“Bingo.”
“He didn’t say anything to me.”
“Yes, I believe he was too stunned to react.”
“Well, look at that.I managed to stun my little brother into not teasing me.”
“Don’t beat about the bush.What’s wrong?”Mom insisted.
I sighed.“Amy’s always had this very romantic notion of life.”
“I know.She’s told me a few times that she wants three kids and all the rest.”
“Right.”
“I had a feeling that things between the two of you were getting serious.”
I nodded.“They were.”Until I fucked it all up!
“Moving in is a big step.So, what happened?”
“Today, I went to surprise her at school.She was talking to one of her colleagues, who suggested she could set Amy up with her brother on a date.”
Mom didn’t say anything.
“I waited for Amy to shut her down, and she didn’t.”
“Maybe she was figuring out how to tell the other woman that she’s already seeing you.”
“But that’s the thing.Why didn’t she already know?She’s Amy’s friend, not just a colleague.She told me that a while ago.”
Mom just nodded.
“Our whole family knows about Amy,” I said.“I took her to a charity event and introduced her to everyone as my girlfriend.Yet her school friend didn’t know about me at all?”
“Amy’s not like you.She doesn’t like people knowing her business.”
“This is different.And that dude her friend described is exactly what Amy was looking for.So I told her she should go on the date.”
Mom shrieked—honest-to-goodnessshrieked.“No, you didn’t!”
“Why not?”
“Was she mad at you?”
“Why would she be?We’re friends, and I want the best for her.”
“Oh, you stubborn, silly man.You’re not friends.You invited her into your home, into your bed.Sorry for being so frank.”
This conversation was awkward as hell.I’ve never had “the talk” with either of my parents.I had way too many older brothers to need it anyway, and I wasn’t enjoying this.
“She must be feeling very, very hurt.”
I jerked my head back, trying to follow my mom’s reasoning.“Why?”
“Oh, Knox...how should I explain this to you?”She thought for a moment.“Oh, I know!In our case, your dad suggested he move in with me.If he’d encouraged me to date someone else a few days later, how would you feel about it?”
“I’d have a very serious talk with my dad!”
