family wasn't really supportive. She moved in with my dad and his parents when I was only a few months old. My dad, Cole, went into the Army after he graduated and then my parents got married on Christmas Eve when my mom was a senior in high school. I was two. My dad was shipping out overseas and he wanted me and my mom to be taken care of." I paused in my story and looked over at Will.
He was sitting rather calmly, looking out the front window. He didn't show any signs my story had offended him in any way. I was used to my personal history being public knowledge in Centerville, but it felt weird to be telling it to someone I barely knew.
"So what happened after that?" he asked.
"Well, my dad was killed, and then it was just me and Mom. She moved us into the cabin a few months later and we've been there ever since," I finished.
"Wow, so it really has just been you and your mom," he said.
"Yeah, but it hasn't been bad or anything. Mom's really cool and she gives me a lot of space," I said, briefly wondering why I was sharing so much with him.
"So what does your mom do for a living? I'm sure she didn't go to college if she had you."
A little voice in the back of my mind started whispering then, but it wasn't loud, so I ignored it. "Actually, she has an Associate's degree from Lincoln County Community College in office administration. It took her three years, but she finished." I smiled at him, even though I was a little offended.
"Where were you when she was going to school? I mean, did she go at night or during the day?"
"She took classes when she could and I stayed with my grandparents. They live just a little way from the cabin. In fact, the cabin is actually theirs. My grandfather offered it to my mom after my dad died. She needed to get out of the house. There were too many memories there, she said." I grimaced.
We drove in silence for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what Will was thinking. He looked over at me and smiled, then reached over and took my hand.
"I don't think we should go to the movies anymore. Let's go find someplace where we can talk some more. You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh, um, I guess not," I said, a little disappointed. I'd been looking forward to seeing the movie, but I didn't want to be a downer, either. I was finally feeling happy again and I knew it was because of Will.
We went to a little diner in Riverside and sat there talking for the rest of the night. My head was spinning by the time he dropped me back off at the cabin. We had agreed to see each other again the next day, and I couldn't have been more excited.
Will was everything I had hoped. He was so solicitous â holding doors open for me, keeping his hand on the small of my back when we walked, and picking up the check. He was interested in me, and it was a heady feeling after being so depressed for all those months.
We kissed at my front door, and when I went inside, my head was still spinning. My stomach felt like it was full of little wings and my heart was about to leap from my chest.
"Do I even need to ask how your date was?" Mom asked from the couch. I looked up to where she was curled on the couch with a book and gave her a radiant smile.
"I guess you had a good time. Are you going to see him again soon?"
"Tomorrow."
Mom's face showed her surprise, but I didn't want to talk about it then. I was still riding the tide of happiness I had come through the door on. "He's going to call in the morning and then come over. We're going to do some homework and then maybe go out to dinner," I said before she could voice her surprise.
My mom took a deep breath before saying anything. "I'm glad you had a good time, and if he makes you happy, then it's nice to know that you're getting to know him better." She was obviously not saying what she had originally intended to say.
"Good night." I smiled to her and walked quickly to my bedroom before she could say anything else. I wanted to relish the happy feelings still coursing through
He was sitting rather calmly, looking out the front window. He didn't show any signs my story had offended him in any way. I was used to my personal history being public knowledge in Centerville, but it felt weird to be telling it to someone I barely knew.
"So what happened after that?" he asked.
"Well, my dad was killed, and then it was just me and Mom. She moved us into the cabin a few months later and we've been there ever since," I finished.
"Wow, so it really has just been you and your mom," he said.
"Yeah, but it hasn't been bad or anything. Mom's really cool and she gives me a lot of space," I said, briefly wondering why I was sharing so much with him.
"So what does your mom do for a living? I'm sure she didn't go to college if she had you."
A little voice in the back of my mind started whispering then, but it wasn't loud, so I ignored it. "Actually, she has an Associate's degree from Lincoln County Community College in office administration. It took her three years, but she finished." I smiled at him, even though I was a little offended.
"Where were you when she was going to school? I mean, did she go at night or during the day?"
"She took classes when she could and I stayed with my grandparents. They live just a little way from the cabin. In fact, the cabin is actually theirs. My grandfather offered it to my mom after my dad died. She needed to get out of the house. There were too many memories there, she said." I grimaced.
We drove in silence for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what Will was thinking. He looked over at me and smiled, then reached over and took my hand.
"I don't think we should go to the movies anymore. Let's go find someplace where we can talk some more. You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh, um, I guess not," I said, a little disappointed. I'd been looking forward to seeing the movie, but I didn't want to be a downer, either. I was finally feeling happy again and I knew it was because of Will.
We went to a little diner in Riverside and sat there talking for the rest of the night. My head was spinning by the time he dropped me back off at the cabin. We had agreed to see each other again the next day, and I couldn't have been more excited.
Will was everything I had hoped. He was so solicitous â holding doors open for me, keeping his hand on the small of my back when we walked, and picking up the check. He was interested in me, and it was a heady feeling after being so depressed for all those months.
We kissed at my front door, and when I went inside, my head was still spinning. My stomach felt like it was full of little wings and my heart was about to leap from my chest.
"Do I even need to ask how your date was?" Mom asked from the couch. I looked up to where she was curled on the couch with a book and gave her a radiant smile.
"I guess you had a good time. Are you going to see him again soon?"
"Tomorrow."
Mom's face showed her surprise, but I didn't want to talk about it then. I was still riding the tide of happiness I had come through the door on. "He's going to call in the morning and then come over. We're going to do some homework and then maybe go out to dinner," I said before she could voice her surprise.
My mom took a deep breath before saying anything. "I'm glad you had a good time, and if he makes you happy, then it's nice to know that you're getting to know him better." She was obviously not saying what she had originally intended to say.
"Good night." I smiled to her and walked quickly to my bedroom before she could say anything else. I wanted to relish the happy feelings still coursing through
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