Page 57 of Second Round

Meet TheChildren

Jackie

“Mom, do you have a boyfriend?”Tristan asked me at dinnerFriday.

I managed not to drop a casserole dish full of macaroni and cheese right onto the dining room floor, because that would have answered the question withabang.

“Why are you asking me that?” Ihedged.

“I was over at Wyatt’s, and his mom asked me about your newboyfriend.”

Well, eff you very much, Wendy. Why would she not ask me a question like that directly? Then I remembered guiltily that I had turned down several requests from her to go out for coffee or a run. Between packing up the house and doing the paintings for my show in the fall, I’d beentoobusy.

The fact that she knew was no surprise. The first time Leo had parked his car in front of my house, she probably ran his plates or something. She was Block Watch and TMZ all rolled up in one ankle-bootedpackage.

“I have started dating.” This wasn’t exactly how I’d pictured breaking the news to the kids. Hannah pretended to be absorbed in pouring water. There was a short silence as everyone helped themselves todinner.

“Who?” Tristan finallyasked.

“It’s Leo Gauthier,” Ianswered.

“Whoever that is.” Hannah was in full-throttlesarcasm.

“He’s the hockey coach whose apartment Idecorated.”

Silent chewing greeted thisremark.

I could tell that Tristan was done with the topic now, but Hannah looked upset. So after dinner, I went to her room. I knocked on her door and waited. The old knock-and-walk-in wasforbiddennow.

“Comein.”

She was sitting on her bed with her laptop open. Minx was snoozing next to her. I sat downbesidethem.

“How’s the homeworkgoing?”

“Good, I’malmostdone.”

“Listen, I need to make a website for my paintings. Do you think you could help mewiththat?”

Hannah eyed me with a mix of suspicion and excitement. She loved being the expert, but she must have been wondering if this was a bribe. “Will Igetpaid?”

“Paid? Well, I thought you could give me pointers. You have a website,don’tyou?”

“I have a Tumblr page. It’s probably not what you need.” She closed her laptop. “I guess you don’t want to spend money,right?”

“Right. It’s something that the gallery lady suggested that I have, but I’m not expecting to make money oranything.”

“I’ll check into your options,” Hannah answered. Then she made a little note in her glittery blue planner. Hannah was more organized than me. She stretched out on the bed, rubbed Minx’s fat belly, and then the purringbegan.

Time to broach the big issue. I cleared my throat. “I’m really sorry about the way that whole dating thing went down. I wanted to tell you properly, but I didn’t feel like there wasanyrush.”

“It’s no big deal. But it is a double standard.” She rolled onto her back. Her eyebrows were knotted in a frown. “If I went out with someone and didn’t tell you, you’d haveafit.”

“That’s completely different. I’m yourmother.”

“It’s not different. If you get to have a private life, Ishouldtoo.”

I frowned. Hannah liked to argue, but she knew that these two things were not parallel. “A young girl needs guidance because the things she does have consequences for the rest of her life. I’m responsibleforyou.”

---