AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nick—December 25th
“Weshouldgetgoing.”Carl says, then immediately back peddles, adorably flustered with his hands flailing. “I mean, if you want to come back to my place with me, Nick?”
We’ve been at my mom’s house for hours now. Beatrice and several of Mom’s other friends came over for a big holiday feast and to exchange gifts. Carl and Bea are the only remaining visitors, which is probably fitting. Bea is in the kitchen getting another plate of cookies. So it’s just my mom and my boyfriend sitting in the glow of the perfect tree we decorated together, enjoying the holiday afterglow.
“I’d love to,” I smile at Carl and take his hand. He relaxes into his seat again. “Unless you need me to stay over? I can make sure you have your meds and everything…”
Mom welcomed us into her home with hugs and all her usual verve, but I can tell from the tightness around her smile that her hip is bothering her. She needs to go rest soon.
“Psh, don’t you fuss over me.” Mom flaps her hand at me, waving away my filial concern. “Beatrice is staying over tonight anyway.”
I manage not to splutter when I put together the fact that my stuff is still in the only other guest bedroom. There’s no way Mom would have her octogenarian best friend sleep on the couch, no matter how spry Bea seems. She wouldn’t even hear of me sleeping on the couch when I first arrived at her house to find my bed covered in crafting supplies.
“Great, that’s, uh, great?” I probably shouldn’t be so surprised, and I cringe internally at myself for feeling like a kid who just realized that his teacher exists outside of the classroom. It’s totally reasonable that my mom has an active love life.
I’m happy about anything that makes her happy, but I really don’t want to think about her sleeping with anyone. Least of all the aunty I’ve always admired with a fond exasperation for the misadventures she and my mother get into together. The recent rollerblading incident that landed Mom in the hospital is only the latest in a long history of their exploits, and it’s one of their tamer stories.
They met at a Roller Disco night in Hamilton and spent years meeting up at the rink every week until one opened in Elk’s Pass shortly after Mom moved here. Bea helped me convince mom that nursing an orphaned fawn her late husband found on their farm back to health would build character when I was nine. She let me sleep in her barn to take care of round-the-clock bottle feedings. Bea consoled me when I sobbed over the little deer going to an animal reserve months later. I grew up viewing her as a second mother figure.
Bea and Mom have always been so close; I never noticed their relationship changing. Or maybe they’ve just always loved each other. In retrospect, it makes perfect sense that they’re together. But I’m still gaping at my mother, mouth moving with no sounds coming out, shocked at the revelation. Carl rubs my back reassuringly. At least it makes more sense why she was so quick to provide me with Susan’s number in the middle of the night. Beatrice was probably here and knew her niece’s holiday plans.
“I take it you didn’t know they’re together?” Carl asks with a hint of wry amusement. For a second it stings that he knew already, but he’s friends with them and I haven’t been around. I’m glad I already resolved for that to change. I want to be a part of my mom’s life. And Bea’s.
“Did you tell the boy yet, Tina dear?” Beatrice comes back in with the tray of sweets. She looks between my dropped jaw and Mom’s pursed lips as she tries to hold back a laugh at my shock.
“Not yet. I was getting to it. These things take delicacy, Bea.” Mom’s face is glowing at the sight of Beatrice though. “Look, he’s shocked that I’ve still got it.”
“Mom!” I groan, even though she’s right and I’m being silly.
“Nonsense.” Bea turns to me. “Nick, I’m sure you have questions. Your mother is moving in with me. We weren’t together when your father and my Robert were alive. I can’t speak for your mother, but I loved my husband dearly. He always said he wanted me to love again after he was gone.” She takes Mom’s hand in hers, gazing adoringly at her. I can only hope I’ll still be looking at Carl with that much open admiration when we’re their age. “Tina was the first great love of my life; it seems fitting for her to be the last too.”
Then she kisses my mother.
I’m still staring, slack jawed, when Mom turns to me, eyes all aglow. She swats playfully at Beatrice. “You broke him, you ridiculous woman.”
“Tell him the rest?” Bea nudges Mom. “You’ve been putting it off all month.”
“I was just waiting for the right time.”
“Mhm, not at all afraid he’d refuse? Well, Nicky already told you he’s moving home. What better time than Christmas to give these boys a gift?” Beatrice gestures between Carl and me.
“What gift?” I ask. “Mom, you don’t have to get me anything else. I love the new sweater.”
“I want to give you the house.” She holds up a hand to forestall the protest that forms on my lips. “Either way, it’s time to downsize. Now that the cat is out of the bag, there’s no sense beating around the bush. I’m moving in with Bea. She’s closer to all the amenities and our friends.”
“So you’ll have to host craft night,” Beatrice interjects with a nod toward Carl.
“That would be my pleasure,” Carl agrees with a smile.
“I’m not sure what to say, Mom. I can’t just accept your house.” Even if selling my condo means I could probably afford to pay her market value for it. My vague notions of moving back in with Mom for a while longer to figure out my next career steps made it seem like I could change my mind. It gave me the safety net of going back to my big city grind if the lure of small-town life isn’t so shiny once the newness wears off. This would make the change real. Less revocable.
That should terrify me, but I just feel more settled than ever in my decisions. I want to be here for Mom. Build a new career that gives me the flexibility to enjoy my life. Maybe get back into the digital design and photography that first drew me to the field. I can buy the house and still have savings to live on until I get myself established as a freelancer. And I can make the time to be the boyfriend Carl deserves.
“You can buy it then.” Mom rolls her eyes, as though I’m being stubborn for not just accepting such an extravagant offer when she needs the equity from the house more than I do.
“Carl, your Saint does contracts, right? He’ll arrange it,” Mom says like that settles the matter. I’m not sure that’s how these things work, but I don’t really want to argue with her. “You boys can raise your family here.”
“Saint does real estate contracts sometimes. He jokes that he moved back here so work would never be boring, since his clients have such varied legal needs.” Carl’s smile looks tight as he nods.
