Page 50 of Blue Moon Love

The thought of my mom knowing that Sam and I hooked up, the questions that would follow, and the complications this would bring into my life, made my mouth go dry, and I started to feel dizzy. I picked up my OJ to try and fix both symptoms.

As I took a drink, my mom smiled as she waved her hand between us. “You two are so cute.” Her eyes landed on Sam. “Do you remember when you used to climb into Amorina’s bedroom and spend the night?”

Her inquiry caused me to choke on my orange juice as I sputtered, “You knew?!”

I’d always been terrified that my parents would find out, and I’d get grounded or my window would be nailed shut. But this whole time…she knew?

My mom's arms flew in the air. “Of course, I knew. I know everything.”

“Did Dad know?”

Her nose scrunched as she pursed her lips. She shook her head. “No, no, no, your father would have got his shotgun. No, why tell him something that will just raise his blood pressure? Now, enough talk! Go get dressed! I have to be back in town to get my hair done at two.” My mom snapped a dish towel that seemingly materialized from nowhere toward me.

I stood and walked out of the kitchen. When I looked back, my mom was clearing the table and wrapping up the breakfast food while lecturing Sam that he needed to eat more and get some meat on his bones. It was the same thing she always told my brothers. If it were up to her, they’d be four hundred pounds.

Before I rounded the corner, Sam’s eyes met mine, and a small, knowing grin tugged at his lips. It made my heart and stomach do somersaults. We hadn’t had a chance to talk, but I knew that we’d be okay.

It took me fifteen minutes to shower and get dressed; when I came out, I found my mom dusting my bookshelf. The woman never stopped. I wasn’t surprised that Sam was gone. As much as he loved my mom, she could be a lot. Especially when she was wound up, which she was because of her “surprise” party.

“Okay, I’m ready,” I announced with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

“Good, good, good!” she exclaimed, but continued dusting the top shelf.

Before we made it out the door, my mom put a load from my washing machine into my dryer, put away the dishes from breakfast that were in the drying rack (she didn’t trust dishwashers), and reorganized my spice rack.

Fifteen minutes later, we were in the car and headed to the Parrish Creek shopping mall. The first twenty minutes of our drive, I listened as she filled me in on all the gossip of the over-sixty crowd in town and what my brother Mason was up to.

When there was a lull in the conversation, meaning she took a breath, I asked, “Why didn’t you ever say anything about Sam sneaking in?”

Her lips pursed, and she shook her head from side to side. “That boy had a lot going on at home. You were always his safe place. I knew that he respected us and would never do anything to disrespect our home.”

Wow. That was a lot of trust to put in a teenage boy.

She sliced her eyes toward me. “It was you I didn’t trust.”

“Me?!” I touched my hand to my chest in shock.

Little did she know I was as pure as the driven snow. Or at least I was until last night.

“Yes you. But then, I think, if you were going to do something, at least our Sammy loves you.”

Yeah, like a sister. Or at least, that’s how he’d been with me before last night. Now, I didn’t know what to think. Or feel. Or do.

Everything felt different, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

22

SAM

“Do ya need a straw so you can drink a can of suck it up?” ~ Archie “Witty” Whitlock

“Well, hello, Officer Whitlock.” Judy Haines beamed from behind the front desk at Sunset Acres. Today, her long salt-and-pepper hair was worn down; usually, it was in a braid. And I noticed that she had some makeup on, which I’d only ever seen her wear for church. A little lipstick, eye shadow, and mascara.

“Hello, beautiful. You got a hot date later?”

“Just might.” Her smile widened as she picked up the receiver of the phone. “He’s been waitin’ on you in the rec room for over an hour.”

“I’ll go get him.” Witty was my date for Kenna’s parents’ anniversary party.

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