Not in Texas

Chapter 7

Come back to Ben's. Don't bring your friend. John showed her the message at dinnertime. "I want to talk to her," Susan told John. They were standing in the kitchen, away from the chatter.

"We can try and call tonight. Don't be surprised if she doesn't answer."

"Princess," Dom walked into the kitchen. John put his phone away and crossed his arms. "I have to go home for a minute. Want to come?" She glanced over at John. "I'll have you back in time for sex o'clock."

"It's not even like that," John said as Susan blushed.

"Not yet," Dom said, punching his shoulder. "I've seen what you do with serial cables."

Once in Dom's car, Susan said, "I've never taken birth control pills."

"I'm not surprised."

"Do all doctors do internal exams?"

"All?" He glanced over. "OB/Gyns and GPs do. You've had a pap smear before, right?" She shook her head. "Please tell me you at least know how sex works. With a man and a woman, I mean."

"Yes," she said, blushing. "I just haven't ever...Why are you demi-sexual?"

"Why is the sky blue?" He shrugged. "It's just a lot of energy to put into one part of a relationship."

"Have you ever been in love?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I had better things to do." At Mom's house, Dom unlocked the door with his phone and swung it open. "Mom, I'm getting married," he announced.

Mom was on the couch with her tablet. She looked up just with her eyes. "To whom?"

"Susan," he said, waving to her like a presenter.

"That's nice," she said, looking back down. "She's special."

"John thinks so," he said, walking down the hall. He opened the door at the end on the left.

"How do you like the house?" Mom asked her.

"It's nice," Susan said. "Very loud."

"Boys are like that."

"Did you know what your husband did?" Susan asked, sitting beside her on the couch.

"Of course."

"Were you OK with it?'

Mom sighed. "For the most part. It took over his life sometimes. There were times when I felt like I was raising Dom all alone."

"Why did you let Dom get into hacking?"

She scoffed. "I didn't let him get into anything. It's what he wanted to do. Kids have to make their own way."

"What if they get hurt?" Susan asked.

Mom patted her hand with one of her own. "That's called life."

"Is Key asleep?" Dom came walking back to the front.

"Yes, she has school tomorrow."

"If anyone asks, tell them you're happy I'm engaged."

"I am happy," she said, patting Susan's hand again. Susan smiled. She got up to follow Dom out the door.

"What were you doing at home?" she asked.

"I had to do a hard reboot on a server I'm patching." Dom yawned.

"What?"

He shook his head. "I turned a computer off and back on."