Page 70 of August
“No Call of Duty?” she asked when Adele walked down the stairs and sat next to her.
“He’s in the shower. We’ll play when he’s done. Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Myra’s cool,” Adele said.
“She is, yeah.” Elisa smiled, unable to hold it in.
“You like her.”
“Of course, I like her.”
“No, I mean, you like her. Youlikelike her.”
Elisa turned toward her and asked, “So, you picked up on that?”
“Yeah, it’s obvious. AJ is just a dumbass.”
Elisa shook her head and said, “Stop calling–”
“I love him. It’s just teasing. He knows that. Anyway, you like her.”
“Yes, I do. Honey, Myra and I are dating. I didn’t know how to bring it up with you and your brother tonight.”
Adele nodded and said, “She likes you, too.”
“I think she might.”
“No, she does. It’s obvious,” Adele replied, shrugging a shoulder.
“Is that okay? That we’re dating?”
“Totally,” Adele replied. “Mom, I want you to be happy. If you want to go out with Myra, go for it.”
“Thank you.”
“I know AJ and I aren’t making things any easier on you by asking to go back to Dad’s to be with our friends.”
“I understand. You–”
“We’ll figure it out, okay?”
“Figurewhatout?”
“The breaks thing; we’ll figure it out. I want to go back this weekend for my date, but we can figure it out together about fall break and all that. I don’t want you to have to stay in that guest house. I know Dad didn’t exactly make it easy on you, and neither did we. You should stay here, Mom. You should stay and be with Myra if that’s what you want.”
“It’s only a two-hour drive for–”
“Mom, I know, okay? I mean, I can never know what you gave up for us, but I get it. I can see it now. You gave up everything to have us and to be at home with us when we were little. You put up with Dad not being there the whole time, and you stayed because of us when you knew you weregay. You did all that for us. We can figure out how to see our friends and still spend time with you here. We can dothatfor you.”
Elisa’s eyes welled with tears because her little girl really had grown up, slowly and yet seemingly at once at the same time.
“Myra?” Adele asked with a smirk when Elisa’s phone buzzed before any of her tears fell.
“Yes,” she said, laughing a little as she wiped her eyes at the few that did.
“I’m going up to play stupid video games. You should call her if you want.” Adele leaned in and hugged her hard. “I love you, Mom.”
