Getting Over Matt

31 - "Eighteen isn't some kind of magic number."

Chapter 31 - "Eighteen isn't some kind of magic number."

"I'm sorry...where?" 

"Rome. You know, in Italy?" 

"I know where Rome is, Isobel." Mum's stern tone showed she didn't appreciate that response.

I frowned. "So, what's the problem?" 

Over dinner, I'd finally gotten round to asking Mum about going to Rome with Nathan. It wasn't for another few weeks—plenty of notice—and I wouldn't be missing school. I didn't see the issue.  

"Just you and Nathan?" 

"Well it won't be just Nathan and me because we'll be with his family," I explained, for what felt like the tenth time.  

"But I don't know his family. I've never met them." 

"But you've met Nathan. And you like him a lot." 

"I do like Nathan a lot," she agreed. "But I've never met his family. I'm just not sure if I'm comfortable with you staying with people I've never met." 

"But you've met Nathan," I repeated. I genuinely couldn't understand the issue. Mum loved Nathan.  

"Just give me time to think it over, Isobel." 

"I'm eighteen, Mum. I'm an adult." 

"Eighteen isn't some kind of magic number," she snapped, putting her cutlery down. Uh-oh. Now we were getting serious. "You're still my daughter, and although you think I'm being unfair, I'm only doing it because I love you." 

"What do you think is going to happen to me?"  

"Let's not discuss it now, Isobel. I'll think it over. I haven't said no, have I?" 

We ate the rest of dinner in silence. Although it wasn't really awkward, tension clung to the air. I rarely argued with Mum and hated it when we did. She tidied the plates away without saying anything and then we both retreated to the lounge to watch TV. After another half an hour of silence, she turned it off and twisted to face me.  

"Okay. I've thought about it." 

Damn. Already? Definitely not good news. "Oh. Okay," I said quietly in resignation. How was I going to break this to Nathan? 

"You can go." 

I did a double-take, worried I'd misheard her. "What?" 

"You can go to Rome," she repeated, sighing slightly in defeat.  

A smile spread across my face. "Really?" 

"Yes. You're right," she said. "You're eighteen. Nathan is nineteen. You're both adults and you can look after yourselves. At some point, later this year, you're going to be moving out to university. I need to learn to let you go and not be so protective." 

"Thank you, Mum. I do appreciate your trust," I told her earnestly.  

She sighed. "Plus...you went through so much with Matt...and now you've finally got yourself a decent man. I'm not going to get in the way of that."  

- 

"She said yes?" Nathan's excited voice brought a smile to my lips when I spoke to him later that evening.  

"Yep. I was pretty sure she was going to say no." 

"That's great news. I can't wait." 

"Me neither." I beamed, already excited. "What's the weather like in Rome in April?"