Page 51 of Catching Our Moment
After last Saturday’s trip, Kelcie signed me up for daily massages with Derek at her office. We went early in the morning before the office opened to utilize the cardio equipment, stretch, and work on resistance exercises. For the rest of the day, I studied film, took calls from my management team, and puttered around the house until it was time for Aaron to get home from school. Then, he and I would meet the kids for some time at the park. In the evenings, we usually ate together, then Aaron would do his homework, and Kelcie would help me with my evening stretches before I went back to my empty side of the duplex.
Tonight, however, I’d have to do my stretches alone. Kelcie had texted earlier to let me know that she had plans. When I’d asked if she wanted me to hang with Aaron, she’d said Gracie was coming by to pick up Aaron for a sleepover.
Aaron and I had just gotten back from the park—the sun was setting earlier this time of year—and were sitting in the porch chairs with our sports drinks before heading in to clean up.
“So, you’re going for a sleepover tonight. What’s the special occasion?” I said, leaning back in my chair. I took a gulp of my red sports drink.
“Mom has a date.”
Red liquid sprayed out of my mouth, creating an abstract expressionism effect on the white railing across from me. It looked like something my interior designer in Charlotte would’ve insisted was just perfect for my penthouse.
I choked out the rest. “Your mom has a date?”
Aaron stared at his bottle. “Yep. You made a mess.”
“With whom?”
“Some guy with a bad knee.”
Then he couldn’t run. I could take him.
“How…” I cleared my throat. “When did that happen? Has she dated anyone since…since you moved here?” Jeez. How did I not know about this?
“No,” he said then tilted his head, looking up at the clouds coming in. “You need to clean that up.”
Okay. Maybe I wasn’t as out of touch with her?—
“Except for when Auntie Aliya wanted to introduce her to a guy named Bob.”
“Bob?”
“Yeah. But mom said she already knew a Bob and was perfectly fine.”
What the hell?
“Auntie Aliya said this Bob was popular, and she really thought they should meet. He came with lots of bells and whistles.”
Then it clicked. Bob. No. It couldn’t be. My mouth hung open in disbelief.
I wanted—no, I needed—information…more information. But not out of the mouth of her son.
“I got the feeling he was an electrician or into computers or something. But I don’t think my mom wants to date anyone like that. She told Auntie Aliya, ‘I just need the basics—you know, something too technical won’t work for me.’ Then she said something about not wanting a Bob with a rabbit or a dolphin or anything crazy like that. Hey, are you okay?”
I couldn’t breathe.
I stood up, took off my shirt, and wiped my sports drink off the railing to camouflage my expression and focused on breathing.
“No. I’m good,” my voice broke, and my breathing became more labored. I was storing this tidbit of information away for just the right moment. It deserved maximum effect.
“Oh, she also said she had to make sure Bob was quiet so I wouldn’t hear him,” he said. “But she knows I hear everything. And why would she want someone to be quiet in the house?” He put his hands on his hips, mimicking a man three times his age. “Do you think she’s sneaking guys into the house?”
I fell over on my hands and knees and buried my head.
“Shaw? Are you upset? Maybe we need to have a talk with her.”
I let it out. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears ran down my face, and I wiped them away. “No, I don’t think she’s doing anything wrong.”
He tilted his head, staring out. “Yeah. You’re right. I’d catch her. She knows that.”
