Page 49 of It's Always Us

MARK: Link attached. *Rental in Scottsdale*

MARK: *voice message*So you know where I am. FYI, I’m down with a sleepover. FOREVER.

ME: *voice message*Is that a formal invitation?

My lips turn up. He’s trying. I’m trying. I want it all to be enough. I want it to be so much more than enough. I want us to be a family the way I’ve always dreamed.

I climb out, knowing he and I have a lot of talking and sorting out to do.

I enter my mom’s kitchen through the back door and immediately sense that maybe I should have stayed at Slade’s.

“Oh hey, honey.” My mom turns and greets me before she’s right back to work.

I slump, asking the question I’m certain I already know the answer to. “What’s the occasion?”

I move beside her in the small, brightly painted kitchen, tossing a mixed salad. Her highlighted hair is twisted up, and she’s wearing a short, flowy dress. A vase of fresh flowers sits in the middle of the table.

I wouldn’t be suspicious, except this setup seems all too familiar. The past few times I’ve been over for dinner, we’ve ordered takeout since she’s gotten off work late, and I can’t remember the last time I saw her in a dress.

She moves on to slicing a loaf of bread and turns toward me, resting her hip on the counter.

“Well, I want you to meet someone.”

Her blue eyes brighten with a smile. I want to groan and roll my eyes, but I stop myself. Somehow, I knew this was what this show was all about. I’ve been here before, so many times.

Growing up, I always knew when a new man was sniffing around. A new wardrobe was purchased, nice dinners were put together so I could meet him, and my mom wore the same bright smile until it didn’t last.

The men were always nice and successful, but my mom never seemed to be the one they were looking for, no matter how hard she tried to be. Each time it didn’t work, I had to watch her fall apart and piece herself back together until the next one came along.

At fourteen, when she announced she was moving to Florida to follow the Financial Advisor, I’d had enough of the ups and downs and moved in with Grandpa.

“Really. Who is he?” I set the salad bowl on the table, trying to hide my complete lack of enthusiasm, but I do a sucky job.

She bites her bottom lip as if she’s already in love. My stomach and its newfound self-rule rides high in complete rebellion. I could gag, literally, but I hold it back. I don’t want to meet this man or any man. I’m too old for her short-lived love affairs.

I lean against the counter, resting my hands in the front pocket of my sweatshirt, not wanting to deal with this tonight. I want to go home and see if I catch Mark.

“I met him at work. He’s a contractor and has been working on the addition to the recreational center. He has a son about your age.”

I raise a skeptical eyebrow. “How long have you been seeing each other?”

“We’ve been out on a few dates. He brought me these flowers this morning,” she points to the ones on the table, beaming at the gesture. “He’s excited to meet you.”

Yippee.

She slices the bread while I stir the stroganoff on the stove.

“I think he might be the one,” she says softly as she sets the basket of bread on the table.

My eyeballs hit their limit and roll to where I’m pretty sure I see my brain deciding it’s time to snooze this one out. “Mom, don’t you think it’s a little soon to know that?”

She huffs, “Actually, I don’t. It’s different this time.”

Hmmm. Seems like I’ve heard this before.“Mom, that’s what you said with Ted and Rick.”

She stiffens into defensive mode. “Alex, can’t you be happy for me? I understand you ruined things with Seth, but this is important to me.”

Oh, hell no. It’s like smelling salts waft through the air, and my brain snaps to as my spine lengthens, pushing me away from the counter. “This has nothing to do with Seth. He and I weren’t right for each other. It was my fault for not seeing it sooner.”

---