Perfect Summer by Bethany Lopez
Faith
“Word on the street is your sexy painter man just purchased himself some land and is going to build a house on it,” Cheryl said.
We were standing side by side at the hair-washing stations, shampooing our clients.
“Yeah, he was just approved. He’s pretty excited about it,” I replied as I gave my mom a thorough scalp massage.
It was her favorite part … hell, it was everyone’s.
“Has there been any talk to how many bedrooms there’ll be?” Cheryl asked, a sly look in her eye. “I mean … a master, of course. A bedroom for Hope, and maybe a couple extra for family expansion?”
I gave a pointed look down at my mother before shooting a glare at Cheryl.
My mom’s eyes popped open with interest.
“Expansion?” she asked. “I’d love to have more grandchildren, if you’re wondering.”
I sighed and said, “It’s too soon for that kind of talk, Mom.”
“Is it though?” Cheryl asked, and I had the sudden urge to kick her. “Neither of you are getting any younger and there’s a history there. It’s not like you have to spend ages getting to know each other…”
“It’s complicated,” I muttered.
“It’s only as complicated as you make it, sweetheart,” my mother said dryly.
I sighed and finished rinsing her conditioner, before telling her I’d meet her back at my station after my area was sanitized.
“Just couldn’t help yourself, could you, trouble starter?” I said in a hushed whisper to Cheryl.
She only grinned and said, “Just trying to keep work interesting.”
Stacey, who’d been walking by, asked, “What’d she do now? You talking about the brownies in the breakroom? I swear she brings in treats just to torture me. She knows how hard I’ve been trying to stick to my diet.”
“You were eating ribs last night … with mac ‘n cheese,” Cheryl retorted.
“Hey, you know I just went through a breakup. I was eating my feelings.” Stacey looked at me and asked, “That gives me a free pass, right?”
“Of course, Stace, I’m sorry you’re hurting,” I told her as I finished up.
“Nah, we got back together last night. We had some late-night urges that couldn’t be denied, if you know what I mean,” she said with a “cat that got the cream” grin and a wink.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, then left them to their bickering and moved to my station to do my mom’s blowout.
“So,” my mom began as I brushed her hair. “Looks like things are getting serious between you and Mitch, huh?”
I smiled at her in the mirror and said, “Yeah, they are. It’s funny … I never imagined we’d get back together, yet, now that we are, it seems like it was pretty inevitable.”
“I always did like him for you,” she said, her brow furrowing before adding, “Much more than that Jed.”
My mom had only met Jed once, when she’d come to Chicago for a surprise visit without my father. She’d tried to schedule trips out prior to then, but I’d always held her off, which was why she decided to show up without notice. She was suspicious that things weren’t as great as I always said they were.
It had been right in the midst of the worst part of our relationship, only a few weeks before I’d ended up leaving him, and he’d been atrocious to my mother. Rude and condescending … bordering on aggressive.
She’d tried to get us to leave with her then, but I hadn’t been ready.
When I’d called and told her I’d taken Hope and filed for divorce, my mother had cried so hard my dad had to take the phone from her.
“Mitch was a good boy in high school,” she continued. “And he’s grown into a great man. You couldn’t do much better.”
“Well, I’m not looking for anyone else, so don’t worry,” I assured her.
“And have you two rekindled the … intimate part of your relationship as well?” she asked slyly.
I turned on the blow dryer and ignored the question.
I let my mind wander as I went through the motions of doing my mother’s hair. She was one of my standing weekly appointments and always got the same thing done. I could have styled her with my eyes closed.
I thought back to the night before, when I’d walked into Hope’s bedroom to see her kneeling by her bed, saying her prayers.
“Please give Prince Alice good dreams, where he can chase mice and be surrounded by balls of string. He likes those the most … Keep Grandma and Grandpa happy and let my mommy laugh some more. She never used to laugh and now she laughs all the time. Thank you for giving her Mitch and letting him care for us. And make sure he builds a slide in his new house. Amen.”
My eyes had welled with tears at her addition of Mitch in her prayers. I didn’t think she’d ever prayed for her father, which was a reflection on him, not her, so to hear her talk about Mitch meant she was falling for him just as hard as I was.
It scared me as much as it thrilled me, and I’d felt doubts start to creep into my thoughts.
By the time I went to bed I’d talked myself out of that niggling worry, and when I woke up I was once again excited at the prospect of deepening my relationship with Mitch during, and after, the barn dance.
But as I finished drying my mother’s hair, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was taking things with Mitch too far.
A serious relationship with anyone one was risky with Hope in the picture, but given my history with Mitch and the way the entire town seemed to be focused on our happy ending, I couldn’t help but wonder if we were building up for a great fall.