interfering a tad too much.
Jerry went back inside as his dad came out of the bedroom. “Dad, why don’t you go comb your hair and go for a walk with me?”
“You don’t like my hair?” He reached up and smoothed it. “You should see how some of the kids wear theirs.”
His mom laughed. “You’re not a kid. You just act like—”
She stopped as Jerry turned and gave her a warning look. She rolled her eyes and ducked back into the kitchen.
“Where do you wanna go?” his dad asked.
“Just around the block. I have plans for us in a little while, and I’d like to talk to you first.”
After a brief pause, his dad nodded. “Go on outside. I’ll be right there.”
Jerry waited less than a minute before his dad joined him. “Okay, so what did I do wrong this time?”
“I never said you did anything wrong. It’s just that…well, I’ve noticed how you and Mom bicker a lot.”
His dad chuckled. “Is that what you call it? Seems to me more like nagging.”
Jerry snorted. “Dad, seriously, this has me worried.”
“That’s your problem. You worry too much. Your mother and I are fine. We’re annoyed at some things, but it’s nothing you can do anything about.” He took a few steps before adding, “None of us can do anything about it—not even the doctors.”
“I’d like to see you at least try to get along.”
The elderly man snickered. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Speaking of fun,” Jerry said, “I’ve made plans for you, Mom, and me to go to the movies with Amanda this afternoon.”
“Did you tell your mother yet?”
“No, not yet. I—”
His dad interrupted. “Why don’t you run along with Amanda and leave us here?”
“No.” The word escaped Jerry’s mouth too quickly. He cleared his throat. “I’m here with you and Mom, and I want us to do stuff together. Besides, I think Amanda might enjoy it more if it doesn’t seem like too much of a date.”
“What’s wrong with a date? Most girls like dates.”
Jerry shrugged. “I’m not sure. She seems a little skittish about anything that resembles a date, and I don’t want to frighten her.”
“I never heard that one before, but if you think it’ll help your cause with this girl, sure. It might be fun to see how my son operates.” He grabbed his collar with both hands and pretended to smooth it. “Your old man was once a very smooth operator.”
“Dad...” Jerry turned to warn his dad, but when he saw the smile quirking his father’s lips, he stopped. “This should be fun.”
By now, they’d circled the block, so they headed back to the condo. “Let me talk to your mother about our non-date with Amanda.”
Jerry laughed. “Okay, I’ll go get ready.”
When he came back out to the living room, both his parents looked him up and down. “Are you wearing that?” his mother finally asked, pointing to his clothes.
He glanced down then looked back at her. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, if you like boring.”
“Leave the boy alone,” his dad piped up. “You can’t pick out his clothes forever.”
Jerry shot him a warning look, making the elderly man chuckle. His mother pursed her lips and shook her head.
“What would you like for me to wear, Mom?”
She frowned and thought for a moment. “I guess what you have on is okay. But maybe we need to take a trip to a men’s store soon. I can help you pick out some things that are more flattering.”
“Ready?” Jerry asked and crooked his elbow in her direction.
“I s’pose,” she said as she took Jerry’s arm. “I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing, tagging along like this.”
He patted her hand. “Trust me, Mom, it’s the right thing.” Amanda was waiting outside when they pulled up to her house. Jerry wasn’t surprised.
She ran to the SUV, and he barely had time to get out, go around, and open the door for her. As soon as she got in and bucked her seat belt, she turned and grinned at his parents. “Enjoying your
Jerry went back inside as his dad came out of the bedroom. “Dad, why don’t you go comb your hair and go for a walk with me?”
“You don’t like my hair?” He reached up and smoothed it. “You should see how some of the kids wear theirs.”
His mom laughed. “You’re not a kid. You just act like—”
She stopped as Jerry turned and gave her a warning look. She rolled her eyes and ducked back into the kitchen.
“Where do you wanna go?” his dad asked.
“Just around the block. I have plans for us in a little while, and I’d like to talk to you first.”
After a brief pause, his dad nodded. “Go on outside. I’ll be right there.”
Jerry waited less than a minute before his dad joined him. “Okay, so what did I do wrong this time?”
“I never said you did anything wrong. It’s just that…well, I’ve noticed how you and Mom bicker a lot.”
His dad chuckled. “Is that what you call it? Seems to me more like nagging.”
Jerry snorted. “Dad, seriously, this has me worried.”
“That’s your problem. You worry too much. Your mother and I are fine. We’re annoyed at some things, but it’s nothing you can do anything about.” He took a few steps before adding, “None of us can do anything about it—not even the doctors.”
“I’d like to see you at least try to get along.”
The elderly man snickered. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Speaking of fun,” Jerry said, “I’ve made plans for you, Mom, and me to go to the movies with Amanda this afternoon.”
“Did you tell your mother yet?”
“No, not yet. I—”
His dad interrupted. “Why don’t you run along with Amanda and leave us here?”
“No.” The word escaped Jerry’s mouth too quickly. He cleared his throat. “I’m here with you and Mom, and I want us to do stuff together. Besides, I think Amanda might enjoy it more if it doesn’t seem like too much of a date.”
“What’s wrong with a date? Most girls like dates.”
Jerry shrugged. “I’m not sure. She seems a little skittish about anything that resembles a date, and I don’t want to frighten her.”
“I never heard that one before, but if you think it’ll help your cause with this girl, sure. It might be fun to see how my son operates.” He grabbed his collar with both hands and pretended to smooth it. “Your old man was once a very smooth operator.”
“Dad...” Jerry turned to warn his dad, but when he saw the smile quirking his father’s lips, he stopped. “This should be fun.”
By now, they’d circled the block, so they headed back to the condo. “Let me talk to your mother about our non-date with Amanda.”
Jerry laughed. “Okay, I’ll go get ready.”
When he came back out to the living room, both his parents looked him up and down. “Are you wearing that?” his mother finally asked, pointing to his clothes.
He glanced down then looked back at her. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, if you like boring.”
“Leave the boy alone,” his dad piped up. “You can’t pick out his clothes forever.”
Jerry shot him a warning look, making the elderly man chuckle. His mother pursed her lips and shook her head.
“What would you like for me to wear, Mom?”
She frowned and thought for a moment. “I guess what you have on is okay. But maybe we need to take a trip to a men’s store soon. I can help you pick out some things that are more flattering.”
“Ready?” Jerry asked and crooked his elbow in her direction.
“I s’pose,” she said as she took Jerry’s arm. “I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing, tagging along like this.”
He patted her hand. “Trust me, Mom, it’s the right thing.” Amanda was waiting outside when they pulled up to her house. Jerry wasn’t surprised.
She ran to the SUV, and he barely had time to get out, go around, and open the door for her. As soon as she got in and bucked her seat belt, she turned and grinned at his parents. “Enjoying your
Similar Books
