Chapter 19: Mothers And Sons, Boys And Girls

Peg Kelleher was amazed.

It was 9:30 AM, and Warren was out of bed. He'd been out of school for two weeks, and, unless he had to work-he had picked up some early shifts at the donut shop-he was sleeping until noon. She knew he had today off, and here he was, up and at 'em.

"Hi, Honey," she said. "You're up early."

"Yup," he said, slathering cream cheese on a bagel. "Got plans."

"What kind of plans?"

"It's Sophia's last day at school."

"Oh really? Oh yeah, that's right-the public schools get out later." Peg was a teacher, but she taught at Wilkins Academy, another private school in the area.

"That's right. Anyway, she gets out at 11:30, so I'm going to surprise her by showing up at her house."

Peg looked concerned. "Warren, do you have a minute to talk?"

"Sure. Let me just get finished cheeseifying this here bagel and get myself a cup of tea and I'll meet you in the kitchen."

Peg waited, and Warren quickly planted himself in a chair with his bagel and tea. "What's on your mind, Mom?"

"Sophia."

Warren grinned. "No, no, Mom, you've got it all wrong. Sophia is supposed to be on my mind. Dad is supposed to be on yours."

Peg couldn't help but laugh. "Warren, I'm trying to be serious!"

"Ah, c'mom, Mom, have you ever known me to be serious?"

"Yeah, actually, I have. Way too much, in fact. About Sophia."

"Aah. I should've seen this coming."

"Warren, I'm worried," Peg sighed. "You're fourteen years old. You just finished your freshman year in high school. And you are in a relationship that seems to me to be way too serious for your ages."

Warren sighed. "You know what, Mom? You're right. You're absolutely right."

Peg was surprised. "Well, I'm glad you agree with me. I didn't think you would. I think it might benefit you to cool it off with her, see her less, maybe see other people."

"Can't do that, Mom."

"Why not? I thought you just agreed with me that you were getting too serious?"

"Not getting, gotten. I agree. We're way too serious. I never expected to be in a relationship this intense when I was fourteen, I can guarantee you that."

"So, make it less intense-that's all I'm saying."

"Mom, you don't get it. We crossed that line a long time ago. This isn't a lightswitch that you can turn on and off. I'm in a serious, intense relationship. The relationship is that way because of the way we feel about each other. You're right-if this happened when I was eighteen and not fourteen I'd probably be better off. But it happened. That's the way it is. I can't make it not happen."

"You think you're in love with each other."

"Mom, if this ain't real, true love-I don't think I'd be able to handle the real thing," Warren replied with a lopsided smile.

Even Peg had to grin at that. Warren continued, "You don't spend a lot of time with Soph and me. We're at her house more often, because it's more convenient. It's love. Yeah, it might be fourteen-year-old love, but it doesn't seem it. And the only way I'm going to know for sure is to not be fourteen anymore and see where we're at then."

Peg smiled and sighed at the same time. "Warren, you're one of the most levelheaded teenagers I know-and I teach teenagers, remember-but you're also an incurable romantic." They both smiled. "I worry about you getting hurt."

"I know. But if this isn't true love, I'm gonna get hurt sooner or later in any case."

"I know. I just worry about the hurt if you let this relationship go too far, and then it ends, at your age."

"What do you mean, too far?"

"Well, you know."

"I have a guess, but I don't really know what you're talking about."

"Well, I mean sex."

Warren blushed, and thought for a minute. "Mom, you always said I could tell you anything, and I can't lie to you. That particular genie has been out of the bottle for some time now."

Peg's jaw dropped. "You're kidding." She paused. "Are you sure we're talking about the same thing?"

"Are you asking me if Sophia and I are sleeping together? Yes. Sophia and I are sleeping together."

"Oh, Jesus, Warren. You are too young for this! What if something happens?"

"Mom, you know me better than that."

"Well, I thought I did."

"Come on. We are responsible about this. There are not going to be any grandchildren in the near future, I guarantee it. We are very well protected. Sophia's on the pill, and we usually use something else, too, as a failsafe."

"Well, that's a relief. You're right, I shouldn't have doubted you about that. But you are still too young."

"Mom-I'm too young to be ending my freshman year in high school, I should be ending eighth grade. I was too young to read when I started, too young to do algebra when I started. I was too young to play the guitar when I started. Too young to read Shakespeare when I started. Heck, I was too young when you started leaving me to baby-sit Ryan and Kristin. I've been too young for almost everything I've ever done in my life. Why should this be any different?"

"That's academics. Love and sex aren't an academic exercise."

"No, but neither is babysitting your younger brother and sister when you're only ten."

"Well, we did that because you were reliable and trustworthy and responsible."

"I still am."

"I know, Warren, but, before Sophia, you were at a complete loss when it came to girls. Going from a complete position of naivete to this seems like too much, too fast."

"I don't necessarily disagree, Mom. But I trust my instincts. I trust my feelings. I'd trust Sophie with my life at this point. I guess I'm just asking you to trust me."

"I do, Warren."

Warren smiled. "You always have. In fact, you've always given me a remarkable degree of freedom to make my own choices; freedom that most kids my age didn't get. And have I disappointed you much?"

Peg smiled. "Pretty much never. And, trust me, I am not disappointed with you, now. Concerned, but not disappointed."

Warren smiled back, "I know. Listen, I know all too well that this might all blow up in my face, and I'll end up a quivering pile of romantic goo pining over my lost love six months from now." Peg had to laugh at that. Warren continued, "But what the hell is the point of even getting out of bed if you don't give it a shot? I'm so happy right now, that it's worth it."

Peg stared at her son. "I've got to say, Warren, that I'm amazed. I've never known you to be so--well, so carefree. Since I know that you're responsible on top of it, it makes me feel a little better. She's actually loosened you up-it's good to see."

"Y'know what? Sophia always gives me credit for something valuable-she says that she learned from me that tomorrow's important. But I learned something equally valuable from her-that today's important, too."

Warren stood up, and kissed his mother on the cheek. "And what's important today is to go welcome my girlfriend home from school like the quivering pile of romantic goo that I so truly am." He reached around the corner into the foyer and pulled a large case out. "Heck, I'm even bringing my guitar so I can serenade her with romantic-gooey love songs. See ya!"

The last thing Warren heard as he left the house was his mother's laughter.

Sophia walked home from school in a heck of a mood. School was out for the summer, and she was actually walking home with a good report card. Wasn't that a kicker. She couldn't wait to show her Mom. And Warren!

She turned onto her street, and heard music coming from somewhere. She thought she recognized it-and then she realized she did. It was "Romeo and Juliet," the Dire Straits song that Warren had played for her. But it didn't sound like Dire Straits. As she got closer to her house, she realized that it wasn't-it was Warren, on her porch, playing a guitar and singing it.

She was so happy to see him, she almost ran to the porch and tackled him. But she didn't. She walked up and sat next to him, while he played the song. She realized something-while he had sung to her, many times, she had never heard him play. As he went through the song, she realized something else-he was good. Really good.

"That was fantastic. I've never heard you play before."

"Magic fingers, I'm telling you." They both laughed.

"C'mon inside," she said, kissing him. "I've got something I want to show you, but I want Mom to see it, too."

"Hi, Mom!"

"Hi, Sophie! Glad to be out? Oh, Hi Warren!"

"Hi, Mrs. Kovach"

"OK. Mom, Warren, you need to see this." She withdrew a piece of paper from her bookbag, and handed it to her Mom.

"Oh, my God! Sophia! All B's except for one C? That's fantastic!"

"Really?" Mrs. Kovach handed the report card over to Warren. "Look at this! Sophia, I'm so proud of you!"