Her mother butted in. “What did you two talk about?”
Rae cleared her throat. “Just about college. Decisions. You know, how she thought she wanted to be one thing, but is now making a life change. Or career change. Or something like that.”
I nodded. “What did she want to be?”
Rae snickered. “A vet tech. Until she realized she couldn’t handle sick pets.”
I chuckled. “Wait, really?”
She nodded. “Yeah, really. So, now she’s living back with her parents and finishing up a dental hygienist degree. Says it’s the happiest she’s ever been.”
Her mother scoffed. “And she’s working at the grocery store to make ends meet? Doesn’t sound like much of a life.”
Rae licked her lips. “It’s admirable when someone wants to work for something better, Mom.”
Her mother shrugged. “I don’t know. Seems kitschy to me.”
I blinked. “Working toward a life that makes someone strong and independent is kitschy?”
Rae tossed me another look. “I found the conversation very uplifting, actually. Really reassuring. You know, just in case I’m making the wrong decision.”
Her mother put her hand over Rae’s forearm. “Which is why I’m telling you to take a year off. Come on, Rae. What’s a year going to do? If anything, it’ll only reaffirm what you’re doing now and you can go off to college wi
th confidence.”
I sighed. “Or, she can follow the path she’s leading now and make herself stronger through facing her fears.”
Rae pursed her lips. “I’m not scared. I’m just wary. There’s a difference.”
Her mother sighed. “It’s okay to be scared if you are. All the more reason to take the year. You’ve got a home here. You’ve got a job at the grocery store. You've got Clint here.”
I butted in. “Don’t bring me into this as a reason for her to stay behind.”
Rae closed her eyes. “Will you two stop it?”
I leaned back into my chair as her mother drew in a deep breath. Then Rae’s cheeks puffed out with her own heavy sigh.
“It was just a nice conversation. Nothing more. Nothing less. Sorry I brought it up.”
Her mother smiled softly. “And thank you for sharing it with us. All I want you to know is that you have options. My door will always be open to you. On the one hand, I hate that this girl wasted so much time and money figuring out what she wanted to do. But, on the other hand, it’s her journey. And I can respect that.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Her mother nodded. “Just know that the worst that could happen is that a year off changes your mind. Which isn’t a bad thing. And best case scenario? You go back to school next fall with the reassurance you need.”
“I know, Mom.”
“And if you stay on this path? There are a lot of very lucky children right now being born who will have you as their teacher. As their guiding light.”
“I appreciate that, Mom.”
Luciana was so hard to pin down. On the one hand, she had pride in her voice when it came to talking about Rae. And on the other? She was trying too hard to get her to stay behind. Rae was so much bigger than this place. So much better. And the idea of her mother having one more year of influence on the girl I loved made me sick. I didn’t want her turning out like her mother. Just like I didn't want to turn out like my damn father. She deserved better than that. She deserved a better life than this. Better than the dilapidated house and the men coming and going from her mother’s bedroom and her mother begging for money like a fucking child.
But I saw the way Rae’s shoulders slumped. Something was up, and I knew it wasn’t just about the money. Or the decisions. Or going off to college. Something else was in the works here, and that worried me.
What hadn’t she told me yet?
Had she told that co-worker of hers?