Mom beams at me. “You love me just the way I am.”
I stand and look at her. “You’re right, I do.” Wanting to redirect away from the subject of my sex life, I ask, “What’s next on the grocery list?”
Mom scans it. “I think we got everything.” She looks up at me. “You know, I realize this isn’t super romantic to think about, but even though you are on birth control now, it would probably be a good idea to make him use condoms. Assuming he didn’t live like a monk while he was away… he could still give you something.”
“He’s clean,” I assure her
“And what if the birth control failed? If you take antibiotics, that can throw everything off. No form of birth control is perfect except abstinence, and the cranberry juice in the cart tells me that’s not likely.”
“The cranberry juice is correct.”
“If you want, we can run over to the family planning aisle and grab a pack while we’re here. My treat,” she offers.
I shake my head. “Thank you, but no. Hunter hates condoms.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, most men do. You know what they hate more? Accidentally knocking up their girlfriends.”
I remain firm. “I’m on birth control. I’m not taking any antibiotics. We don’t need condoms.” Looking back over my shoulder, I tell her, “I do need to do a little more shopping, though. After we take this stuff home, do you want to go with me to pick out a dress?”
“Ooh, what kind of dress?”
“I need a pretty blue ballgown.”
“It has to be blue?”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be, but Hunter requested blue. It’s his favorite color, he really likes me in it. And it has to be a really nice gown, nothing cheap-looking. I have Hunter’s credit card, so price doesn’t matter. Maybe we could go to Nordstrom?” I suggest.
“Why do you need a ballgown? Oh, for winter formal?” she realizes.
“Not exactly.”
As we walk toward the checkout, I explain that Hunter’s dad is throwing a ball in New York close to Christmas, and Hunter really wants me to go so that I can meet him.
Mom stares at me hard. “He wants to take you to a ball?”
I nod.
“Like you’re Cinderella?”
“I believe there will be fewer pumpkin carriages and hopefully no evil stepmothers, but otherwise, yes.”
Mom sighs heavily. “Does this kid not understand you’re still in high school? He can take you to winter formal, but he’s not supposed to whisk you off to New York for a royal ball. That’s… I wasn’t prepared for that.”
I crack a smile. “I wasn’t either, but life is different for him. We’ll only be gone for the weekend,” I assure her.
She pouts a little. “Only the weekend, she says. This ‘you growing up’ thing is terrible. I want you to stay with me forever. You won’t miss Christmas if you go, right?”
“No, we’ll definitely be home for Christmas. And, actually, speaking of Christmas, I want to make sure we include Hunter in all our festivities this year. He doesn’t think his mom will be back for it. I guess she’s totally wrapped up in this guy she’s seeing, and I don’t want him to feel like he’s alone for Christmas.”
Mom’s expression shifts with distaste. “Ugh, that woman.”
“I know,” I murmur in agreement. “She’ll never be my favorite person, either. Hunter still loves her, of course, but I actually think his time in Italy gave him a lot more perspective than he had when he left.”
“Not being 14 also helps with that,” Mom puts in lightly. “I get what you’re saying, though, he seems like a sharp kid.”
“He is. He’s a fast learner—almost too quick. I’ve thrown him a lot of curveballs this year, he’s found a way around every one of them.”
Mom smiles faintly. “Whatever else I’ll say about Hunter, he’s certainly devoted.”
“He’s like an indestructible heat-seeking missile. Once he locks onto his target, he’ll blow through whatever he has to in order to get to it.”
“Things are going well between you, though?” she questions. “You’re happy?”
I look back at her with a smile as I help guide the cart into the checkout lane. “Oh yeah, things are great. We’re both really happy.”
Mom smiles. “Good.”
___
Even though it’s Sunday and that’s supposed to be Mom’s day—she has taken a page from Hunter’s playbook and demanded one day a week when she knows I’ll be available to her—I drive over to Hunter’s house after shopping to show him the gown I picked out.
He’s coming over for family dinner tonight, anyway. We’re cooking, so I told Mom I’d go pick him up and show him the dress while I’m at it so he knows what it looks like when he’s planning his own outfit for the ball.
The dress I bought is absolutely gorgeous. It’s a blue off-the-shoulder ballgown fashioned out of this beautiful, shimmery satin. I love the way the fabric sways when I walk. To make it sway even more dramatically, I sashay into Hunter’s bedroom once I’ve changed into it.