AllFreeNovel
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She squeezes me tighter and sits us both down on the sofa in the formal living room. The light blue couch is hard as stone, and the furniture is dainty and fragile looking. You know, it’s the living room no one is allowed to sit in. The living room you only take pictures in. That damn room.
Wiping imaginary lint off her pants, my mom settles herself. “About that, Aiden. Joe had to get to his house to make sure he was there before the guests arrived. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you or your sister about my relationship with him earlier. Still, it was nice having something to myself. Every time we’d discuss the idea of talking to you kids, we’d put it off for one reason or another. First, he wanted Declan to get to town, then we didn’t want to take away from your graduation. Of course, you were also never all in the same place this summer.”
Stopping my mom, I ask, “Does Carys know now?”
“No. Your sister doesn’t know yet. We were planning on talking to the five of you kids together today.”
“How long have you and Coach been...ya know?”
“Aiden,” my mother drags out my name. “Can you not be crass, please?”
“Come on, Mom. I walked in on you bent over a table,” I respond, gagging as the words leave my mouth.
She primly clasps her hands in her lap. “I know, and that was unfortunate.”
Mom cringes.
I cringe.
I think the damn couch cringes from the image that just floated through the air.
She surprises me when she places her palm on my cheek and turns my big head to look at her. “Joe and I started to talk after we all went out to celebrate your state championship last year. We started seeing each other once his season was over a few months later. By the time you kids graduated, it had become pretty serious. I care about him very much. I need to know how you feel about that.”
“Coach is a great guy, Mom. I just want to see you happy, but I’ll never think any man is good enough for you. And I’m never going to be okay with what I walked in on today. Can you keep that shit behind closed doors?”
Dropping her hands, I get the look. The look that my mother has perfected over the past nineteen years. The don’t sass me right now look. “Aiden, you walked into my house. Your sister is sleeping over at a friend’s and going straight to the party from there. I thought we’d be alone. I’m only forty-one years old. I crave...”
I cover my ears. “Oh my God! Stop.”
Rolling her eyes at me, she sighs deeply. “Aiden, what I was going to say was I crave companionship. Someone to share my life with. I don’t want to be alone forever. You’ve already left the nest, and Carys only has two years left in high school. Joe gets it. He understands the importance of my kids and my job. But he also makes me feel like I’m important as a woman and a partner.”
“Wow, Mom. It sounds serious.” I can’t hide the surprise in my voice. I had no clue any of this was going on.
“Well, honey, it is serious.” She smiles in a way I haven’t seen before. It’s not the proud mom smile I’m used to, or even the look she gets when Carys, she, and I are having fun. It’s different. It’s a serious kind of smile. “We kept looking for the right time to tell everyone, and it just never came. Now we’ve run out of time. It’s now or never if we want to talk to the five of you about this together.”
“Are you happy, Mom?”
Nodding her head, her eyes fill with tears. “I’m so happy, baby. You and Carys have made me utterly happy throughout my life. Getting to share it with Joe has been the icing on the cake.”
Leaning in, I wrap my mother up in a hug and enjoy the safety she’s always given me. “I love you, Mom.” Guess I won’t be ruining her day today by telling her about the possibility of becoming a grandma.
“I love you too, honey.” She squeezes me tight. “I’m glad we’ve got that settled. Can you not mention this to your friends until after we’ve talked to all of you?”
Winking at her, I smile and shake my head. “I’m not making any promises.”
