50. Kate
CHAPTER FIFTY
kate
When we pull into Southmount, my shoulder muscles tighten, almost like they’re bracing for what’s to come over the next few days. It’s the same anxiety I get every time I come back to my hometown, only slightly lessened this time because Jake is by my side.
Deciding to spend Thanksgiving weekend with my mom was a goodwill gesture from both of us, considering she hasn’t been the most supportive of our relationship.
She’s not nearly as bad as the haters on the internet, but she’s far from endorsing us.
I can’t tell whether she really despises that we’re together or if this is merely how she reacts to everything.
I’m sure she’ll make her feelings known this weekend.
Jake glances over at me and places his hand on my thigh. “Don’t freak out. Everything is going to be fine. Your mom will be…well…your mom.”
I chuckle. “That’s one way to put it.”
He shrugs and taps his thumbs on the steering wheel, staying focused on making the short drive from the town welcome sign to my mom’s. “She’s likely to say some bullshit, and I’ll put her in her place. Then we’ll carry on like it never happened. Rinse and repeat, right?”
“I mean…kinda.” I sigh, covering my face with my hands for a few seconds. “She doesn’t seem to love that we’re together. She’s made it very clear.”
“Well, I don’t like her pumpkin pie.”
“What?”
“That’s going to be my response anytime she comments that we’re not good together. I’ll reply with an item of her cooking that I don’t like.”
I start laughing uncontrollably, my chest shaking because I can absolutely envision him doing that.
“She doesn’t think we’re a good fit. Well, I don’t like your chili anyway.”
“Have you even had her chili?”
“Not sure, but she likely won’t remember that.”
“Oh my God. You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly. I’ll make her regret talking smack about us by destroying her cooking skills. One dish at a time.” Jake flashes a devious smile in my direction. “Great. It worked. Now you’re not as stressed.”
I tilt my head, confused by what’s going on. “So, you’re not going to pick apart her cooking skills?”
“Who knows? Gotta keep you guessing,” he teases as he pulls into my mom’s driveway. “We’re here.”
His eyes dart across the yard to the house next door. The one he called home throughout his childhood. It didn’t take more than a few weeks on the market before it sold and a new family moved in.
Tears form in the corners of my eyes as I remember the last time the two of us were in that house.
We used it as our refuge when we were trying to keep our relationship a secret from everyone in the beginning.
When I decided to give us a chance. Our first date.
The first time we slept together. The countless evenings spent talking about our future.
Jake swallows hard. “I didn’t think it would affect me to see another car in her driveway.”
I reach for his hand and squeeze it. “I know. It’s hard on me, too.” I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over to kiss him lightly on the lips. “I love you, Jake.”
“I love you.” He presses a kiss onto my forehead before getting out of the car.
We quickly gather our bags and make our way up the porch.
I open the door as the aroma of Thanksgiving dinner hits me full force, taking me back to two years ago when Jake’s mom, Judy, cooked dinner for my mom and me for the last time.
It’s one of those moments when my heart hopes we’ll find her in the kitchen with her apron on, fussing over the turkey, but my brain knows better.
“Mom, we’re here,” I call out as I walk through the living room and head toward the kitchen, while Jake goes to drop off our bags in my childhood bedroom.
“It’s good to see you, Katherine. Dinner should be ready in a few hours,” Mom replies, leaning over to baste the turkey.
“Do you need any help?”
“No, I have everything covered, for the most part. I might need your help closer to dinnertime.”
“Okay. It smells so familiar in here.” I shake my head because my nose has to be playing tricks on me.
“It should. It’s—”
“It’s my mom’s recipe, isn’t it?” Jake asks when he strolls into the kitchen. He comes directly over to me and wraps his arm around my waist. “It smells like her turkey.”
My mom nods as tears brim in her eyes. “I made sure to save all her recipes. I’m not sure whether they’ll turn out as good as she made them, but I can’t imagine doing Thanksgiving any other way.”
What is happening? My mom is being extremely thoughtful. Is it possible this weekend is going to be smoother than I thought?
“Where did you put your bags?” Mom asks, closing the oven door and standing up to appraise both of us.
“I had Jake drop them off in my room,” I answer, confused by why she’s asking.
Her lips purse tightly, and her brow furrows. “I assume that’s temporary. You don’t plan on sleeping in the same room while you’re here.”
There she is. That’s the version of my mom I was expecting.
“Yeah, totally planned on it. You do realize we live together, right?”
Does she also realize her antiquated views of chastity went out the window a long time ago? Or that I’m an adult in my mid-thirties?
“I’m well aware you’re living out of wedlock,” she replies coolly, cleaning off the kitchen countertop.
Jake turns to look at me and mouths, “What the fuck?” I shrug because I have no idea what the hell is going on. One minute she’s being incredibly kind, the next she’s being, well…my mom. This is exactly why my relationship with her is so complicated.
My mom wipes down the counter as Jake leans over, his lips brushing against my ear. “I hope your mom has earplugs because I’m definitely going to fuck you tonight.”
As I stare at him, my mouth drops open, knowing he’s not joking. A flood of anticipation hits my nervous system, igniting my body like only he can. I shouldn’t be so turned on by the prospect of having sex with my boyfriend in my childhood bedroom at thirty-five, but I can’t fucking wait.
“Anyway, what’s going on in town?” I ask, hoping she’ll take the bait and bore us with some town gossip until dinner’s ready.
She quickly launches into the last small-town drama. Jake and I take a seat at the kitchen table while she drones on for the next few hours until dinner is finally ready.
As the three of us sit, it’s hard not to feel like someone is missing.
It’s been nearly two decades since my mom, Judy, Jake, and I shared a meal, but it also feels oddly like it was yesterday.
Maybe it’s because I wish Judy were here.
That she could see the incredible man her son has grown into.
Hear her opinion about the two of us being together, because in my heart, I know she would’ve supported us.
I reach for Jake’s hand under the table, taking it in mine as I fight back tears, not wanting to cry again. He squeezes my hand and gives me a soft, knowing smile that instantly calms my heart.
During dinner, my mom prattles on about the remaining town gossip because apparently, there’s a lot of it, and she only scratched the surface earlier.
While I’m not interested in anything she’s saying, it has kept her from picking on the two of us, so I consider that a huge win.
We’re almost through with dinner and onto dessert, making me assume we’re in the clear for prickly comments, when she opens her mouth and destroys my wishful thinking.
“Will I see you at Christmas, Jake? Or will whatever this is be over by then?” Mom asks, gesturing between the two of us.
Did she seriously ask if we’re going to break up before Christmas?
What in the actual fuck?
“We haven’t made Christmas plans yet, Mom,” I reply quickly, trying to de-escalate the situation since the vein in Jake’s neck is about to blow.
“I’ll let you know once we’ve figured out where we’re going to be.
Jake has an upcoming album launch, so there are a lot of moving parts to our holiday plans. ”
“I see.” She takes a bite of her pumpkin pie. “So, you’re planning your life around his career? Are you putting your career on the back burner to support him?”
I sigh loudly because she doesn’t understand what Jake and I have.
Probably because she’s never been in a healthy relationship with a true partner.
“We’re a team, Mom. My career is just as important as his.
We make our decisions together. That’s why we can’t commit to holiday plans yet.
We don’t fully know what’s on his schedule or mine.
And even if we did, we would want to discuss it privately before agreeing to anything with you. ”
My mom rapidly blinks like she can’t believe what I’m saying.
“To add to what Kate said, I want to make it clear that I’m not going anywhere. I’m madly in love with your daughter and plan on marrying her, so you can either start treating both of us with respect, or we can leave. It’s that simple.”
The room falls silent as my mom glances back and forth between us. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”
“Huh?” I ask, unsure what the hell she’s referencing.
My mom scrunches her brow, like I’m the one not making any sense. “Obviously, the fact the two of you are planning to get married, because that changes everything.”
Excuse me, what is happening?
Her face softens as she makes eye contact with Jake. “Do you have a timeline on when you’ll propose? Or have the wedding? I assume the two of you want children, correct?”
Have we entered an alternative reality where my mom is a robot, and someone flipped her switch from bitchy to nice? Because I’m not sure how else to explain what I’m witnessing.
I don’t say a word as Jake vaguely answers her questions, refusing to give her any concrete details but assuring her that he has long-term plans for us, and children are definitely in our future.
At some point, she even mentions it’s totally fine for us to share a room because we’ll be getting married soon.
Once the two of us are alone in my childhood bedroom, I unleash the wide-ranging emotions building inside me.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask, pacing back and forth in my bedroom that hasn’t been touched since I moved out in high school.
The shelves are still littered with academic awards, the bulletin board has photos from high school tacked on it, and the bright pink comforter that’s at least twenty years old still adorns my bed.
Jake laughs, plopping on my bed and patting the spot next to him. “No idea, but at least she’s going to back off for the time being.”
I shake my head in disbelief because I can’t logically explain her behavior. “Sure, if you don’t mind being pestered every twenty minutes about when you’re going to propose, or hearing her talk about how many of my eggs are dying each day, so we should hurry up with our baby making.”
Jake chuckles and puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in closer to him. “She’s excited…I think. Honestly, I’m really not sure what goes on in that woman’s head.” He adjusts his position to look at me as confusion grows across his face. “When did she say anything about baby making?”
“When you went to the bathroom. She thought it was important to let me know that at my age, approximately one thousand eggs die every month, so I can’t wait forever to make her a grandmother.”
His mouth drops open.
“Yep. Welcome to my life. Are you sure you want to sign up for a lifetime of it?” I ask, letting out a big sigh. I can only imagine how much pestering she’s going to do about grandchildren after we’re married.
He cups my face, gazing into my eyes. “Absolutely. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” He presses a quick kiss on my lips. “Now, we should probably start practicing for our eventual baby making.”
I let out a laugh and fall backward on the bed. It doesn’t take long until he’s making good on his earlier promise to fuck me in my childhood bedroom.