Deciding to spend Thanksgiving weekend with my mom was a goodwill gesture from both of us, considering she hasn’t been the most supportive of our relationship. She’s not nearly as bad as the haters on the internet, but she’s far from endorsing us. I can’t tell whether she really despises that we’re together or if this is merely how she reacts toeverything.
I’m sure she’ll make her feelings known this weekend.
Jake glances over at me and places his hand on my thigh. “Don’t freak out. Everything is going to be fine. Your mom will be…well…your mom.”
I chuckle. “That’s one way to put it.”
He shrugs and taps his thumbs on the steering wheel, staying focused on making the short drive from the town welcome sign to my mom’s. “She’s likely to say some bullshit, and I’ll put her inher place. Then we’ll carry on like it never happened. Rinse and repeat, right?”
“I mean…kinda.” I sigh, covering my face with my hands for a few seconds. “She doesn’t seem to love that we’re together. She’s made itveryclear.”
“Well, I don’t like her pumpkin pie.”
“What?”
“That’s going to be my response anytime she comments that we’re not good together. I’ll reply with an item of her cooking that I don’t like.”
I start laughing uncontrollably, my chest shaking because I can absolutely envision him doing that.
“She doesn’t think we’re a good fit. Well, I don’t like your chili anyway.”
“Have you even had her chili?”
“Not sure, but she likely won’t remember that.”
“Oh my God. You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly. I’ll make her regret talking smack about us by destroying her cooking skills. One dish at a time.” Jake flashes a devious smile in my direction. “Great. It worked. Now you’re not as stressed.”
I tilt my head, confused by what’s going on. “So, you’renotgoing to pick apart her cooking skills?”
“Who knows? Gotta keep you guessing,” he teases as he pulls into my mom’s driveway. “We’re here.”
His eyes dart across the yard to the house next door. The one he called home throughout his childhood. It didn’t take more than a few weeks on the market before it sold and a new family moved in.
Tears form in the corners of my eyes as I remember the last time the two of us were in that house. We used it as our refuge when we were trying to keep our relationship a secret from everyone in the beginning. When I decided to give us a chance.Our first date. The first time we slept together. The countless evenings spent talking about our future.
Jake swallows hard. “I didn’t think it would affect me to see another car in her driveway.”
I reach for his hand and squeeze it. “I know. It’s hard on me, too.” I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over to kiss him lightly on the lips. “I love you, Jake.”
“I love you.” He presses a kiss onto my forehead before getting out of the car.
We quickly gather our bags and make our way up the porch. I open the door as the aroma of Thanksgiving dinner hits me full force, taking me back to two years ago when Jake’s mom, Judy, cooked dinner for my mom and me for the last time. It’s one of those moments when my heart hopes we’ll find her in the kitchen with her apron on, fussing over the turkey, but my brain knows better.
“Mom, we’re here,” I call out as I walk through the living room and head toward the kitchen, while Jake goes to drop off our bags in my childhood bedroom.
“It’s good to see you, Katherine. Dinner should be ready in a few hours,” Mom replies, leaning over to baste the turkey.
“Do you need any help?”
“No, I have everything covered, for the most part. I might need your help closer to dinnertime.”
“Okay. It smells so familiar in here.” I shake my head because my nose has to be playing tricks on me.
“It should. It’s?—”
“It’s my mom’s recipe, isn’t it?” Jake asks when he strolls into the kitchen. He comes directly over to me and wraps his arm around my waist. “It smells like her turkey.”
