Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Mom “corrected” me for an hour on how it wasn’t my place to trick her into dating, and how important honesty was between us. I agreed to cancel her Kismet Silvers account, and I got on the next day to do just that. But…I accidentally clicked the events tab, and the next week’s activity felt too serendipitous. It was a night about world travel. There were dance lessons, raffles for tons of things, including a trip to Spain, classes to make noodles… If anything screamed happiness for my mother, it was this.
I flipped the frustrating hair out of my face as I set my phone on the checkout counter at The Bees Knees.
My stomach had been riding a roller coaster of nausea ever since I purchased the ticket and raffle vouchers three days ago for the Kismet Silvers site. I changed the flyer to remove Kismet Singles and sent them to Mom for a exclusive world travel event from a fake email.
Every day, I wondered if it would be the day she would call, either to invite me to join her or to call and say she hated me and never wanted to talk to me again.
So far still nothing .
I wasn’t sure which option I preferred, although I knew which one I deserved.
I rubbed my forehead with my left hand and tried to force myself to swallow through the lump in my throat as I adjusted my navy blue polka dot top.
This cupid stuff had quickly spiraled out of hand. Once I got an idea, I had always struggled to let go. Part of me begged to stop, but I ignored it anyway. I rubbed my temples and the headache forming there.
The bell sounded over the door, and Jane walked in holding a green smoothie. “Why are you upset? I’m the one you stood up for a double date on Friday.”
I sighed. “I didn’t stand you up. I told you I wouldn’t be going.” I raised my hands. “How is any of that standing you up?”
Jane waved me off. “Semantics. You knew I wanted you to come.”
“True.” I needed to get busy or Jane would catch on that I had not canceled Mom’s account when I said I did. Since I was little, she could sniff out my lies like a bloodhound. I picked up a jar of the penny candy and went around the counter to try to stock the already full jars. Jane put her hands on the counter behind her and jumped up and sat on it.
“You could have a date this weekend if you used the app for yourself instead of your mom.” Jane eyed me with her brows raised.
“Maybe yes, maybe no.” I moved the jar to my other hand and looked anywhere but Jane’s eyes.
“Has your mom forgiven you yet?” Jane sipped on her weird green drink.
I’d told Jane everything about that night, although I should have mentioned fewer muscles on the boss guy. Time to change the subject. “How’s it going with Finn?”
She pinched her lips. “Not great.” She shook her head. “Sometimes things seem great between us, then he will pretend like he doesn’t even know me.” She raised her brows. “Don’t go getting any ideas. It’s my turn to set you up. And this time you can’t cancel last minute.”
“Oh. Um, I…” My stomach churned. Could I say no after I set up other people all the time, including her?
Jane raised an eyebrow. “Why not? Not as fun when you’re not the one shooting Cupid’s arrow?” She frowned. “Or do you not trust my judgement to get you a date?”
I rolled my eyes and put the jar of green apple sugar sticks back. “You can always find a date. The problem is they might expect your friends to look like you.” I nodded to Jane. She was the modern man’s dream—lean muscle, health fanatic, modern fashion, tan clear skin, and legs for days.
“What does that mean?” Jane spun around to face me on the other side of the counter as she finished her green smoothie.
“Oh, come on.” I gestured toward her and then to me. “We aren’t exactly the same pants size.” I didn’t mind my comfort curves, but I didn’t want to be in direct comparison with her either.
She shook her head. “You’re gorgeous, Em. If they don’t see it, it’s on them.”
“I didn’t say it wouldn’t be, but also…” I flinched and grabbed the assorted flavored honey and went around the counter. “I don’t blind date well. I’m more of an acquired taste, but then people’s taste buds seem to change.”
“It would help if you didn’t expect your dates to appear in black and white.” Jane hopped off the counter and threw away her paper cup.
“I don’t expect them to be from the 1950s.” I rolled my eyes. “I would also be okay with the 1920s.” I grinned.
Jane grabbed a jar of hard candies and set it on the counter. I traded her the honey sticks, and she picked them up, setting them back on the shelf. “I’m serious, Em. You will never find love if you don’t stop running. ”
I nodded in acknowledgment. “Fair.”
Jane straightened the jars on the shelf so the labels faced forward, and then she turned to look at me, her thin frame full of frustration. “Why won’t you at least try?”
I sighed and raised a shoulder. “Finding a good fit with dating just feels impossible sometimes.”
She put her hands on her hips. “What does Audrey Hepburn say about something being impossible?” She waited.
I chuckled.
She held out her hand and gestured for me to answer.
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m possible .”
“Exactly.” Jane nodded. “Oh, I know!” She clapped and rushed over to me. “I should go see if I can find that angry Mr. Muscles.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “From the way you describe him, he would have no problem sweeping you off your feet.”
“Stop!” I smiled as I raised my hands. “Mr. Muscles is eye candy best enjoyed from a distance.”
She nodded. “Plus, seeing him might be harder now that you canceled your mom’s account and won’t be at his venue.”
“Yep.” I internally flinched at the lie. I wiped imaginary dust off the counter. It wasn’t a complete lie. I had every intention of not letting him see me at the next event.
My phone vibrated on the counter, and Mom’s face lit up the screen.
I’d been waiting for this call for days, and of course she called right now. I reached over and silenced the call.
Jane shot me a questioning glance.
I avoided eye contact. “I’ll call her back after you leave.” If I tried to talk to Mom while she was here, there was no way Jane wouldn’t find out.
The phone vibrated again.
Not now, Mom!
I rushed forward and silenced it. I could feel the sweat gathering in my palms .
“It’s rude to not answer your mother. What if she needs you?” Jane eyed me suspiciously.
The phone started to ring again, and Jane rushed at it before I could hit ignore.
Crap!
“Hey, Hannah! Were you wanting to talk to Em?” Jane grinned and listened.
What was Mom going to tell her?
“Yeah, I heard about that.” Jane shook her head.
I held my hand out for the phone, hoping to prevent the inevitable. Jane swatted my hand away and stepped toward the furniture section.
I hurried after her and reached desperately for the phone. Jane’s height and exercise habits both worked to her advantage.
Jane stopped. “Wait. You got what in an email?” She slowly turned to me.
I stopped chasing and waited for my punishment.
“I see.” There was a long, drawn-out silence. “Therapy,” Jane mouthed to me.
I dropped into a nearby chair as Jane glared daggers at me.
I was a terrible daughter and friend.
“You’re right, she owes you.” She raised her right eyebrow. “More than you know. Here, I will let you talk to Em.” Jane hit the mute button.
“Seriously, Em! After you told her you wouldn’t?” Her lips pinched, and her hand shook as she held out the phone for me to take. “I can’t even right now!” She slapped the phone into my palm. “You better tell her the truth. If you trick her again…” She stalked off to the front door and pushed it harder than necessary.
I flinched as the bell above the door held on for dear life.
I sighed and hit the unmute button. “Hey, Mom.” My voice was falsely chipper.
I sat in my yellow bug on the long gravel driveway of Mom’s farmhouse, hating myself for being a terrible daughter. Logic told me to come clean. Logic told me not to go. I guess logic wasn’t loud enough.
I should have done so many things differently. But there I sat, waiting to take Mom to tonight’s Kismet Silvers event, against her knowledge.
Mom would love the world travel event, I rationalized. But by the sinking of my stomach I knew that Jane was right. Maybe all this “noble cupid stuff” wasn’t for my mom at all.
I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel, my blond curls falling around my face. My hands were warm and sticky.
I could still cancel.
Mom’s front door opened, and she stepped out of her house wearing a black and red Spanish-style dress and a huge smile.
She looked beautiful. I was a horrible daughter.
Mom pulled open the car door. “Thanks for coming with me tonight, Em,” Mom said, sliding in and clicking her seat belt. “I figured you owed me after last week.” She teased cheerfully.
She had no idea.
She was too good. I put the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway.
“Do you need the address?” Mom clicked on her phone.
My guilt burned higher up my throat. I had changed the address when I erased any trace of Kismet Singles on the flyer, another way I’d lied to Mom. I couldn’t look at her face.
“Nope, you texted it to me earlier.” I used a different route to The Brick House. “So how’s Ivy been feeling?” I knew if I needed Mom to fill the silence, all I had to do was ask about her kids. Even though I was just postponing the inevitable .
Maybe like dating, I was avoiding pain and trying to take an easier route.
The drive passed with stories of Bunco night, her long hours at work, and a new kitchen gadget that she decided she needed but couldn’t figure out how to use.
I turned on my blinker and pulled into the parking lot. I found a parking spot and cut the engine, waiting for Mom to realize where she was.
She looked over her shoulder. “You got the address wrong, let me check again.” She flipped the flyer open and then paused. “Wait…” She glanced in confusion between the flyer, the building, and me.
I dropped my head to the steering wheel.
“You didn’t… Did you?” Her voice was a broken whisper.
I shook my head as I placed it into my hands. “Mom…I’m so sorry.”
“You did this.” Mom whispered as she stared at the flyer, the hurt evident in her slouched shoulders and quiet voice.
Mom didn’t yell. She didn’t storm out. She just…sank into her seat, shaking her head. Somehow, that was worse. The anger I could have handled. The disappointment? That crushed me.
“All the information about the event and raffle tickets is accurate. It’s also a Kismet Silvers event, and yes I emailed you the information and tickets.”
“Why?” she whispered. Her sad blue eyes met mine. “Why didn’t you listen?”
I broke eye contact and winced. “I signed on to cancel your account, like you asked.” I stared at my car ceiling, tears on my cheeks. “But there was this event and it just seemed too perfect… I knew logically I shouldn’t, but I did it anyway.”
How had I let it get this far? I wasn’t just meddling anymore—I was manipulating. I hated myself for it, and yet, somehow, I had convinced myself it was okay. That it was for her. Mom looked out the window toward the building and dug in her purse .
I felt ugly from head to toe. I grabbed a tissue from Mom’s extended hand and blew my nose. The tears flowed freely now that I had let them escape.
Grabbing my phone, I brought up the Kismet website. “Here. I will delete it.” I showed Mom as I clicked the deactivate button on her account.
I glanced tentatively at her. “I will never do anything like this again.” Her bright face from earlier had lost its glow. “No more tricks.” I rubbed my forehead. “I can take you home, or I can come in with you.”
We sat in silence. Mom looked from The Brick House to me, and I gave her space to decide what she wanted.
Mom exhaled slowly, her fingers tracing the edge of the flyer. “I don’t know.” She looked at the building again, then at me, eyes unreadable. “I’m still so mad at you.”
“I know.”
“Is there really a chance to win a trip to Spain?” She pinched her nose with her thumb and forefinger.
“Yeah. They have a bunch of themed rooms of different locations and each has prizes.” I wiped errant tears with the palms of my hands. “I think you could love it, but wish I had just called and talked to you about it instead.”
She pinched her lips. “To make it up to me, you will go on a date with the next person who asks, and you will give it a chance.” She raised her brows, challenging me to refuse.
I nodded in defeat. “Sure. That’s fair.”
“No. That’s not even close to fair.” She pointed at me. “There will be more.”
“Yep. Okay.” I nodded.
Silence stretched between us as I waited for her decision.
She let out a long sigh. “Fine. But only because I want to use these tickets. And you owe me.”
I nodded.
“And Em… ”
I looked at her blue eyes.
“Never again.”
“Never again,” I repeated and I meant it with every part of me.
“And…I’m not here to date.”
I nodded, I didn’t even care about her dating anymore. I just didn’t want her upset with me.
“And you are coming in with me to see me waste all your money,” she said with a sassy grin.
“Okay.” I grabbed my ball cap from the back seat, and climbed out of the car. Walking to the other side, I threaded my arm through Mom’s elbow and rested my head on her shoulder.
“I don’t deserve you,” I whispered.
“It’s true.” She bumped into me. “Not your proudest moment.”
I nodded in agreement. “Very true,” I acknowledged. I saw the teenager poised in front of the doors again, scanning tickets. “Um, in the spirit of being honest. It says I have to be over fifty to come in.” I pressed my lips together and flinched a little.
Mom stopped walking and turned to meet my eyes. “The makeup from before…”
“Yep,” I said, nodding and then pointing to the hat, “and the hat…” I placed it on my head.
She sighed. “Well, I guess you will just have to figure it out,” she muttered under her breath. “I will give it to you. You’re nothing if not creative.”
Luckily the same teen couldn’t care less as she scanned our tickets.
Now I just had to not get caught by Mr. Muscles or Darian Cole.
I tugged my hat down and looped my arm through Mom’s, focused on keeping my head lowered.