Pamela, New York

Chapter 18

We're entering the final chapters! The video above is the beautiful guitar of Elvis Presley's I can't Help Falling in Love with You. I recommend you turn up the music as you read the final paragraphs on this chapter :-)
=====================

"Hi Mom," I smile.

"My baby girl!" she smiles, "And my favorite future son-in-law!" she says to Jimmy.

"Mom," I say as Jimmy chuckles, "We're not engaged."

"Oh, it's just a name I call him," she says as she kisses us both.

"I like that name though," Jimmy smiles. "How are you, is everything good?"

"I had sex last night," mom says

"Mom!" I shout again as Jimmy laughs his guts out, "With who?"

"Frank," she says, "He's a writer."

I look at Jimmy and he still hasn't stopped laughing.

"Frank who? Have I met him?" I ask

"I think I introduced him to Jimmy in the common area last time," he looks at Jimmy, "Do you remember Frank? I think he told you he was a writer and he would love to be a guest in your show. Come to think of it, that's probably why he slept with me, so he can get to you."

"Oh God, mom..." I sigh, "Jimmy, stop laughing!"

"Ah anyway," Mom waves her hand, "I told him it's impossible. He only published one book."

"Was he good?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh, he has quite huge penis," Mom says

Jimmy bursts out laughing again.

"Mom, he meant the book," I say, "Geez."

"Oh, I thought the sex," Mom chuckles, "Well how would I know? I didn't read his damn book!"

I sigh. Jimmy has to sit himself down because he could no longer hold himself from laughing.

"Anyway, I was thinking we go relax by the lake again," Mom says, "You wanna do that?"

"Yes, that would be great," Jimmy says

"I'll have to talk to the doctor first, you guys go ahead, I'll catch up," I say.

***

When I return, I find my mom and Jimmy are laying down on the grass beside the lake. My mom has laid out a picnic blanket and prepared fresh green grapes, lime soda, and some cheese and bread. As I sit down with then, I hear my mom tells Jimmy the story of her first love.

"I actually think your first love is the love you fell the hardest," she says, "I remember he took me to this hill and we sat on top of his car watching the stars. I actually thought he would lead me to naughty things, you know, because both of us were curious virgins then... But he did not. You know what he did? He sang. He told me, Edith, you made me feel funny things that I can't even explain. So I'm just gonna sing about it to you... Oh, he had the most beautiful voice because he was one of those handsome boys that was born with country-singing blood in his veins. He sang that Elvis song, that Can't Help Falling in Love song. Beautiful. My heart was beating so fast. But it was warm. I felt warm inside. I should have married him. You should marry people who make you feel warm inside..."

I watch my mom smiling at her memories. I have heard this story many times because this is her favorite, but every time I hear it, I never stopped feeling sad. I always thought that my mom deserves a bigger happiness than this. But I always feel that no matter what happens, she will always wake up having the bad years she had with my dad. And there is nothing I could do to erase what my father has done to her.