Chapter 12 Mama Knows Best #2
I shrug—same as Ma. “I think so…It’s so complicated, because if I enjoy dating her, I wouldn’t be stressed out when I think about her, right? But I kind of am. Not because of her—but because…what if her mom finds out?”
Ma nods along and takes another sip of soup.
There’s enough of a pause for me to fill in the silence. “Also…even if we become girlfriends, I’m still going to have to say goodbye to her at the end of the summer. So, knowing from the start that I’m going to lose a special person in my life is a bit of a bummer.”
Ma’s staring at me like she wants to reach through the screen and cup my cheeks. Can she see the wetness around my eyes even from the other end of the globe?
“I don’t want you stressing out about this girl,” Ma says. “I don’t know what to do about you coming home at the end of the summer, but what’s so wrong about telling your mentor that you’re dating her daughter?”
I open my mouth with a billion responses. Does she seriously not understand how sticky my situation is? But when Ma holds up a finger to silence me, my lips zip shut.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear you say the words ‘Ma, I went on a date’?
And now that you have, you’d better have the greatest experience of your life.
I date because it’s fun, and when it stops being fun, I end it.
And I’m okay with that for now. You want something different, and that’s okay, too.
I wish I was there with you. I’d hide in the bushes and spy on you—”
“MA!”
“It would be for funzies, Lilyn! I want to see your hand get held for the first time. And take pictures of you having your first kiss—”
“MAMA!”
“And I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m still your mother, and I don’t like knowing this relationship is stressful for you,” Ma concludes.
“The more fun you have with it, the easier it’ll be to sort out all your feelings.
And you can take away the stress of your mentor finding out about your relationship by telling her.
If there’s anything I know about being a mother, it’s that she’s going to find out who her daughter is dating, eventually. So, you might as well tell her first.”
I gape at Ma. She can’t be serious. I’m not telling Mrs. Matsumoto that her daughter and I have been canoodling behind her back. Then again…
Maybe Ma does have a point. I’ve already dug my grave, but it’s not six feet deep yet.
If Mrs. Matsumoto is going to find out anyway, it would be better if I told her outright than allowed it to accidentally come out at the worst time.
And the more I let the idea marinate, the more obvious the answer is.
I need to tell Mrs. Matsumoto before someone else does.
Heck—I could even ask her permission to make sure I stay in her good graces.
Plus, it gives me a reason to text Yua. My chest does the same somersault thing that happens when my gym coach has us run the bleachers.
“You make a good point,” I finally say with a sigh.
Ma lifts the bowl of soup to her lips once more. “Hey, I’m not the only one who made some good points today.”
It’s nine p.m., and I’ve collapsed on the tatami mats.
I didn’t put away my futon this morning, so it’s still set up, just out of arm’s reach.
I don’t have the energy to roll on top of it right now.
My lower back is spasming because I have the worst posture when sewing.
It’s going to kick me in the butt when I’m older. But whatever. Beauty is pain.
Aiko has mentioned how common it is to soak in hot springs here in Japan. After today, an onsen is exactly where I want to be. But for now, I’m lying supine on the tatami while staring up at the ceiling. And Boba is silently judging me from his place on the pillows.
“What a day, huh, Boba?” I say to him.
He says nothing. Obviously. He’s a stuffed bat. But if he could speak, he’d probably respond with something like Yeah, but your day’s not over.
“What do you mean?” I ask. But even as I say the words out loud, I know what he’s talking about—well, what I’m talking about.
Yua hasn’t texted me in a few days, and I’m trying not to freak out about it. She needs space to keep up with her two jobs and apprenticeship. But after ending my video call with Ma, I haven’t stopped wondering—how would she feel about telling her mother that we’re dating?
I reach for my phone.
I set it back down.
I check the time.
On second thought, nah.
Boba watches me with his adorably judgmental eyes.
I pick my phone up again. “Fine. You win.”
Boba smiles. Then again, he’s always smiling.
If there’s one thing that can take away my back pain, it’s texting Yua.
Lilyn: Hey! It’s been a while!
I delete it immediately. My feelings for Yua may be new, but I don’t need to be a love doctor to know a bad text when I see one. I try again.
Lilyn: Hi! Sorry to bug you but
No. That’s not right, either. Delete. Maybe I need to get to the point.
Lilyn: I know you said we shouldn’t tell your mom that we’re dating, but what if we at least ask her permission? I’m kind of stressing out about keeping secrets from my mentor.
I stare at it. I read it. I reread it. I consider deleting it because I’m not sure if going on one date counts as dating, but Boba insists I hit send already. So, I do. And I set my phone down beside me.
“If she doesn’t reply, I’m blaming you,” I tell him.
Boba holds my gaze. He’s so cute I can’t stay mad at him.
My back has had a chance to stretch out, so I sit up and roll onto the futon. Just as I do, my phone vibrates.
I snatch it back up and press the screen to my nose. Her name lights up my face.
Yua: Hi! I was thinking about texting you, but you beat me to it!
My cheeks warm, but this time around, I’m not mad about feeling more human than corpse.
Yua: I’ve been thinking the same thing
Mum has already figured out I’m seeing someone. So I think it’s best if we just tell her we went on a date
I’ve already been dropping hints, and I don’t think she’ll be as mad about it as we thought
She just wants to know I’m dating someone who will be a good influence on me
I smile. Yua’s mom and my ma have a lot in common. But the reason I’m curling my toes right now isn’t because of the similarities. It’s the fact that Yua wants to do this. Together.
Yua: You have sewing lessons every Monday, right?
Lilyn: Yup
Yua doesn’t respond right away, and I imagine she’s checking her schedule.
Yua: Perfect! I’ll be at the shop all day on Monday. We can tell her then.
I can’t wait to see you again.
I’m grinning so hard I have to bite my lip.
What would it be like to feel this thrill all the time? To not have a termination date on our relationship? But I’m getting ahead of myself. We have to see if Mrs. Matsumoto doesn’t get mad at us for having gone on a date already. If she isn’t as okay with it as Yua thinks she’ll be, then what?
I stuff the thought back down before it overtakes my mind.
Lilyn: I can’t wait to see you too