Page 32 of The Dating Contract

Yet the discussion at the table was easy, the conversation contrary to everything going on. Even more wonderful, the Union were playing baseball on a Friday night, which meant his father and brother-in-law were glued to the television.

“Can you stop yelling at the announcers?” Tommy asked from his usual perch next to his father-in-law. Samuel’s father and brother-in-law could talk baseball in general, and the Union in specific, for hours.

Samuel himself was a casual fan, not as steeped in the analytics of the situation as either Tommy or his father. “They’re clearly biased,” he scoffed. “I can’t help it.”

“Maybe you can leave and help me instead?”

His mother stood just by the doorframe, smiling at the assembled crowd, Aaron having gone upstairs to organize some things the second dinner was over.

Annoyed that nobody else was getting up to help, and glad to lend a hand, Samuel turned to his mother and smiled. “Coming,” he said, leaving Tommy to watch the game with Samuel’s father, unencumbered by his opinions of the announcers who clearly favored the losing team, the ones not wearing the Union’s pinstripes.

As they headed into the kitchen, his mother looked in his direction and shook her head.

“What?” he asked. “You have this look on your face.”

“Well that’s because you don’t look good,” she said once the door to the kitchen swung closed. “What’s wrong?”

He blinked. “I’m fine,” he said. “Really.”

“I know my son,” she said pausing to ruffle his hair.

He was in his thirties and his mother was ruffling his hair. He sighed, shook his head and smiled. “I’m fine.”

“Is it your dating life?” she asked, as if she hadn’t heard him speak. “Do you need me to set you up? I know nice people.”

He sighed. This was the conversation he’d expected from his mother earlier in the day when he’d first arrived in Briarwood, telling her that he was going to have a busy weekend. “I’m fine, Ma, but you…” He trailed off and then pulled himself together. “You have a son who’s happily married, Ma. What’s going on? Why this now?”

“You mistake me,” she said.

He nodded, gestured with his hand. “So tell me. Why this now?”

“I wantbothmy sonshappy,” his mother said, before pressing the start buttons on the dishwasher and turning toward the coffee maker. “Married, single, with grandchildren, grandpets…doesn’t matter.”

He nodded. That was reasonable.

“And you?” His mother patted his shoulder before rolling up her sleeves. And wiping down the counter. “You are not happy.”

“I’m fine, Ma,” he repeated. “Really.”

His mother shook her head. “I’m your mother. You cannot fool me.”

“He’s stressed, “Aaron said as he entered the room. Of course his brother would have something to say about commitments and stress. “He’s overcommitting himself with no real plan because he’s afraid.”

“I’m enjoying myself,” Samuel said, trying to explain what was going on to both his brother and his mother. “I’m finally at the stage of my career where I’m doing what I’ve always wanted, not just one thing…”

“You’re getting noticed,” Aaron said, as if he was explaining life to both him and his mother. As if Samuel didn’t understand his own life or career. “Just don’t enjoy it too much or you’ll end up stuck in a place you don’t want to be.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted again. “I’m finally figuring things out.”

“See that you do,” his mother said looking back and forth between them. “Both of you need to go to your separate corners. Give each other a break. It’s Shabbat.”

In the brief silence, Samuel could hear Tommy and his father yelling happily at the television.

Yep. It was Shabbas.

Life, he decided, no matter how busy he was, was good.

*

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