Discipline

A Family Affair

My mom and I enter the steakhouse and we spot my sister sitting across the room. I smile and wave and then make my way over. The waitress gives us waters and then we can talk.

“It’s so good to see you, Renee! How have things been?” I pick up my menu and begin looking at all food.

“Oh, you know, same ol’, same ol’. Jeff and I have been taking things slow, but that’s what I need. How have things been with you?” She takes a sip of her water.

“Good—things have been great.” I smile brightly.

“Elizabeth, you have been smiling nonstop since you go into Kentwood! What’s up?” My mom asks somewhat forcefully.

I put down my menu and sigh contently. “Well… I’ve been seeing someone.”

“What?” My mom and sister say in unison. They then come at me with all these questions.

“Whoa! One at a time!”

“I get to go first since I’m your mother! Where did you… meet him?” Her face scrunches up a little bit.

“He’s not a client, Mom. Don’t worry.” She lets out a sigh of relief. “I met him through a client.”

Her face turns pink. “What—“

“—Nope! My turn!” Renee snaps. “What’s his name?”

“Alex...”

“What does he do for a living?” My sister questions.

“Um… baseball.”

“Ooh, like minor league?” Renee’s eyes are lit up with curiosity.

I pick up my water to take a sip, feeling warm all of a sudden. I shake my head and whisper, “No.”

“Then what—“ Her face freeze. “No! No fucking way! You didn’t!” My sister is going ballistic.

“Shh,” I whisper. “People could hear you.”

“Show me proof!”

“Alright…” I pull out my phone and go to my Photo Gallery. “That’s me with Kate Upton and Brayan Holaday’s wife, Ashley.”

“Shut the fuck up! You met Kate Upton?”

“Yeah, she’s really cool.” I smile.

“Damn, you’re living the life! Maybe I should start sleeping with a professional baseball player…” Renee takes another sip of water.

The waitress comes over to take our order. I haven’t even really look at the menu yet. So I just order a steak, medium-rare with mashed potatoes and a house salad. My sister orders the same and my mom orders a salad.

Once she’s gone, I turn to my sister. “No one ever said anything about sleeping together.”

Renee gives me a flat look. “C’mon, Elizabeth. I know what you do for a living. I know you have.” I look at her blankly. “Oh my God, you haven’t!

I turn to my mom, wanting to change the subject. “You’re quiet, Mom. Don’t you have any questions?”

My mom sighs. Here it comes. “Elizabeth, why do you always dress in all black? I mean, it always looks like you’re going to a funeral! And you know I hate nose rings!” Before I can answer, she gets up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

I sigh and look to Renee who is fuming. “So what else do you want to know?”

“I want to know why you haven’t slept him yet!”

I look down and play with the napkin in my lap. “I don’t know. I guess I just want to take things slow? I mean, we’ve fooled around a bit but nothing past second base.” I laugh to myself at the pun.

“Hmm, I get that. You want it to last and you want mutual respect. I’m proud of you, Elizabeth.” She smiles compassionately. “Wait a second!”

Oh shit. “What?”

“One more question… You said that you met him through a client. Who is the client?” She eyes me carefully.

“Renee, you know I can’t tell you that! It’s confidential! I could lose business if word got out I told people!”

“Just tell me: is it a player or a staff member?” Renee’s voice is hushed.

I lower my voice to match hers. “I’m not telling you.”

“Dammit!” She puts her index finger to her chin. “Hmm, someone in the Tigers Clubhouse is into the kinky shit. That’s very, very interesting. Wait a second!”

“Ugh, what now?” I groan, rolling my eyes.

“If you’re seeing Alex Avila… does that mean you’re not working anymore? I mean, how does he feel about your job? Is he into that?”

Shit, I was hoping she wasn’t going to ask. “Well… I am still working and… Alex doesn’t know what I do for a living. And I don’t know if he a sub or dom or whatever!” I bite my lip. I see my mom coming back. “Please don’t tell her!”

“Only if you tell me who you’re servicing on the Tigers.”

I look at my mom and then my sister. “Max Scherzer,” I whisper.

Renee starts to gasp but then she stops herself. I can tell she’s about to burst from the new knowledge. My mom takes her seat and she looks at us suspiciously. Our food comes and we dine with little small talk and awkward glances. We finish our meal and my mom goes for her wallet.
“No, Mom, I’ll pay.” I grab my purse.

“I’m your mother. I’m paying.”

“Come on, Mom. I just got a bonus. You’ve paid for enough.”

“Oh, like the education that you flushed down the drain?” Her eyes turn dark. “Fine! Pay! I don’t care. I’ll be in the car.” She gets up and leaves.

I sigh and put my debit card on the platter with my receipt. I feel like I was just stabbed with a knife. This is why I don’t come home—too many judgments!

“Don’t listen to her. But listen, if you do really care about Alex and you want to make it work, I would tell him the truth. He obviously won’t be happy about it and I don’t know him but I think you guys can work through it. Oh, and give him some please. If you guys are fooling around, he’s probably going home and doing it himself. Don’t do that to him.” She smiles humorously and then gets up to leave, throwing her purse over her shoulder. “Goodbye, Elizabeth. I’ll text you?”

“Yeah, definitely!”

“Because… I believe you owe me some more details.” She waves and then walks over to the exit.

I sit there for a few minutes, absorbing what just happened. I’m caught in so many lies. My life is a lie. Well, at least my love life is. What am I doing? I pick up my phone and text Alex:

Hey, when is the next time I can see you? I need to tell you something.