Not Desperate

Chapter 15 The In-Laws are Coming

Chapter 15

The In-Laws are Coming

            Yvonne had been stressing and freaking out the last day and a half. It was now Friday afternoon and Helen and Paul would be here any minute. When they arrive, Yvonne was taking them with her to pick up Michael from school. She was dreading this. She and Helen had never really liked each other. Yvonne clearly remembered the day they met. She and David had only been dating for a couple of months and he was taking her to meet them at a restaurant near their house in Columbia, Tennessee. When Helen learned that she and Yvonne both had a bachelor degree in English she was excited. That meant that they were just alike, right? Well, no, and Helen quickly realized that. Yvonne wasn’t a shopper. She didn’t have a lot of knick-knacks on her shelves. She didn’t have decorative towels in the bathroom and sure as hell didn’t wear Alfred Dunner pantsuits. She was nothing but a big disappointment. They had always been civil to each other, but David had told her all the nasty things his mother had said about her.

            When they pulled into the driveway, Yvonne plastered on her fake smile and went outside to meet them. “Oh honey! It’s so good to see you!” Helen said excitedly and gave Yvonne a big hug. “Have you lost weight sweetheart?”

            “No, I haven’t, but thanks for asking. Hello Paul, how are you? How was the trip?”

            “Just fine honey.” He said and came around the truck to give her a hug. She and Paul always got along. He had been raised the same as her and her mother, so they had a lot more in common. “Come on everybody, grab some bags so we can get the truck cleared out and go get that boy.” Once they had all the bags inside, they left to go to the school. Yvonne had not missed this, the third degree.  Helen needed to know everything about her life to everything about her friend’s lives. She even started in on her job. “Are you still working at that diner?” Helen asked her.

            “Technically it’s a café, and yes, I am. It’s a great job. I get paid well enough to support Michael and myself and I get a lot of exercise running around during the rushes. My co-workers are amazing and the customers are nice and friendly. I have no complaints about my job.”

            “I know honey, but don’t you want something more for yourself? Think about Michael.”

            I’m going to bitch slap that woman! “I think about Michael every day. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be working at all. I’d be on the couch in my robe watching television every day. Everything I do, I do for him. I don’t do anything for myself. Maybe when I’m retired, like you, I can be selfish.” Helen’s mouth was hanging open. She remained silent the rest of the way to the school.

            Michael was so excited to meet his grandparents. He talked the rest of the way home. He told them about his day and what he had been doing at the school, when they got home, Paul announced that he would be taking them all out for a special dinner. Everyone took their turns in the shower and got dressed. When they were on the way to the restaurant, Michael innocently asked if Daryl was meeting them there. Yvonne was struck dumb. She wasn’t going to tell her in-laws about him, not in any way, shape or form. “Who is Daryl?” Helen asked.