little, little birdie

May 25th - The Mall Trip

May 25th

Birdie just keeps surprising me.

I go to the mall on Saturday. Mom wants to go shopping and I have nothing better to do. I figure I can find a new pair of sneakers or something so I go as her official escort in the mustang.

Mom and I are getting ready to leave after grabbing a bite in the food court when I see a familiar face leaning against the railing, staring down.

Mom's a few paces behind, distracted by a display as I hurry over to the vision in the shopping mall.

"Birdie!" She glances over at me and smiles. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"I thought it was normal for a girl to be at the mall," she responds, raising an eyebrow and returning to her post, surveying the bottom floor.

"I would have pegged you in a bookstore," I say jokingly, leaning against the rail beside her.

"They have a bookstore here," she says.

"Ren!" Mom calls. Birdie and I turn around at the same time. "Oh hello!" Mom says, beaming when she catches sight of the pretty girl at my side. "You must be Birdie."

I could have smacked my forehead. If that wasn't the most obvious thing in the world - to have your own mother blurt out the name of a girl she's never met, but must know because her son talks about her.

Yes, I told mom about Birdie. One night it just slipped out when she came into my room to drop off laundry and saw me frantically scribbling at my desk, my twitter feed open.

Birdie looks at me sideways, a curious expression on her face. She isn't smiling, but she doesn't look mad either. I can't read her expression.

"I'm Ren's mum."