silence, so I decide to scale back on the strict parenting routine. I nudge Amanda with my elbow and give her a look. “I can’t wait to meet Tootsie.”
She grins and immediately texts Jeff.
This improvement in her mood since breakfast comes as a great relief to me. I glance down at Oscar on her lap and feel rejuvenated.
The doorbell rings the next day. Oscar barks and runs to the front hall. There’s a great hullabaloo, but I remain in the kitchen to give Amanda a chance to greet Jeff.
Naturally, I eavesdrop.
“Settle down, Oscar,” Amanda says before she opens the door. “You made it.”
They supervise the meeting of Tootsie and Oscar, and I’m pleased that the barking has ceased and neither dog is growling or yelping. I dry my hands at the kitchen sink and move to the foyer.
“Hi,” I say. “You must be Jeff.” He’s a handsome boy, about five foot eleven, with honey-brown hair and blue eyes. He looks nervous. “I’m Sienna.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he politely replies.
I turn my attention to the dogs, who are sniffing each other’s behinds.
“This must be Tootsie,” I say. “She’s so adorable. They could be twins.”
“Oscar’s a bit bigger,” Amanda mentions, and we all watch them interact for a few seconds.
“Amanda tells me you work at the pool,” I say to Jeff, wanting to get to know him a little. “Have you been working there long?”
“This is my second year,” he replies. “It’s a good job. It’s helping me save for university.”
“Good for you. Do you know where you might like to go?”
“Probably Dal so that I can keep living at home and save money.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” I reply.
