Bouquet of Roses

 

Tires crunched on the gravel. My mom was home.
"Quick, hide behind the sofa!" I whispered to Caden. His body shot up and dove behind the couch I was currently sitting on.
My mom's footsteps were now getting closer and I hear her keys jingling. Caden was trying to fit his large body behind the small couch. I waved my arm, trying to convey to him to get down. I could now hear the lock turning. The door swung open and my mom walked in. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, sitting on the top of her head. Her power suit was a powder pink and all the buttons were done up. She painted her lips a nude shade.
"Hello, Mae. How was school?" She unbuttoned the suit jacket and hung it up.
"It was fine." My eyes flickered to the couch and back to my mother.
"Any homework?"
"Just a couple math problems."
"Okay, I'll be upstairs. Work was exhausting today." I watched as she trudged up the stairs. As soon as she was out of sight I walked to the back of the couch. Caden saw me and opened his mouth to talk. I placed my index finger against my lips in a shushing manner. Caden followed me as I walked out the door and slightly down the street, to where he parked his car.
"I don't understand why we can't tell your mom that we're together." Caden mused.
"My mom doesn't think that you're a good influence."
"Is it because of the rumor that I was in juvie this summer? I wasn't. You know that." Caden crossed his arms. The muscles, he built up from working in his uncle's garage, bulged out slightly.
"I know, but she doesn't!"
"Mae Nicole Mathers, what are you doing here?" My head whipped around. My mother was standing, tapping her foot with her arms crossed. The bun sitting on her head was slightly loose. The nude lipstick was nowhere to be seen. Her mud brown eyes were narrowed and drilling holes into me.
"Mom! What are you doing here?" My mom did not answer, she just continued to glare at me.
"I-I can explain." I stuttered.
"You can. At home." My mom turned and started walking back to the house.
After four months of dating we had finally been caught- and of course it was by my mother. Caden shuffled beside me. I almost forgot him. I turned to look at him. His eyes were downcast and his shoulders were hunched. Caden had a bad reputation in the town. His father was in and out of jail for years until he finally left a year back. His mom was single, never finding time to remarry. She worked two jobs, as a waitress and a maid, to support Caden and his two little brothers. Caden did whatever was necessary to help provide for his family. So, if that meant stealing some food from the grocery store or some diapers from the corner store, Caden had no problem with it. He did though have a problem with the rumors that he was going to turn out like his father.
"It's going to be okay. I swear." Caden reassured me.
"But it's not! You don't know her."
"We were going to have to tell her eventually."
"I know." I sighed, "I just wish it was under our terms. Not hers. I have to go now though. Before she comes looking for me."
Caden nodded his head and got in his car. The walk back to my house was shorter than I wanted it to be. I knew what would be waiting for me when I got home. A long lecture on why boys are distractions and then a ban on all things Caden.
"Mae, I believe that I told you that I wanted you to stay away from that-that boy!" My mom's eyes widened and swung her arms around.
"But why? Mom, you've never taken the time to get to know him. Everything 'bad thing' that you hear about him is gossip! Everything that he does is for his family. Caden's nice and he treats me nice!"
"Oh my god, you're in love with him!" My mom exclaimed.
My jaw went slack. The anger I just had flew from my body. I had not thought about the L word. But now that it was in the air, I thought about Caden. His face, his eyes, the way he treats me, and the fact that he will do anything for his family.
"Yeah...yeah. I think I am." I whisper more to myself than my mom.
"I've forgotten what it's like to feel young, Mae. It's been a while. I'm not going to forbid you from being with him. I know you, you're stubborn. Just be careful."

A week later, Caden was standing outside my door. He held two bouquets of roses. He kissed me on the cheek and I ushered him inside the house. After my mom, most or less, gave us her blessing Caden wanted to properly meet my mom. Hence the family dinner.
One of the bouquets was thrusted into my arm with a smirk. "For you."
I heard my mother's footsteps, "Hello, Caden."
"Hi, Ms. Mathers. These are for you." He held out the bouquet in his hand.
"Darling, they're beautiful, thank you!" Her eyes softened slightly as she gazed at the petals.