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“Her period,” he whispered.
His mother rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to whisper. I talked to her about it a year ago. She finally got it?”
His shoulders dropped. “You didn’t tell me that. Nor did she.”
“I just assumed it happened and that was it.”
“Well, it hasn’t. But she’s having cramps and didn’t realize it.”
“I don’t see her as often,” his mother said. “You’re not working a lot of nights or being called in late.”
“I know. Maybe if I was you’d see her to have that conversation. I got a call from the school to come get her. The nurse is the one who mentioned it. I brought her to Target and she got what she needed for when it happens.”
He wasn’t sure if she’d tell him when it did.
“This is only the beginning of things, Colson. You’re doing a great job.”
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. I spent over a hundred dollars on other shit to help get over the embarrassment of buying a box of pads.”
His mother was roaring with laughter. “You don’t have to lower your voice to say pads or tampons either.”
He shivered. “She doesn’t need those too right now, does she?”
“You should see your face. You’d think someone was pulling your teeth out. It’s not that painful.”
“Maybe not for a female.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
“I think we are good. I want her to come to me.”
“You can’t have it both ways, Colson. Be happy she was so good about it.”
“She knew what she needed. She’d researched it. I just, I don’t know. This single parenting thing is hard. It’s not like she’s my kid.”
“But she feels that way at times, right?”
“Yeah. We are getting there. I guess, if you want to bring it up, it’s someone else she can talk to about it. Sometimes, I just wish I had another woman around for her.”
“I’m a woman.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Why aren’t you trying?” his mother asked.
“I sort of am. I’ve dated some, but it’s not easy to find time.”
“You’ve got more of it now,” his mother pointed out.
“And I should spend it with Bella. It’s not like Dad ever did much with me at that age.”
“Let’s not go down that road.” This time his mother lowered her voice. “Does Bella bring your father up much?”
“No. I think she talked in counseling more than me about it.”
“Did you talk about your father in counseling?”
How he hated those sessions, but he did it because he knew it’d benefit them both.
