Page 103 of My Own Kind of Person

I wave. “Hello. My name is Sean.”

“Hello, Sean.” Her face remains still, professional.

Possibly belatedly or inappropriately, I go over and hold out a hand. “Can I help?”

She passes me a bag and looks at Elijah.

“I like your glasses,” I say.

She gives a hesitant smile. “Thank you.” She passes Elijah the other bag. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Let me know when you’re—let me know.”

“I’m leaving now,” Elijah says.

“Okay!” She turns to me. “Nice to meet you, Sean.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms.…how would you like to be addressed?”

A slightly less hesitant smile. “You can call me Danielle.” She crosses her arms. “And what do you think, Sean? Do you like Paumanok?”

“Well. No.”

Elijah lets out a low “Ha.”

“But it’s a big school,” I say. “There are a lot of people who are great. Like Elijah.” I look at him as he looks across the street. “I have two good friends who think Elijah’s great too.”

Danielle raises her eyebrows at him. “They do, huh?”

He gives the same look right back to her.

“Well,” she says to me, and it sounds like she’s about to leave, “I appreciate you coming by.”

“I’m glad I got to meet you. I—” It’s so hard to know whether sharing a feeling is generous or excessive. “I really believe in mothers. And I think you must be a special person to have raised someone like Elijah.”

She uncrosses her arms.

Elijah clears his throat. “Mom.”

The professionalism returns to her face. “Thank you,” she says to me. She goes and kisses Elijah’s cheek. “Drive safe.”

He doesn’t reply immediately, but she doesn’t walk away.

“I will,” he says.

“Text me when you arrive.”

“I will.”

“And how much charge does your car have?”

“Mom.”

She smiles wide. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

She leaves, and I watch for Elijah to turn to me, but he tosses his luggage into the trunk, closes it, and opens his car door.

“Wait,” I say.