access to the train station. Two grand is about right.”
Even I thought that was excessive, but I was not about to get in the middle of this.
“Alisa, this is my mother. Can’t we at least get the friends-and-family discount?”
They both looked at me. I straightened my shoulders. “Okay, you two. I agree about the rent. But you are my son, Sam. So, one thousand a month. Payable the first of every month. We’re adults here, so I’m sure loud noise and other inconsiderate behavior will not be an issue. I’ll be happy to do the shopping, so any food in the fridge belongs to all of us. If you have any requests, write them on a list.”
Sam looked a bit sulky, but Alisa seemed relieved. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad this is settled. I’ve always had to pay my own way. I’m much more comfortable now.” She gave Sam a hug and a kiss on the mouth. “Now, that wasn’t too bad, was it?”
He kissed her back. “Alisa, whatever you say. Listen, I need some more cable, and then I have to run the guys back to the city and return the van. I’ll bring Tim back to help set up the office. Can you pick me up at the train station?”
She nodded, and he bounced down the stairs. We heard him yelling to his friends, the door slammed, and we were alone.
“Well,” she said.
“Yes. Well. Why don’t you do what you have to do up here, then come on down and have some tea. And I made a coconut cream pie. It’s Sam’s favorite, but I don’t think we need to wait for him.”
She nodded, and I went back downstairs. I put some water on to boil and took the pie out of the refrigerator.
Alisa came down a few minutes later. I poured tea in silence, and cut two slices of pie. She took a bite, then closed her eyes.
“This is heaven,” she said when she finally stopped chewing.
I smiled. “Yes. Best recipe I ever found. You’re not a vegetarian or anything?”
She frowned and shook her head. “No. And I’m a lousy cook. Sam usually cooks, and I’ll eat anything he wants to make.”
I was surprised. “Sam cooks? Since when? The boy never made so much as a peanut butter sandwich when he lived at home.”
She swallowed and sipped tea. “Yes, he told me. But he taught himself last year, when we started dating, and he realized that unless he wanted to eat every meal out, he’d better learn, ’cause I sure wasn’t any kind of meal ticket.” She glanced at me. “He says you’re a great cook.”
I looked modest. “I have moments of greatness.”
“He also says you’re brilliant, funny, beautiful, the perfect mother, and all-around best person ever.”
I was a little surprised. Sam had never been one to gush about anything involving human beings. “Well, I am his mother.”
“True. But he usually only gets excited about theoretical things.”
“He obviously got excited over you,” I said.
She blushed. “Well, only after I chased him all over campus and threw myself at him repeatedly. For a brainiac, he’s very dense about things.”
“I know.” I finished my pie and leaned back, then sat up again. I could feel a hot flash coming like a slow-moving train.
“I finally got his attention when I dressed as an elf at a
Lord of the Rings
mixer the CompSci department threw. If it weren’t for Galadriel, I’d be dating a law student right now.”
I was trying to look interested, but was too busy fighting the urge to pull off my shirt and fan myself with a pizza pan. “Really?”
She had finished her pie and was watching me closely. “Are you all right?”
She probably noticed the beads of sweat on my temples. “Hot flash,” I said shortly.
She nodded. “My grandma used to get those all the time,” she said.
Oh, why, thanks so much!
“Are you really dating again?”
I looked at my tea, thinking I’d rather die than put anything hot anywhere near my body. “I’m trying. I’m not exactly sure how it will all turn out.”
“I think it’s great,” she said. “I mean, Sam is the love of
Even I thought that was excessive, but I was not about to get in the middle of this.
“Alisa, this is my mother. Can’t we at least get the friends-and-family discount?”
They both looked at me. I straightened my shoulders. “Okay, you two. I agree about the rent. But you are my son, Sam. So, one thousand a month. Payable the first of every month. We’re adults here, so I’m sure loud noise and other inconsiderate behavior will not be an issue. I’ll be happy to do the shopping, so any food in the fridge belongs to all of us. If you have any requests, write them on a list.”
Sam looked a bit sulky, but Alisa seemed relieved. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad this is settled. I’ve always had to pay my own way. I’m much more comfortable now.” She gave Sam a hug and a kiss on the mouth. “Now, that wasn’t too bad, was it?”
He kissed her back. “Alisa, whatever you say. Listen, I need some more cable, and then I have to run the guys back to the city and return the van. I’ll bring Tim back to help set up the office. Can you pick me up at the train station?”
She nodded, and he bounced down the stairs. We heard him yelling to his friends, the door slammed, and we were alone.
“Well,” she said.
“Yes. Well. Why don’t you do what you have to do up here, then come on down and have some tea. And I made a coconut cream pie. It’s Sam’s favorite, but I don’t think we need to wait for him.”
She nodded, and I went back downstairs. I put some water on to boil and took the pie out of the refrigerator.
Alisa came down a few minutes later. I poured tea in silence, and cut two slices of pie. She took a bite, then closed her eyes.
“This is heaven,” she said when she finally stopped chewing.
I smiled. “Yes. Best recipe I ever found. You’re not a vegetarian or anything?”
She frowned and shook her head. “No. And I’m a lousy cook. Sam usually cooks, and I’ll eat anything he wants to make.”
I was surprised. “Sam cooks? Since when? The boy never made so much as a peanut butter sandwich when he lived at home.”
She swallowed and sipped tea. “Yes, he told me. But he taught himself last year, when we started dating, and he realized that unless he wanted to eat every meal out, he’d better learn, ’cause I sure wasn’t any kind of meal ticket.” She glanced at me. “He says you’re a great cook.”
I looked modest. “I have moments of greatness.”
“He also says you’re brilliant, funny, beautiful, the perfect mother, and all-around best person ever.”
I was a little surprised. Sam had never been one to gush about anything involving human beings. “Well, I am his mother.”
“True. But he usually only gets excited about theoretical things.”
“He obviously got excited over you,” I said.
She blushed. “Well, only after I chased him all over campus and threw myself at him repeatedly. For a brainiac, he’s very dense about things.”
“I know.” I finished my pie and leaned back, then sat up again. I could feel a hot flash coming like a slow-moving train.
“I finally got his attention when I dressed as an elf at a
Lord of the Rings
mixer the CompSci department threw. If it weren’t for Galadriel, I’d be dating a law student right now.”
I was trying to look interested, but was too busy fighting the urge to pull off my shirt and fan myself with a pizza pan. “Really?”
She had finished her pie and was watching me closely. “Are you all right?”
She probably noticed the beads of sweat on my temples. “Hot flash,” I said shortly.
She nodded. “My grandma used to get those all the time,” she said.
Oh, why, thanks so much!
“Are you really dating again?”
I looked at my tea, thinking I’d rather die than put anything hot anywhere near my body. “I’m trying. I’m not exactly sure how it will all turn out.”
“I think it’s great,” she said. “I mean, Sam is the love of
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