Page 25 of Saving You Losing Me

She turns to me and sees the flowers.

“Oh, they’re beautiful. Who sent them?”

I hand her the card and her eyes shine as she reads the words.

“That’s wonderful darling. I could tell he was interested in you and if you play this right, we could be announcing your engagement before you leave for college. Your future would be guaranteed.”

“Um, about that, mom.”

She groans. “Tell me over coffee. From the look of you, I’m not going to enjoy this conversation.”

I follow her into the kitchen and we take our seats at the table while we wait for Vikki to return and mom removes a cigarette from her silver case and lights it.

“Don’t tell your father.” She snaps as she takes a drag. “God knows I need this, but he believes I gave up years ago.”

“Surely he can smell it.” I wrinkle my nose and she shrugs.

“If he has mentioned it, I’ve blamed it on you as the recklessness of youth and he accepts it’s a phase you will probably go through.”

Wow, mom is something else and yet I seize the moment.

“Talking about secrets, I have one I don’t want to keep to myself.”

Her eyes light with interest.

“I’m listening.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

She says with excitement. “Michael?”

“No.”

She leans forward. “Then who?”

“His name is Atom.”

I enjoy the confusion on her face as she attempts to place the name and I add, “He’s in a motorcycle club and soon to run a new business in town.”

It’s as if I announced my engagement to the devil as she screams, her hands flying to her face in horror and I’m interested to watch the lit cigarette end hovering close to her eye.

“A motorcycle club! Have you lost your mind?”

Vikki enters the room at this point and mom yells, “Did she tell you about this, Vikki? That Clara Gladstone, the daughter we invested so much in, has decided to cheapen herself with a gang leader?”

Vikki is startled and I rescue her quickly, “Of course not. You are the first to know.”

Mom is almost hyperventilating, and takes several deep breaths before she can speak.

“That’s good. Thank God even because we can head this scandal off at the pass. Break up with him—immediately—before your father finds out.”

“Or what?”

I lean back in my seat and she gasps, “Or what? Who are you because you’re not the sweet innocent daughter I raised who respects her parents?”

“I’m eighteen now, mom. I can make my own decisions.”

“NO YOU CAN’T!” she shrieks and waves her hand at Vikki. “Pour me a stiff brandy, Vikki. I may faint at any moment.”

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