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HUDSON
Family dinner is becoming a regular event for Laurel and I. Sometimes I wonder if she enjoys them, or just doesn’t want to be rude. My mother can be pushy, and as much as I try to get to her to back off, she doesn’t.
“Are you ready for dinner tonight?”
“Yeah, I like your family. Plus, your mom is a wonderful cook. Wish I could cook like that.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met one person who didn’t enjoy my mother’s cooking. She got it from my grandma. Wonderful woman, and even better cook than my mom. But don’t tell her I said that.”
I’m sitting in Laurel’s apartment while she gets dressed, waiting to leave for dinner. We haven’t spent any time over here, and maybe we will need to change that. I don’t want her to think we have to be at my place all the time. Plus, I’d love to test out her California King Bed. To be truthful, I have always wanted one, but never ended up going for it. I might have to.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Laurel says, coming out of her bedroom in a navy wrap dress and white sandals. “It was either this or shorts. I really need to do laundry because I’m running out of clothes to wear. My boss won’t like it if I show up to work tomorrow naked.”
“On the contrary, I think he would love that. Maybe not the other, though.” I wink at her with a smile.
After getting to my parent’s house, Laurel heads out with my sisters and I hang out with my dad in the den.
“You want a scotch, son?” he asks, making himself one.
“I’d love one.”
It is my dad’s favorite drink, even though he doesn’t drink often because of his heart.
As he hands me my glass, he asks me questions about Laurel. Yet, he is more cordial about it. He wants to know if she makes me happy?
“She makes me feel alive. Something I haven’t felt in a long time. I guess my stubbornness didn’t help, either. She found a way to push me out of it.”
“We are thankful for that. It’s been nice to see you so happy. I know it means the world to your mother.”
“I know, dad. She has been hounding me about getting married and having grandkids for years. Just because I have a girlfriend now, doesn’t mean she’s gonna be pregnant next month. I hope she realizes that.”
He starts laughing. “As much as we want to see our grandchildren grow up, we don’t want you to rush into anything. There’s no pressure from me, as long as you are happy.”
This is why me and my dad have always been close. He understands me, and the way I think about things. I like to make calculated decisions based on the best outcome. I’m not someone who is going to rush into a marriage without thinking it’s going to last. And then to throw in a baby is a completely different story altogether. Don’t get me wrong I want children, but not at the expense of them having to deal with divorced parents. Of course, nothing is ever concrete. Many couples get divorced after ten or twenty years, but I think five years is the least amount of time before I will think about bringing a child into the mix. My mom thinks I’m bat shit crazy for thinking this way, but it’s my life. When I bring a child into this world, I want to give them the best life possible, and that starts with having both parents in the same household that have a loving relationship to show them how it should be.
See the problem nowadays? People are so quick to look for someone else when they aren’t getting the attention they feel they deserve from their significant other, but instead of doing that, why aren’t they voicing their problem? Are they supposed to magically know that their wife isn’t feeling loved anymore? Especially, after being married for ten years, a routine forms, and both get used to that routine. Yet, communication is a big part of a healthy and long lasting marriage. You don’t give up so easily if you truly love someone. You work to get it back to how you need it to be, instead of running to divorce or cheating.
My parents have given me a valid example of what a marriage should look like, and seeing the struggles they have gone through together firsthand only makes me know my way of thinking makes sense. Not everyone will agree, but that’s okay.
“So, you had your appointment this week? What did the doctors say? Any improvement with your new medication?”
“No, son. But I’m not getting any younger either. The things I did when I was younger put a lot of stress on my heart. I just have to deal with it.”
My dad has had four heart attacks in the last three years. They have tried multiple new medications to help, but nothing seems to be working so far. “I’m sure they will find something for you. We just have to be patient.”
It isn’t long before my mother is yelling for everyone to come to the dinner table. We all rush in and take our seats to dig into whatever delicious contraption she has made this time.
“So, is anything new going on this week?” mom asks.
“I got put in the running for a promotion,” Tina says. “I’m up against a couple of others, but I think I have a good shot with my degree. It pays way better than my salary now, so fingers crossed.”
“Girl, you got it. Just make sure when you interview, you give them every reason why you are the perfect candidate for the promotion,” Laurel says.
I really like the fact that my family gets along with her so well. “Yeah, exactly. Keep us updated.”
“I love that you refer to you and Laurel as an “us” now. It’s super friggin’ cute,” Kassie buts in. “Don’t scare her off. We like her.”
I bite my tongue waiting for my mother to chime in about marriage or grand babies, but to my surprise, it never comes. She is able to go through the whole dinner without bringing it up. Most of the conversation is about Laurel.
