AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll see you in a few, and be careful!” she says. I blow a kiss through the phone and hang up, quickly gathering my things to leave.
My mom and I are each other’s best friends. It’s just been the two of us since my dad died when I was twelve, and through our grief, we grew incredibly close. Even when I was going through teenage hormones, we were rarely at odds. I think the experience of losing someone we loved so dearly put a lot of things into perspective, and fighting with each other was pointless. Not to say we didn’t have our arguments, but there was always an undercurrent of love and respect if we disagreed.
Our grief forced us to realize how important we were to each other and not focus on who was right or wrong.
I pull into my mom’s driveway and jump out of my car. Her house is an adorable little cottage with a red front door. She moved here after I went to college and has fixed it up over the years to match her eclectic style.
I walk up the steps and open the door, immediately entering the living room. There’s color everywhere with a yellow couch, red throw pillows, and a multitude of knick-knacks displayed on funky stands. You’d never guess all of these things would go together, but they seriously work. I’ve always been in awe of my mom’s decorating ability.
“Is that a shaker I hear?” I holler as I turn to the left and walk through a doorway into the kitchen.
The eclectic vibe continues in here with light blue countertops, white cabinets, and a funky, colorful backsplash tying everything together. There’s no formal dining room, just a small space for a round table and chairs.
“How dare you suggest such a thing!” Mom says, her voice loud with indignation. She’s standing at the island with all of the mojito ingredients laid out in front of her.
At fifty-four years old, Kathrine Carlisle is still just as beautiful as she was when she was twenty. Her auburn hair is similar to mine but streaked with white. It looks like it’s been professionally highlighted but it’s all natural. I hope with everything I have my hair looks the same when I’m her age.
Her green eyes are a lighter shade than mine and have always sparkled with humor. Even in the darkest depths of our grief, she would find the light and pull it close when we needed it most. It’s one of the many things I admire most about her.
“You know I’m only teasing. How are you?” I ask, kissing her cheek and giving her a side hug since her hands are elbow-deep in mojitos.
“I am fabulous. We just got a new program manager, and he is spectacular at his job. We’ve had a huge increase in participation.” Mom is the director of the Sonoma Senior Center.
“That’s amazing! I need to stop by and see everyone.”
“Yes, you do. Francis has asked about you several times.” Francis is my ninety-year-old buddy at the center. He’s an incredibly sweet man who enjoys books as much as I do, and his stories are always fascinating.
“I’ll stop by there in a few days. Our decorations supplier went out of business, so I’m scrambling to find a new one.”
“I didn’t mean to guilt you, Spark.”
“Oh no, you didn’t. I was just sharing.
She smiles in understanding as she hands me a finished mojito. I take a long gulp from the plastic straw; the cool minty flavor hits my tongue, putting a smile on my face. I will never understand how she nails it every time.
“God, that’s good,” I sigh.
She nods her head in agreement and beckons me to sit in one of the comfy island chairs. She sits next to me with her own mojito, and we start chatting like we always do when we’re together.
We’ve had an open topic policy with each other since I can remember. It started when I was younger so I wouldn’t feel like I had to hide anything. After I went to college, our relationship changed. Now she shares everything with me and vice versa.
“Have you been out on any dates recently?” I ask her. She started dating again when I got into high school, but she didn’t talk about it until after I went to college. She says she never wants to get married again but is fine with dating and being in a relationship. She doesn’t think there will ever be another man who she’ll love like my dad.
“I have not. It’s been kind of nice to just do my own thing. Any new guys for you?”
“Actually, something crazy happened the other day. I got stuck in an elevator with Tucker James.”
“No way!”
Naturally, because we share everything, Mom knows about my insane crush on Tucker. She’s known about it since the very first kiss and always felt like something big happened to make him stop hanging out with me. I’m not so sure, but hey, I could be wrong.
“Yep! I had a meeting with the town council that got rescheduled, and we ended up in the same elevator. I’m not being dramatic, but it was torture. I was stuffed in this little box with the star of every one of my fantasies, Mom!”
“How did you keep from climbing him?”
“White knuckling the railing.” I snort, making her laugh. “He smelled so good, like sexy cologne and man and… deliciousness.” A dramatic shiver runs down my spine as I remember.
“You said you got stuck in there?”
