Summer of Love

Chapter 11

There was a slight knock on the door, it was Percy.

"Hey babe." I said pecking him on the lips. "What are we doing today?"

He looked at his feet. "Well...uh I was thinking you could meet my mom."

"Oh...um ok." I was a tad surprised, I had heard about his mom but she wasn't someone that I felt actually existed.

"If that's ok? She really wants to meet you."

She wanted to meet me? Wow. "Lead the way." I said placing my hand in his.

We reached his front door. I bit my lip. What if she didn't like me?

"Where's Jackson?" I asked wondering if it would just be us.

"Video chatting with Taylor at McDonalds...we don't have wifi."

"Oh"

"Don't be nervous."

"I'm not..."

"Lies!"

I giggled nervously as he opened the door.

We walked into a modest sized living room.

"Mom!" He called out.

A youngish lady walked out. Her eyes got wide. She walked right up and hugged me.

"Oh my gosh! You must be Megan! I've been dying to meet the girl that makes Percy come home before midnight!" She squealed.

I didn't know why but I had a feeling I was really going to like her.

"It ain't pretty...when a heart breaks"

I looked around wondering where the lyrics were coming from. Percy pulled out his phone.

I gave him a funny look. He mouthed to me 'Jackson'

I gave him another funny look. He rolled his eyes and mouthed 'it's true'

His mother just awkwardly looked between the two of us.

"Ok I'll be there soon."

He looked at me, "umm Jackson's computer isn't working. He's freaking out a bit."

I bit my lip in a nervous manner. I didn't think Percy's mom would attack me but you never know.

"Go. I'll be fine."

"K thanks." He walked out and I turned around to face my doom.

His mom giggled a bit, " you two are so funny. Poor Jackson."

She motioned for me to come in. I sat down at the table.

"Wow." I said looking around their kitchen. The whole back wall was glass, it had a view of the ocean.

She nodded, acknowledging the view.

"It's quite a sight."

Then the interrogation began.

"Where are you from?" Percy's mom asked while sitting down next to me.

"Maryland." She laughed.

"We live in Virginia."

"Cool." I said, still nervous. I refocused my eyes on a picture across the room. I stood up and grabbed it.

"What's this." The picture was of a much younger Percy. He couldn't have been older than three. A tall man was throwing him in the air.

She gave me a sad smile. "Percy and his dad."

I blinked a few times. He never brought up his dad.

"What um happened to him." I nearly whispered. I sat down across from Percy's mom.

She put her chin in her hands and sighed dreamily.

"He was a great dad, loved Percy with all his heart. But he was a marine. He'd come home time to time when they let him but he couldn't make himself quit. He loved it. Not killing people but saving people. He was in a lot of missions rescuing people."

"Wow he never told me."

She looked at her hands. "He doesn't like the pity."

I looked at her confused. "What happened?" I questioned.

Her eyes began to fill with tears. "When Percy was five, he went on a mission while stationed in Iraq. The building was burning and they were getting all the people out. On the second floor he saw a little boy, he ran to get him, as he was exiting a beam trapped him." A few stray tears fell down her face. I soon realized a few were falling down mine.

"They got the little boy out. But he didn't make it."

"Oh" I said, having absolutely nothing else to say.

She wiped away her tears. "Enough with the sadness." She smiled at me. "Life goes on, you can't just stop living? Right? Ok let's bake cookies."

I laughed at her randomness.

Once I left, after spending the afternoon with Percy, Jackson, and Mel as she told me to call her. I cried.

I cried for Percy.

I cried for Mel and her strength.

I cried for the man that lost his life.

And most of all I cried because of all those months I resented my father, when Percy only had a few precious years with his.