everything okay?”
She let go of me and hopped off the bed, nodding. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m gonna
head over to my dorm and get my bag.”
As she walked to the door, she glanced over her shoulder and said, “Text me
when you’re done and I’ll meet you at your car.”
“All right.”
Vanessa left right after, obviously bothered by something, but deciding not to
discuss it with me. I thought back to her relationships; probably she was
beating herself up for getting into such a situation where she had to choose
one and hurt the other. I only hoped she’d choose the right one.
Momma was more thrilled than I was when Branden came to our house for dinner
that night. She’d cooked her favorite beef stew dish with potatoes, carrots,
and rice on the side. I whipped up strawberry trifle for dessert. Branden was
stuffed by the time we finished.
Then we moved into the living room to relax. The second we made ourselves
comfortable—Momma in the armchair, me and Branden on the crimson sofa—she went
right to questioning him.
“So, what are your plans once you finish school, Branden? We never did get a
chance to talk about that.”
“No, ma’am, we didn’t. Actually, even though I’ll have a Bachelor’s Degree in
International Business,” he sat out on the sofa and folded his hands, looking
her straight in the eye. “I’d love to be a professional hockey player.”
Hearing him say that made me shiver a tad. Could he really handle it? I had no
idea how terrified I was of losing him.
“Hockey?” momma clarified. I jumped out of my thoughts. “I’m afraid I don’t
know much about that sport, but it sounds like a plan to me.” She gazed over at
me, smiling halfway as if pleased. “I like when young men have ambition. They
want to go somewhere and make something of themselves. I think you’re just fine
for my baby girl.”
“I’m not a baby anymore, Momma,” I reminded.
She waved me off. “You’ll still be my baby girl even when you’re fifty.”
Branden couldn’t help a laugh. He looked at me in such a way, my stomach did
flip-flops. Then his eyes steered away from mine, and began penetrating the
hardwood floor. His smile faded. He appeared troubled.
“How are your parents doing?” asked Momma, bringing his attention back to her. “I
was thinking we should set something up when it gets warmer; maybe a picnic in
the park with everybody. What ya’ll think?”
“That’s a good idea,” he replied.
“It is, huh?” I squeezed his hand.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” She stood from the armchair and walked around to the
storage trunk behind the sofa. Momma took out a gift wrapped box and reached it
over to him. She giggled with excitement, clasping her hands together as she
sat down.
“Oh you didn’t have to, Ms. Douglas—”
“None of that now, sweetie,” she shushed. “Open it.”
Waiting to see what it was, I said, “I’m curious myself. You didn’t tell me you
got Branden a gift, Momma.”
“I only bought it today.”
Branden tore the blue wrapping off and opened it up. Moving away the white
paper inside, we saw it was two dress shirts and ties. He took them out to see
them better.
“Thank you, Ms. Douglas. It’s really nice of you.”
Momma gushed, fanning him off. “You’re welcome, dear. An early Christmas
present, since I won’t see you on Wednesday and my daughter keeps you all to
herself,” she eyeballed me in a playful way.
“No I don’t,” I countered. “I bring him by every so often.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
She shook her head, gazing at both of us. “Branden, I don’t know what you did,
or how you did it, but I am so glad my daughter met you.”
“Oh geez, you make it seem as if I was horrible before.”
“I think she’s saying we’re great together,” Branden helped her.
“Well, if you say
She let go of me and hopped off the bed, nodding. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m gonna
head over to my dorm and get my bag.”
As she walked to the door, she glanced over her shoulder and said, “Text me
when you’re done and I’ll meet you at your car.”
“All right.”
Vanessa left right after, obviously bothered by something, but deciding not to
discuss it with me. I thought back to her relationships; probably she was
beating herself up for getting into such a situation where she had to choose
one and hurt the other. I only hoped she’d choose the right one.
Momma was more thrilled than I was when Branden came to our house for dinner
that night. She’d cooked her favorite beef stew dish with potatoes, carrots,
and rice on the side. I whipped up strawberry trifle for dessert. Branden was
stuffed by the time we finished.
Then we moved into the living room to relax. The second we made ourselves
comfortable—Momma in the armchair, me and Branden on the crimson sofa—she went
right to questioning him.
“So, what are your plans once you finish school, Branden? We never did get a
chance to talk about that.”
“No, ma’am, we didn’t. Actually, even though I’ll have a Bachelor’s Degree in
International Business,” he sat out on the sofa and folded his hands, looking
her straight in the eye. “I’d love to be a professional hockey player.”
Hearing him say that made me shiver a tad. Could he really handle it? I had no
idea how terrified I was of losing him.
“Hockey?” momma clarified. I jumped out of my thoughts. “I’m afraid I don’t
know much about that sport, but it sounds like a plan to me.” She gazed over at
me, smiling halfway as if pleased. “I like when young men have ambition. They
want to go somewhere and make something of themselves. I think you’re just fine
for my baby girl.”
“I’m not a baby anymore, Momma,” I reminded.
She waved me off. “You’ll still be my baby girl even when you’re fifty.”
Branden couldn’t help a laugh. He looked at me in such a way, my stomach did
flip-flops. Then his eyes steered away from mine, and began penetrating the
hardwood floor. His smile faded. He appeared troubled.
“How are your parents doing?” asked Momma, bringing his attention back to her. “I
was thinking we should set something up when it gets warmer; maybe a picnic in
the park with everybody. What ya’ll think?”
“That’s a good idea,” he replied.
“It is, huh?” I squeezed his hand.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” She stood from the armchair and walked around to the
storage trunk behind the sofa. Momma took out a gift wrapped box and reached it
over to him. She giggled with excitement, clasping her hands together as she
sat down.
“Oh you didn’t have to, Ms. Douglas—”
“None of that now, sweetie,” she shushed. “Open it.”
Waiting to see what it was, I said, “I’m curious myself. You didn’t tell me you
got Branden a gift, Momma.”
“I only bought it today.”
Branden tore the blue wrapping off and opened it up. Moving away the white
paper inside, we saw it was two dress shirts and ties. He took them out to see
them better.
“Thank you, Ms. Douglas. It’s really nice of you.”
Momma gushed, fanning him off. “You’re welcome, dear. An early Christmas
present, since I won’t see you on Wednesday and my daughter keeps you all to
herself,” she eyeballed me in a playful way.
“No I don’t,” I countered. “I bring him by every so often.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
She shook her head, gazing at both of us. “Branden, I don’t know what you did,
or how you did it, but I am so glad my daughter met you.”
“Oh geez, you make it seem as if I was horrible before.”
“I think she’s saying we’re great together,” Branden helped her.
“Well, if you say
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