My Borrowed Son

To My Friends...

Selina has an account for her art to better her portfolio and gain a following.

I want to publish some of my writing because I like it and I'm good at it.

I'll be responsible.

It'll be another way to make friends.

I know we've talked about safety on the internet before, and I promise I'll be safe.

The more Parker thought, the more he didn't feel confident in his argument. The teen still wanted to try though. The worst thing that his mom could say was "no," right?

He shimmied down the line and hurried to the kitchen before he could lose his nerve.

Parker crossed the wooden floor, taking in the heigh of the hallway and the vastness of the living room before walking into the kitchen. After spending the evening in a place designed specifically for someone of his size, looking up toward the ceiling was vertigo inducing. That weird part of him felt, for whatever reason, apprehensive as he approached his mom.

It happened from time to time, but that sensation was something he couldn't identify.

The sweet smell of baking cinnamon bread wafted through the air and dismissed his concerns as his mom knelt instinctually and helped him up onto the counter.

"So, I was thinking that we should start working on the hot water in your space first so if there are any leaks and spills we can clean it up, dry it off, and not get any decorations and electricity wet. I know we set up the basics yesterday, but I just want to make sure it's all good before getting everything else in place. What do you think?" asked his mom. A healthy portion of iced cinnamon roll was dished out onto his plate and handed to him.

"Sounds good to me," replied Parker. "And thanks for making breakfast." He inhaled the sweet scent and dared to lick a large portion directly off of the top when his mom wasn't looking.

"You're welcome sweetie," Amanda said in response. "Then, if you're feeling up to it, we hook up the chords and lights so you can be ready to show your friends your new room on your webcam by Monday for class."

"That... sounds great," said Parker, his mind thrumming with a slight, growing anxiety as his question continued to prickle the tip of his tongue. Parker winced as he saw his mom looking at him. He didn't know how she did it, but anytime he had something on his mind, she knew.

"Or... we can do something different," suggested Amanda. Parker looked up and saw his mom's intuitive eyes looking at him quizzically.

"No! No, I want to do all of that. It's going to be a great project," said Parker hurriedly, his heartrate spiking momentarily. "It's just... I wanted to ask you for something. Like... a delayed birthday gift?"

The concern in his mom's brow dissipated into curiosity. She nodded and laid her hand down onto the counter, a signal to Parker that they were going to go sit at the table instead of eating on the kitchen counter. He stepped onto her hand, noting the small blister on her thumb from where she probably accidentally burned it while making breakfast, and let her get settled down at the table before continuing.

"Um... okay... hear me out," said Parker as the argument he had been practicing in the bathroom and all this morning vaporized immediately.

"Okay," said his mom with a cautiously amused smile on her face. Parker cleared his throat a few times before it clicked again in his head.

"Um... right. So, I was wondering if I could start my own Tumblr page," said Parker. His mom's brow furrowed in confusion, so the teen decided to elaborate. "I was talking with Selina and the others during the party yesterday and Selina said that she had one and was using it to post her art and stuff like that. She said I should put my writing up on there and... I... kind of want to."