Chapter 3

We were walking down a street of small houses with well-maintained yards and I could see it was a friendly neighbourhood. A fellow was out mowing his lawn and when he saw Paula and I passing, he waved, so Paula waved back and I even raised my hand. A kid riding by on his bike called out a hello and Paula answered. Other people saw us and smiled, but the friendliness of the neighbours meant nothing to me.

I could feel my feet becoming harder to lift, my legs harder to swing. Each step was harder to take and I began to hold back out of fear.

Fear? Hell, make that terror.

I was going to meet Paula's mother and damn it, she was going to know that we'd had sex. I just knew she'd guess. Even worse, I knew I was going to do some stupid clumsy thing and she was going to know that I was an idiot. What would she think of her daughter, if she knew she'd had sex with an idiot, a dope, a geek, and a shy one at that?

Why had I agreed to do this? Whatever possessed me to say that I'd come back today and have supper with Paula and her mother? Why was I such an fool? I felt like I was walking into black hopelessness and it was growing in depth as I moved forward.

"CJ, what's wrong?" Paula's sweet voice brought me back to reality and the soft light of the afternoon sun.

"Sorry." I sighed. "It's just... Well, you see... I just can't..."

"Come on CJ, I'm your girl, you can tell me. I'll still love you." She had turned and was facing me, her face showing her concern.

I had to tell her. I had to explain. I just couldn't go through with it. I couldn't have her mother know that she had chosen a dolt like me to be her first. Yet, I couldn't talk, I still held Paula's hand, but now I was pulling back, ready to let go, ready to run.

"Clyde, are you scared of meeting my Mom?" She demanded. "If you are, you're just being silly."

"Please, don't call me that." I managed to whisper.

"Then get your buns in gear. Otherwise, I'm going to scream your name in the street for everyone to hear." She grinned at me. "Besides, I promise I won't let Mom skin you and eat you for breakfast."

I still didn't want to go any further, but she pulled on my hand and coaxed me along until we were standing on a doorstep in front of one of the little houses. She was pulling out her keys when the door opened and a middle-aged lady as small and as pretty as Paula was standing there.

"Eeew." The woman said as she looked at me. "Paula, why didn't you tell me your friend was a good-looking man? I would've put on a clean dress and some makeup."

"Because this one's mine, Mom." Paula giggled. "I don't want any competition from you or anyone else right now. Not until I'm sure I've got the hook set real good."

"Oho, my shy little sparrow has become an eagle has she?" The woman laughed. "Well don't just stand there on the doorstep young man, come on in. If you have put some strength in my baby's spine, you are certainly welcome in my house."

"Unh, Mom, he thinks he's the shy one of the two of us, but I know he's not shy when it counts." Paula blushed.

"Well come in anyway, shy or not. And, Paula, are you not going to introduce us?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. CJ Johnson, meet my Mother, Aileen McCrae, Mom, this is CJ."

"And what, pray tell, do the letters 'CJ' stand for, may I ask?" Mrs. McCrae asked.

"No, Mother, you may not. What those letters stand for is his secret, and not mine to tell." Paula laughed softly.

"I see, a mystery man, brought home by a daughter who seems to have lost some of her reticence and has come into her own enough to defend him." Mrs. McCrae smiled at me. "CJ, if you are responsible for that alone, then I feel that I already owe you a lot, though I am wondering if the cat has got your tongue. I have yet to hear you speak a word."

She reached out and took my hand in hers.

"Unh, Hi. How do you do, Mrs. McCrae." I managed to mumble as I held her hand and shook it gently. "I think I'm even more bashful than Paula is, really."

"Well, you've nothing to fear from me." She smiled. "And it's Miss, not Mrs. But, I actually prefer folk to call me Aileen or in your case, I am hoping one day you can just call me Mom."

"Mother!"

"Well, he is tall and handsome with a voice that stirs even me and you've come home with him while dressed in clothing that he must have provided. On top of that, you wear no bra now, though I saw you wearing one this morning when you left. Can I not make a deduction or two?"

"Omigod CJ, I am sorry. She gets like this at times and I don't know what to do with her." Paula was giggling and blushing bright red. "Please don't let her frighten you away."

Actually, for some silly reason, Mrs. - no, Miss - no, that sounded awkward - Ms. McCrae was making me feel less shy because she was teasing Paula and not me, although I knew I'd get my turn. I didn't know what to say though, so I just shrugged my shoulders and grinned weakly.

"Aha, and he's a man of few words." Miss McCrae grinned and winked at me. "Off with you, Paula, and find something truly indecent to wear so you can outshine me at the table. I'll entertain our guest while you're gone."

"Mom! You've hardly been introduced to CJ and you want to get him alone to grill him about who he is and what he does don't you?" Paula seemed to bristle, but grin at the same time, which I found very confusing.

"No, but perhaps I am wanting to warn him about your wicked ways." Ms. McCrae laughed. "Of course I don't know of any wicked things that you're guilty of, so I suppose I'd have to make up a tale or two to tell him, now wouldn't I."

"Mother, sometimes you just drive me nuts." Paula giggled and wrapped her Mom in a hug, then after a moment, she turned to me and winked. "I would like to change though, if Mom promises to be good, do you promise not to tell her about any of my wicked ways?"

"Me? I don't know any. " I said quietly, but I felt myself blush. "Of your wicked ways I mean. I only know the nice ones that I like."

Both Ms. McCrae and Paula broke into laughter and Paula patted my arm. "You're not going to run off though are you?"

"Unh, no. I guess not."

"That's good, Mom really doesn't bite, you know. She's really very nice."

"While I can be, I can also be very tough. But, I have no plan on being tough on you." Ms. McCrae smiled at me. "I like the idea of my daughter having a boyfriend who has brought my daughter out of her shell somewhat."

She reached her hand out and took my hand in hers, then smiled and led me to the kitchen where she gestured to a chair. "Have a seat and we'll get to know each other as I get the rest of the meal ready. I do hope you like lamb chops with mint sauce and new potatoes with baby carrots?"

"That sounds fine."I smiled as I sat in the chair that she had pointed to. "I hope you didn't go to a lot of trouble to fix something for us. We could just as well have eaten at the caf. on campus and then come over to see you later."

"Nonsense, I was expecting Paula home at any rate. All I had to do was thaw another lamb chop and throw in a few more potatoes." She waved a hand as if it was nothing. "How did you meet Paula? Was it at the University?"

"Yes, we're both taking one course and I tripped and fell, she sort of was in my way."

"Wait a minute, you tripped and she caught you? Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?"

"I'm sure." I lifted my arm and showed her the little abrasion there. "See, my mother has to buy bandages by the carton, boxes of them just aren't enough."

"Oh my!" Ms McCrae looked at me strangely. "Yes, I can see why Paula likes you so much."

"Would you please explain. I can't see one reason why a beautiful girl like her would be seen dead with a clumsy ox like me."

"Well CJ, I've had to buy bandages by the carton as well and I've tried to get Paula to talk to boys, but it's never been any use. I think she finds you so fascinating because she thinks the two of you are two of a kind. Both very shy and both a bit less than adept at handling things."

"A bit less adept?" I said quietly, then started to laugh. "I'm the guy who cleared everyone out of his whole highschool because I accidentally made a huge stink bomb in chemistry class, then dropped it on the floor in my hurry to get it into a fume cabinet. And, do you really want to know what happened in art class when I met Paula? I was in a hurry because I was late and as I rushed into the classroom, I tripped. Then I skidded across the floor and I ended up..."

"... skidding right into my arms." Paula interrupted as she came in, giving me a frown before turning to her Mom. "Then because it was so funny, I wanted to talk to him, but he was so shy that he couldn't talk. Not until he got annoyed with himself and blurted out in anger, just like I used to do. It was a match made in heaven."

"You've never been shy with me." I stared at her in surprise.

"And after the first time or two, you haven't been shy with me either." She crowed as she came over and grabbed my hand. "It's wonderful. I've never had anyone but Mom or Granny that I could talk to like I can with you. I always get tongue tied and then I drop things, or I blush and get all weird. I just don't do that with you. Being around you is just absolutely marvellous."

"You mean that you're with me because I'm shy and because I'm a klutz?" I stared at her in surprise.

"Unh huh." She giggled. "We just seem to fit and together, we handle stuff so much better. Look at you, out here talking to Mom who isn't someone you know, and yet you weren't flustered or anything. What do you think Mom?"

"I was just looking at the change in you." Ms. McCrae smiled. "You are chattering like a magpie and it is a delightful change, for you hardly talk most days. If this continues, I think I may feel the urge to hug CJ almost as much as you do."

"Hey, he's mine!" Paula giggled. "And I plan on hugging him a lot, but I don't suppose I'd mind if you hugged him once or twice a day."

"Do I get any say in this?" I had to grin.

"Well, maybe a little." Paula giggled. "But, only if you agree with me. No dissension in the ranks, I won't stand for it."