Page 64 of My Rock Star Neighbor
“It’s not a full-on hike,” I say.“It’s a walk to a waterfall.”
“That sounds good too,” she says.
We turn off at the exit, and I pull onto a dirt path with a hiking trail sign.A bunch of cars are parked here.We exit the car, and both of us attach ice cleats to our boots because I know the path will be slick.
“These are cool,” Maddie says.“This is a whole other side of you.”
We walk carefully down the path, each finding a stick to use for balance.It’s about a quarter mile, the snow and ice crunching under our feet, and then the wooded path opens up to this lake with an amazing waterfall.The white water rushes down, and the whooshing sound is soothing.I take a deep breath of the fresh pine-scented air.
“Wow,” Maddie says.
“I know,” I said.“My mom showed this to me when she first moved here.I come here sometimes when I’m feeling blocked.”
“Yes, I can see why,” she says.“It makes me feel like it’s all going to work out.”
I watch Maddie take it all in—her face glowing, her cheeks pink from the cold.I want to stay in this moment, being here with her as we absorb the beauty of this winter wonderland.Snow flurries float down.Maddie sticks out her tongue to catch one.I feel such a yearning for this—a lifetime of these moments with her.I swallow and look back over the lake to find my center again.Music.The wind whistles through the trees.
Eventually, we walk back to the car, not needing to talk, appreciating the nature around us.
We remove our cleats, and I put them back in their bag.It’s only a few miles to my mom’s house.
As Maddie clips in her seat belt, she turns to me.“I don’t really feel comfortable lying to your mom that we’re dating.Can’t we tell her the truth?”
Bringing Maddie to meet my mom is such a bad idea.I should have told my mom that Maddie was in the middle of a work assignment and didn’t have time to meet.Why didn’t I do that?
Maddie repeats her question.
“It’s okay.I don’t think she’s actually excited I’m dating someone.She probably wants to warn you about the pitfalls.Then when we break up, she can say she told me so.”I pull out of the parking lot, heading back onto the country roads.
I bite my lip as I make another turn on these narrow country lanes.I hadn’t wanted to admit that, but it will be obvious when we meet my mom, so it’s better to prepare Maddie.
Maddie turns to face me.“C’mon… I’m sure your mom wants you to be happy.”
“She wants me to be happy…doing marketing or accounting,” I say.Maybe a tinge of bitterness slips through.“I would tell her, but her roommates can’t keep secrets.That’s how the fact that Christina and I were dating leaked.I was talking to my mom about Christina, and the next thing I knew, there was an article inThe Squirreltitled ‘Who is Nick Devlin dating?’”
“She has roommates?”
“She bought the house with two female friends.They fell in love with the house on some group trip up here.They all have hobbies, and each has a hobby room.”
“That’s cool,” Maddie says.
“She’s happy,” I say.“And I’m happy that she’s happy.”I glance over at Maddie.She’s got that look when she wants to ask a million questions, but she’s wrestling with herself to decide what the best approach is.
“What is her hobby?”Maddie asks.
She’s decided to back off for now.I don’t doubt she’ll ask me more questions later.But once she meets my mom, she’ll understand what I meant.I’ve met Maddie’s mom in the hallway, and they seem to have a more normal mother-child relationship, if a little strained because Maddie doesn’t want to take over her cookie business.
“She knits, but her friend makes minis.That’s why I told you the mini knit sweater was a perfect gift for her.Not that you needed to bring a gift.”
“I can’t meet your mom and not bring a gift,” Maddie says.“How do you know for sure it was her roommate?”
Maddie hasn’t backed down.
“Her roommate apologized.Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known.”
“Your mom doesn’t miss New York?”she asks, changing the subject.
I point to the bag in the back.“She misses some things about New York.She sends me a list of food to bring up.But she loves the fresh smell of the countryside.And the views.You’ll understand when you see her house.”
