“I’m really proud of you.”I lean up and kiss him briefly—parents are watching.Although I didn’t seem to care when I practically jumped on him after he won the breaststroke and made a huge public display of… congratulations.Smothering my dripping wet boyfriend with kisses definitely clued my parents in that we’re serious, just like we were before the longest month of my life.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell him.I get in the back seat of my dad’s car, leaving Jonathan in a dazed state of uncertainty.
How are your grades?”my mother asks Jonathan once we’re served the main course.“Is your scholarship just athletic or academic as well?That was very impressive, by the way.I’m glad we were there to see it.”
Jonathan’s been panicking the past week, desperate to squeeze any bit of information out of me in preparation for tonight.He even went to Graham Westhouser to ask about his experience.Except Graham loved the interrogation.He’s convinced my parents are the best—the past two Christmas cards indicative of how much he misses them.Not me though.He won’t acknowledge me in the halls, ever, since our breakfast breakup.
It’s not like I’ve been purposely cruel to Jonathan with my vague answers.There’ve only been three boyfriends invited to dinner.And one shouldn’t count.He was a summer-camp crush before sixth grade.And my parents insisted on having him and his parents attend our Labor Day barbecue at the lake.It was beyond embarrassing.
“Do you know how to change a diaper?”Gavin asks.
“Why are you even here?”I demand.“This isn’t a special occasion.”
“Yeah, it is.”He chuckles.
My dad hides a laugh behind his napkin.
My mother clears her throat to get Jonathan’s attention, like she can’t hear either of them.Jonathan replies, “Both.I was awarded the dean’s scholarship as well as an athletic scholarship.And it meant a lot to have you there.”
“Excellent,” she says.And I can almost hear Jonathan release a breath.Little does he know, she’s just getting started.At least she waited ’til dinner’s nearly over to get to the harder questions.
“Have you ever been around children?Sadie said she wants six.”Gavin grins like he’s having the best night of his life.
“Six?”Jonathan gawks at me like he’s the one being asked to birth them.
“When I was, like, eight,” I say dismissively.“I realize now that it’s not practical.”
“That’s right,” my dad adds in, like he’s just remembering.“It’s four now, isn’t it?”
“So?”I say with a roll of my eyes.“That’s the perfect number.As long as none of them are like you.”I make a face at Gavin.Jonathan still looks freaked.
“Do you plan to further your education beyond a bachelor’s degree?”My mother continues to pepper questions.Jonathan doesn’t know where to look.
“Uh, most likely.Most engineers get better placement with a master’s.I’ll need an internship at some point, so it’d be great if I could get it partially funded.”
“An architectural firm?”she clarifies, having already asked about his career choice while we ate soup.I wasn’t kidding about the five courses.Gavin takes this opportunity to top his wineglass.Dad removes the bottle from his hand before he can pour more than an inch.
“Yes,” Jonathan confirms.His eyes seek mine from across the table.I think there’s a silent plea there.I’m not sure how I can save him now.Perhaps we can skip dessert.
“I may know of a contact in Connecticut when the time comes, if… it all works out.”
My chair scrapes against the floor when I shift to stare at the woman sitting next to me.Gavin literally drops his fork.
“Gavin, if you can’t hold a fork, you probably don’t need more wine,” Mom says, pressing her mouth into a smile.
We all gape at her.She picks up her fork and knife, cutting into her halibut like nothing happened.
What just happened?” Jonathan asks when we get into my car.I picked him up at Collin’s as if we were going on a date.I mean, it was more like a cross-examination.But I thought it’d be cute if I drove him to my house for dinner.Also, so we could make out when I dropped him off.
“I’m still trying to figure that out,” I say, easing the car onto the road in the direction of Collin’s house.“My mother has never offered—”
“You want four kids?”
“Oh, please.My mother predicted we’ll be together by the time you’re a junior in college, and you’re hung up on how many pretend children I want?”
“Of course you’re going to be in my life when I’m a junior.And, yes, I’m hung up on the four kids because I plan on being there for them as well.”
Thankfully, we’re at a Stop sign when he says this because I might have veered off the road and crashed the car if we’d been moving.
