Hannah (Sequel to The Feminist Challenge)

V. She lost an earring

Misty sighed a heavy one. She lay down on the trimmed grass of her back yard next to Ash.

"It feels nice."

"It does."

Misty closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air. Monday's were very calm days at their household; Chris and Dylan would be back to dorms, and Matthew would be at school. Anthony rarely came for a visit on Monday's too. So when Ash could afford staying a little more, it was an opportunity to spend some time together, be silly, or even be "stupid" (Once, they played chase). Lying down the grass wasn't something you'd see two middle aged parents do every day.

"I'm going to talk."

"I hear you." Ash smiled.

"I can't wait for Anthony's wedding. He'll be a wonderful groom."

"Okay. Don't they say that about women usually?"

Misty propped herself up with her elbow and looked down at Ash. "Hey, my son is going to be a wonderful groom, got it?"

Ash laughed. "Alright. What's next?"

"Sam is too frivolous. Don't you think?" Misty was convinced she stuffed her boobs. They couldn't be real. They looked the same size as Misty's. Come on. It took the redhead giving birth four times to get to the DD cup.

"Chris is frivolous too."

Misty rolled her eyes. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours. Or do you want me to lie down somewhere else?"

The redhead giggled. She turned to lie down and squeezed Ash's arm. "Silly."

"Who's next? Dylan?"

"My poor baby. College doesn't suit him. He's becoming so frail and skinny. Maybe we should make him take online courses and stay home."

"I'd rather have him stay there." Ash thought Misty had serious issues that involved over-feeding his sons. The more they stayed away from her, the better off their bodies were. Not that college food was any better, but you get the idea.

"Whose si—okay, I know! My side!"

The two chuckled.

"Or maybe you just don't like his girlfriend."

"That Maude girl is not any better than Samantha, just saying." Samantha was fake, plastic and all splashed with make-up; Maude was a stuck-up and impolite.

"I like her name."

Misty rolled her eyes. "That's all you have to say about a girl who smoked in your house the first time you met her?"

"That's her business, not mine." Ash watched her the whole time and smiled to himself. She smoked like a businesswoman smoking her Cuban cigar, except that she wasn't a businesswoman and she couldn't afford Cuban cigars. Oh, college girls.

"Dylan told me she quit. If next time I catch her smoke inside my house, I swear to God..." Misty didn't really want Dylan to date a smoker in the first place. If she ever gets her baby addicted, she would flip. "And Matthew."

"Hum?"

"He's been acting weird recently."

"How weird?"

"He's not okay." Ash turned to rest on his side. He looked at Misty as she spoke, "I thought he was hiding something so I did something kind of bad."

"You looked through his stuff?"

Misty remained silent.

Ash was serious this time. "Misty, how many times I've told you not to do that?"