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13
Betty
Iwas so nervous to tell any man about my choices. They took it a lot of different ways, but never had one of them taken it as well as Nick had. He had been the one that had made me want to say something different. That was probably the strangest part of it all. Somehow, Nick had changed everything for me, and he’d done it in a matter of days.
He took me back to my place and didn't linger around too long. Nick said he had something to do and I was honestly grateful for that. Even though he did everything so well, I was still trying to figure out how I felt about it all.
Before he left, he asked me if I wanted to meet up later and go on some sort of date. The answer was of course. He was fun to be around and I probably enjoyed myself a bit too much. When I agreed, he broke out in the biggest smile and told me that he would pick me up later that evening. He had a gig to play at another local club, and since I really did like his music, it sounded like the perfect evening. I was going to be a rock star’s groupie for the night. Or, sorta…
I was on cloud nine when I got in the house. It didn't last very long, though. My mother was there waiting for me, wanting to know where I had been.
“I just went out with one of the locals. You told me that I needed to meet new people, so that's exactly what I'm doing.”
“Does this new person that you met have a name?”
I told her that his name was Nick, but I couldn't tell her what his last name was. I hadn't even asked, because it hadn't even occurred to me. I told Nick one of my deep dark secrets, was vulnerable in a way that I hadn't been before, and somehow I had missed the opportunity to ask what his real name was.
“How do you know if he is the right kind of person?”
“What?”
“You don't even know his name, you don't know his family, how can you assume that he is a good person?”
Mom wasn't worried about him being a good person. She was worried about what sort of family he came from and then it wasn't even that. It was all about the money. Mom was convinced that I had to find someone rich, so that I could have all of these choices that I wouldn't have without it. I don't know if I actually believed the way that she did; however, I knew that it mattered to her. This was more about her than it was about me.
“They live next door, so I would imagine that they make enough money, Mom.”
She got a little embarrassed and then defensive, telling me that she was just looking out for me.
“Of course, you are. I didn’t think anything else.”
“You don't have to get so flippy with me. You think that everything is about love, but love can’t feed you. You have never wanted for anything, Betty, so you don’t get it. Money matters, whether you want to pretend it does or not, it does.”
My mother had come from humble beginnings and a part of me thinks something damaged her in some way. It certainly made her look for money in everything that she did. I didn't like to think that she had married dad because of it, but it was kind of hard to think anything else. She obviously was interested in the money and that wasn’t hard to see. Since I had grown up with money, I didn't really think much of it.
“I know, Mother. I was just saying that he is from a good family. That’s all.”
“I think your father knows his dad. You should have him come over and have dinner sometime. They can talk about business and I can get to meet your new fella.”
“Fella?”
She agreed. “Yeah, that's what he is, isn't he?”
Again, her questions were making me uncomfortable because I didn't exactly have the answers. What was Nick to me? Was he a friend, or something more? What did I even want him to be?
I decided it was better not to say anything. Mom would have some sort of opinion and if I didn’t want to hear it, then I should keep my mouth shut. Sometimes she didn’t make situations better, but her advice was taken to heart.
“I don’t know, Mom. We just met last night.” She smiled at me like we were conspiring and said that when it's right, a woman just knows.
That had always been what she said about dad, and I wanted to believe it now, because I felt like he was exactly what I needed, even if we couldn't fully be together yet. He acted like he had patience and in reality, that's really what I needed at this point. I just needed to see where it was all going to go.
“Bring him over, Betty, and let us get a look at him. I knew that Montana was going to be good for you, I just didn’t think it would happen so quickly. It makes me happy, though. I want you to be happy, and I knew that you would find what you needed here. You don’t need a career, Betty. You need a man.”
I groaned at her words. It was literally the last thing that I wanted to hear and believe. I liked Nick a lot, and I was thinking about the future with him, right or wrong, but I didn’t need a man. I was an independent woman and I was going to have my career. I was going to consult, makes lots of money, and make businesses more efficient. That was my plan and I truly just wanted my parents to see me as more than just a way for them to have grandchildren.
I agreed to the dinner, because I thought it wouldn’t be let go until I did. I knew that she was going to harp on it until they met Nick, so I figured that I might as well get it out of the way, so I didn’t have to dread it.
“I will see what I can do.”
“Good. Make it tonight, Betty. You know how I hate to wait.”
She walked out and that meant that the discussion was over. It didn’t feel over. I felt like I had more to say, but not according to her. I sighed to myself, wondering if he would even want to come.
