Nerd

VII

"Are you and my daughter... Just friends?" she asked making me frown a little at why she would ask a question like that, not understanding what she meant by 'just' friends.

"Yes." I gave her a simple answer, hoping it was the one she wanted to hear.

"Nothing more?" she pressed even further, Amanda coming down the stairs in time before I could answer, finding it strange until I thought back to what Ryan had told me about her being gay.

"I'll be back tomorrow, mum. I love you." She quickly said kissing her on the cheek while I just waved goodbye and walked out the house back down to my car.

That had to be in my top three of the awkwardest conversation I have ever been involved in.

I turned towards Amanda when we were both inside my car, "why was your mum asking me if we were more than friends?" I questioned her as I slid my car keys into the ignition and turned the engine on.

"She's just being a mum." She said nonchalantly like my question didn't bother her even though her mum was insinuating if she was in a lesbian relationship with me. I haven't met many mothers who like to ask them questions on the spot, normally they ask who you are and how you met their child and so on, but since then I guess parents have changed since I met anybody's mother, making a mental note to stay in the car next time, with a simple nod of my head and pulled away from her house.

If it was my mum questioning if I was involved with a girl she'd be flipping out at me and not for the reason of being overprotective, but more of the reason for me being with a girl. In the past, she has thrown an odd comment here and there if she assumed someone was gay or as she calls it allowing the devil to sin. That's another thing, my mother wasn't religious, she never went to church or went to any event to 'help' raise money for the church even though they don't pay tax and whatever else, the money probably lined the minister and priest's pocket. When it came to homosexuals she would shout from the rooftops how it's not gods wish for a woman to be with another woman or a man to be with a man. It would never matter if you told her repeatedly that times have changed. She was nothing but a cold-hearted woman made from stone.

The longer we drove in silence I felt myself become curious of Amanda, multiple questions running through my head that I wouldn't dare to ask regarding the people she dates or has dated. I bit my tongue the majority of the way home to keep me from invading her privacy and wanting every dirty detail. It's a good job I'm not one of the girls that thrive for the gossip.

She let out a sigh causing me to look at her while trying to keep my eye on the road, my brows furrowing when concern washed away the curiosity.

"Everything okay?" worried when the atmosphere started to shift.

"My mum asked because... I don't know how to put this other than being blunt." A click of her tongue while she looked out the passenger window before swivelling in her seat to look at me. "She asked because, at one point when I was grieving, I let myself go numb and fall into a hole. The only way I could cope was to find it in someone else, so I ended up bringing people home to make me forget. I promised her that I don't do that anymore and that I'm coping better but I guess part of her wants to believe me but deep inside I know that she has her doubts and I don't blame her but she will never admit to me that she has these feelings." Opening up to me for the first time since all of this happened, learning something about Amanda DeCeno that isn't the typical icebreaker.

I stayed quiet to soak in what she had just told me when I noticed she started to feel uncomfortable, seeing her shuffling from the corner of my eye. I noticed she didn't comment on who she slept with in regards to it being a boy or girl, then again it did come from the horse's mouth, already knowing Catherine is a shit-stirrer. And if she did sleep with a girl I'm sure she would have made a point about it so I can't assume she's something she's not, else I'd be acting like Ryan with how he is towards me.