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“Are there any boy teachers there? Maybe one you had your eye on when you were still a student?”
“No, Mom, the only male teacher there is the music teacher and I’m pretty sure he’s gay.”
“Oh. Well, how about back at school? Were there any old boyfriends, a young man you may have gone out with a few times? You know you can talk to me about this stuff. You’re an adult now. I mean I know you’re living with us, and I love having you here, but I also know you aren’t here because you can’t be out on your own. You’ve always been very responsible, Samantha.”
What was she trying to say? Did she want her to start looking for an apartment?
“I know I can talk to you, Mom. And you know you can say anything to me as well, right? And no, there were no old boyfriends from college. I was too wrapped up in studying to date.”
Her mother pursed her lips.
“What is it you want to ask me, Mom?”
Her mother took a deep breath and let it out quickly. “Samantha, honey, I went to the store and stocked up your room in June before you came home. I knew something was wrong, but I also knew you weren’t ready to talk to us about it, but honey…how long are you going to keep this to yourself?”
Sam’s eyes widened. Did her mother and father somehow know about Colin? No, that was impossible. No one knew about that. She quickly blanked her expression.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mom.”
She sighed and took Sam’s hand and patted it lovingly.
“Please don’t get mad at me for saying this, honey. When you came home you looked terrible. You’d lost so much weight. I’m glad to see you looking more like yourself again, but darling, you have never been a girl to get fat. You can’t expect us, when we watch what you pack in your lunches for work and put in your mouth at dinner, to believe that that’s what’s happening here. Why won’t you just tell us?”
Sam looked down at her body. True, she’d put on quite a few pounds, but she had a lot of stress with starting a new job. And no matter how much she loved her mother and father, moving back in with her parents at age twenty-four was stressful too. Not to mention that ice cream seemed to be the only distraction that worked when she felt like crying, which was a lot. Maybe she should start walking in the mornings.
“I know I put on some weight, but I’m adapting to a new life and I guess I’m a stress eater.”
Her mom dropped her head as if she were disappointed with Sam’s excuse. Maybe she was worried about her health.
“Don’t worry, mom. I’m going to start walking tomorrow. I’ll be back to normal in—”
Her mom looked up at her with tears shimmering in her eyes and Sam shut up. Why was she so upset?
“Darn it, Sammy, I don’t know why you can’t be honest with me. I don’t think I’m that judgmental of a person.”
Completely confused, Sam said, “Mom, I really have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“The box of tampons I put under the sink in your bathroom in June’s never even been opened,” her mother suddenly blurted.
“Wha—”June, July, August, September, October…shit.“Oh my God.”
“Did you really think we wouldn’t have noticed, Sammy? You’re showing, for crying out loud.”
Sam didn’t think the idea of her parents not noticing was too hard to believe. It had somehow slipped her own attention. Sam was going to pass out. She hadn’t had a panic attack since June, but one was coming on.
Her mother continued. “I’ve put it together that whoever the father is you two are no longer an item. I am not so old that I don’t get how things like this happen. I don’t know if he’s someone who wants to be involved in this child’s life or not, but no matter what, your father and I are here for you. We support your decision to do the responsible thing.”
Sam couldn’t breathe. Her mom rubbed her back, knowing the attack would likely pass if she calmed down. When Samantha was finally able to pull in a full breath of air her mother gave her a sad smile and asked, “Will you tell me about the father, honey?”
“He’s a father,” Sam said under her breath.
Her mother nodded, totally misinterpreting the type of father Sam had meant. “Does he plan to be a part of the child’s life?”
Sam swallowed and shook her head. “No.”
Her mother pressed her lips together solemnly. “Well, he’ll still have to help you financially.”
Vow of poverty, was the first thought to run through Sam’s mind.
