Chapter 4

The driving test was a breeze. The examiner complimented me, saying he had never felt so safe with a first-time driver.

It must have been that I was almost stopped before he saw a ball roll into the road. It was followed a moment later by a five-year-old little girl. The last time I hit the ball. Fortunately, the little girl stopped before hitting the car’s side. It was either the ball/girl incident or how I announced what I was about to do before I did it.

At least this time, there were no surprises since he’d never seen the girl or the ball until I hit the ball the first time around, too. This time, I pointed out a small child was playing up ahead. He was able to be the second set of eyes instead of just sitting there like a bump on a log. In any case, he thought I had excellent situational awareness.

Mom gave me a new wallet for my birthday—a bit late, I could understand. I needed one to keep my new driver’s license, and that’s when I remembered what I couldn’t think of earlier. My new wallet had a twenty in it. I double-checked and was happy to see it there. I hugged Mom, put my license in my new purse, and started the car.

Of course, I got to drive home! What else would one do the day they got their driver’s license?

“So, what will you buy with all that money?” Mom asked me.

“I am going to take my new girlfriend out to dinner tonight,” I smiled back at her.

“Oh, and I take it you want to pick her up in my car, too?”

Mom smiled back at me just as though she had seen it coming. That’s when it occurred to me that this was the same conversation I’d had with her last time. Only the girl was Jackie, and I needed her car to pick her up. Jackie wouldn’t be sixteen for four more months.

“Beth already has her car and license, so she is coming at seven.”

“Oh! You have planned on this one. So, I guess you will not need my car then?” she said with that strange smile she got when she knew the answer was different from what she was asking.

“Well, I was hoping, of course.”

In a moment of inspiration, I said, “I’ll tell you what, Mom. I am sure you are going to get a chance to meet her. Suppose you like her, hand me the keys. If not, we will take her car, and I will know how you feel.”

It was a good thing I was the one driving, or we would have been in the ditch after that statement. Mom had never liked Jackie. I had always been good at getting what I wanted from her at this age.

Mom recovered and said, “The Next thing I know, you will introduce her to your grandfather this weekend.”

“Hey, what a great idea!” I said.

“Slow down, buster!” Mom said. “Let me meet her first.”

“Okay, Mom.”

I had a big smile on my face. It was not common for me to make Mom happy at this age. It must have been a typical ‘teen thing’ because I remembered many people saying the same thing about teens at this age.

It was just before seven when Beth pulled into the driveway. I had already changed into dress slacks and a good shirt. Mom and I were talking in front of the garage on the lawn chairs when she pulled up. Mom, of course, was smoking her evening cigarette when Beth pulled in.

I was up like a shot and opened the car door to help Beth out. She took my offered hand and never let go as I introduced her to my mother. Beth was wearing a cotton dress and had her hair down. My mouth was hanging open a bit when I saw her. She was always wearing sweatshirts and loose-fitting pants around the school. She also did not have those damn ‘birth control glasses’ on. They were those black military-style frames that did nothing for one’s personality. The fact was, she wasn’t wearing any glasses at all.

I introduced Beth to my mom, and they chatted a bit. Then, like a schoolboy with ants in his pants, I reminded my mom that this was our first date, and I wanted to get going. She handed me the keys like she had approved. Mom even hugged Beth. Mom had never given Jackie any hugs. Boy, this was much different.

Still, I remembered my manners and opened the passenger-side door. I assisted Beth into the car. Mom was smiling, and I had a flashback to those proper etiquette lessons she’d made me take.

I almost ran to the driver’s side, and soon, we were pulling out of the driveway. Mom just waved with a shit-eating grin on her face.

Beth said, “You have a great mother.”

“Thank you, and you look beautiful tonight.”

She blushed. I wanted to ask her about her quick-change transformation, but thankfully, she beat me to it.

“My mom and dad wouldn’t let me go out without making me change into something more presentable. Then Mom got carried away, and I wore this dress she picked for my birthday last month.”

“I see. Well, you made a nice choice because you have made yourself into a vision that men would go to war over.” I hoped I didn’t overdo it with that statement, but the big smile on her face told me I was safe, at least for now.

“My mom helped out a lot with the makeup.”

“Makeup? Wow! I can’t tell you’re wearing any.”

She grinned, “I’m not, that’s the point.”

“Pardon?”

“I wear makeup every day. The reason is to hide my looks, not show them off.”

“And the glasses?”

“I only need them to read. They are just magnifying lenses, anyway.”

“Well, it was good camouflage, and I will give you that.”

“It didn’t seem to fool you.”

“And how do you know that?”

“You are the best-looking boy in school. I mean you could get a date with anyone! So, you had to see something in me.”

Let’s see ... should I be funny or serious here?

“Well, how do you know I don’t have a thing for librarians...” She was frowning slightly, so I knew it was time to modify the statement, “That turn out to be princesses at night.”

“Oh, you,” she said, flustered, “I can’t even get mad at you because you keep saying such nice things to me.”

I just grinned at her.

“Tim, to tell the truth, you are my first date,” she said. A pause, then,” In fact, you’re the only boy I have had any interest in since my rape.”

That was good to know. I briefly wondered why I would be worried in the first place. Then again, if we are being so open and upfront here...

“Beth, you are my first date ever. I am glad you’re interested in me.”

She took hold of my arm and relaxed into it.

We didn’t say anything, just enjoyed the moment until we arrived at our destination. Then I realized that I hadn’t asked if she liked Italian food.

“I hope this is where you were planning on taking me.”

She said it as I turned in front of the place. I had to, as the parking was in the rear.

“I confess, it is.” I said as we turned into the parking lot of “Momma Lois’ Italian Restaurant.” Momma Lois was my aunt on my father’s side.

I think I mentioned ‘The Jerk,’ didn’t I? He was the one who ran off with his secretary when I was five. I didn’t see him again until I was forty-three, and that was only to identify his body, me being the only living next of kin. Oh, I saw pictures of him. I just never saw him. But that’s another story.

Then again, maybe it wouldn’t be. I had the power to change that now, didn’t I?

Aunt Lois put us in the private room she reserved for business parties. I was glad to see no one was using it. The lights were down low, making the candles the primary light source. The only person we saw was my aunt. She stayed out of the way after we ordered—except, of course, to serve us. She made lots of noise before she came in. I wonder what she thought we might be doing.

“So, Tim, do you always get treated like royalty when you come here?”

“No, my aunt is just showing off. Normally, I must eat in the kitchen with the hired help.”

She laughed openly for the first time.

“You’re a tease,” she accused me.

“No, seriously! She feeds me for free and doesn’t want me to take up table space in the front.”

“You’re just pulling my leg, aren’t you?”

“Well, just a little. There is a special booth in the kitchen for family and friends. It’s fun to watch them cook while you’re eating. That is where I thought she was going to put us. My mom must have guessed where I was going to take you and called ahead,” I said with a smile.

“This is probably a better room for a first date.”

Then she looked worried for a moment.

“What’s wrong?”

“That is what this is. I mean, a first date?”

I smiled and said, “I hope so. Otherwise, you will scream when I tell you my story.”

She smiled brightly at me and said, “Oh, yes, you did promise to tell your story.”

I blushed, and the voice returned, ‘You may want to leave out the part about us from this story. It will make it more believable to her to start with.’

What was I thinking? ‘Thanks, but I will tell it all straight out.’

‘Suit yourself, but don’t say we didn’t warn you.’

“Well, you did seem to want to confide your story in me. So, the only question is, who should go first?” I asked.

“I think I should because if you are going to get scared off, I would rather not know that much about you. It would be better than getting emotionally involved in your life only to be hurt when you leave.” She said.

“Is that what you think I will do?”

She looked me in the eyes, “No, for some reason, I don’t think you’re like that at all.”

“Good, because I am not. But my story will sound more like a sci-fi novel than anything.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes. I am afraid so.”

“I think you are trying to pull my leg again,” she smiled brightly.

“I wish,” I said.

“Wish what? That you could pull my leg? Or something else?”