Harvey, or me, to judge him before you know him. What kind of a person does that make you ?" She pointed her finger at her mom, quickly putting it back down. Holy shit. Beth's heart raced as she stared back at her, tapping her foot rapidly on the floor. She put her hand on the counter for support while she waited for a response. Her mom started laughing. What the hell? "What's so funny?"
She traded the laugh for a silent smile. "Beth, you are growing into quite the young woman. You're right. I shouldn't judge Harvey, but that doesn't mean your father and I can't look out for you." She pushed herself off the counter. "Harvey or not, please call Aunt Sue. A job isn't a bad thing. I know you know that. A smart girl like you realizes it isn't too early to start saving up some cash." Her mom approached her now, and put her hands on Beth's shoulders. "Fine. I'll give Harvey a chance." She paused. "If you get a job."
Sigh. A job would cut into her time with Harvey, but working for her aunt would give her more freedom than any other job. School was eight weeks away, and then she'd be off on her own, making her own decisions. Her mom wanted to lie down, and she wanted to be done with the conversation. "Okay." She was defeated.
Chapter Twelve
Beth wasn't uncomfortable going to her aunt's house alone; she preferred Harvey accompany her. Her mom probably filled Aunt Sue in on her relationship with Harvey, setting Beth up for an evening of interrogation. At least with Harvey along, he could save her from some of the questioning.
Approaching her mom and dad about Harvey coming with her weighed on her the whole night. Her aunt already agreed to it, but she still had to tell her parents. She either had to inform them, or let them find out from Sue, so she bit the bullet and decided on initiating the conversation.
"Hey, Dad," she said as he rushed in the door after work. He tossed his briefcase on the table. Beth sat at the counter, having pretzels for a snack. She flipped a pretzel into her mouth. "Mom! Can you come in here?" Her mom was in the living room preparing for her book club which met that evening.
Her dad took off his suit jacket and rested it on a chair. "Do you need me?" He asked as he opened the refrigerator door. "I got an urgent phone call on my way home and must get upstairs and deal with it." He bobbed his head up and down, searching the contents on the shelves. "Isn't there left over pizza or something?"
Beth pushed her bowl of pretzels aside. "Not sure, but yeah, I need to talk to you, too."
"Is it important?" He shut the door and turned around.
"Yeah, kind of," she answered as her mom came strolling in. "You can either sit or stand. Up to you."
"Which would be better?" He asked as he straightened his stance.
Better? Better would be not having the conversation at all. "It doesn't matter. I'll just talk."
"Good idea," her mom agreed.
She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I'm going to Aunt Sue's tonight to discuss the job like you suggested." Both nodded, their curiosity filling their faces. "Harvey is picking me up."
"Absolutely not," her dad cut in. "Didn't your mom discuss this with you earlier?" He accused her mom with his eyes.
"Yeah," Beth answered, "and she agreed as long as I got a job, I could see Harvey."
"Michael, I filled you in last night. Don't you remember?" Her mom left her post at the entryway to the kitchen and sat down next to Beth at the counter. "Why would you bring him with to something like this?"
Because I want to kiss him some more. I want to lose myself in his beautiful face. Those reasons wouldn't work on her parents. Good thing she prepared points in anticipation of their reaction. "Mom, even though it's only Aunt Sue, I don't want to go alone."
"So bring Lucy." Her dad logically concluded.
"Lucy made plans with Jackson." Ha! Counterpoint! "Besides, Mom, you're itching for more information about Harvey. Think of Aunt Sue as your personal spy. I'm certain
She traded the laugh for a silent smile. "Beth, you are growing into quite the young woman. You're right. I shouldn't judge Harvey, but that doesn't mean your father and I can't look out for you." She pushed herself off the counter. "Harvey or not, please call Aunt Sue. A job isn't a bad thing. I know you know that. A smart girl like you realizes it isn't too early to start saving up some cash." Her mom approached her now, and put her hands on Beth's shoulders. "Fine. I'll give Harvey a chance." She paused. "If you get a job."
Sigh. A job would cut into her time with Harvey, but working for her aunt would give her more freedom than any other job. School was eight weeks away, and then she'd be off on her own, making her own decisions. Her mom wanted to lie down, and she wanted to be done with the conversation. "Okay." She was defeated.
Chapter Twelve
Beth wasn't uncomfortable going to her aunt's house alone; she preferred Harvey accompany her. Her mom probably filled Aunt Sue in on her relationship with Harvey, setting Beth up for an evening of interrogation. At least with Harvey along, he could save her from some of the questioning.
Approaching her mom and dad about Harvey coming with her weighed on her the whole night. Her aunt already agreed to it, but she still had to tell her parents. She either had to inform them, or let them find out from Sue, so she bit the bullet and decided on initiating the conversation.
"Hey, Dad," she said as he rushed in the door after work. He tossed his briefcase on the table. Beth sat at the counter, having pretzels for a snack. She flipped a pretzel into her mouth. "Mom! Can you come in here?" Her mom was in the living room preparing for her book club which met that evening.
Her dad took off his suit jacket and rested it on a chair. "Do you need me?" He asked as he opened the refrigerator door. "I got an urgent phone call on my way home and must get upstairs and deal with it." He bobbed his head up and down, searching the contents on the shelves. "Isn't there left over pizza or something?"
Beth pushed her bowl of pretzels aside. "Not sure, but yeah, I need to talk to you, too."
"Is it important?" He shut the door and turned around.
"Yeah, kind of," she answered as her mom came strolling in. "You can either sit or stand. Up to you."
"Which would be better?" He asked as he straightened his stance.
Better? Better would be not having the conversation at all. "It doesn't matter. I'll just talk."
"Good idea," her mom agreed.
She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I'm going to Aunt Sue's tonight to discuss the job like you suggested." Both nodded, their curiosity filling their faces. "Harvey is picking me up."
"Absolutely not," her dad cut in. "Didn't your mom discuss this with you earlier?" He accused her mom with his eyes.
"Yeah," Beth answered, "and she agreed as long as I got a job, I could see Harvey."
"Michael, I filled you in last night. Don't you remember?" Her mom left her post at the entryway to the kitchen and sat down next to Beth at the counter. "Why would you bring him with to something like this?"
Because I want to kiss him some more. I want to lose myself in his beautiful face. Those reasons wouldn't work on her parents. Good thing she prepared points in anticipation of their reaction. "Mom, even though it's only Aunt Sue, I don't want to go alone."
"So bring Lucy." Her dad logically concluded.
"Lucy made plans with Jackson." Ha! Counterpoint! "Besides, Mom, you're itching for more information about Harvey. Think of Aunt Sue as your personal spy. I'm certain
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