The Exception

Chapter 60: The Wisdom Of A Mother

I was busy chopping carrots. We had a delish lunch, awesome movie, and a board game. It was Cluedo, and Keith startled us with his unusually quick deductions. Turned out it was my character, with the rope, in the kitchen. Funny kind of murder I must say.

"I guess considering you were literally stretched like a tightrope to the limit, it seems fitting you'd suffocate someone..." Keith responded.

"Hey!" I yelped and almost pushed him off the chair. He laughed hard, and now my dad and him were playing another round while I was helping my mom make supper.

"You know he really likes you, that boy," my mom spoke to me. I frowned.

"Yeah, he really does care about me, and I care for him too..."

"I didn't mean it like that, sweetheart..."

I looked up to my mother's knowing eyes. "Mom..."

"What? It's obvious...the way he steals glances at you, teases you...the way he talks to you...notices the little things..."

I raised my brow at my mother.

"Come on, I'm a romantic, and I tend to take notice when boys pay attention to my daughter..."

"Yeah, but mom, I'm with Evan...or at least, I think I am," I took a bowl and scraped the carrots in.

"Talking about Evan. what's going on between the two of you?"

I sighed and shook my head. "I just thought he'd changed...he said we would, then I found he hasn't exactly been so truthful to me...I don't know, it's complicated." I shook my head again and grabbed the tomatoes. 

"You know what I think?"

"That this tomato is potentially going to explode?" I asked. My mother smiled and shook her head.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice how comfortable you are with me spilling the beans to Keith, and how comfortable you are allowing him in your home, but how quickly you lead Evan out of the house, or chase me out with your eyes, because you are so scared I might say something wrong..."

"I don't chase you out...technically...."

"Honey, you're not comfortable with him knowing everything about you...that tells me, that you don't trust him...how can you build a relationship with someone you cannot trust?"

"You don't think it can work?"

My mom sighed. "You really like Evan, don't you?"

I nodded and sighed.

"Sweetie, normally, as a romantic, I'd tell you to follow your heart, but sometimes it is wiser to follow your head instead...especially when things get complicated..."

"Why did you choose to marry dad?" I asked her.

She smiled. "Because he won my heart, in his own way...your father may be a workaholic, but he has a heart of gold. He does tend to be oblivious at time, sadly...but he always does what he can with the best of intentions..."

"What if Evan does have good intentions? Just expresses them wrong?"

"The more important question is, what if he doesn't? Sweetie, sometimes, to get a good view of how things really are...is to take a step back,"

I nodded as she said this. Things were very murky when it came to him, and now being better rested, I realized that. I knew this week wasn't going to be easy, but I had to sort them out...fast. Before I fell really hard again.

Keith knocked on the kitchen door.

"Come in," my mom invited him.

"Hey, so my mom is on her way back, and I kind of have to cook dinner for her...so..."

"Nonsense, we're almost done here, you can take some of our food with you," my mom interrupted.

"That would be most kind, Mrs Rider...as I am not the greatest when it comes to food..."

"Is it that food does not agree with you or you do not agree with food?" I asked him and he smiled.

"It's kind of a mixed and complicated situation. You see, I love macaroni, but macaroni loves water...the water doesn't really like me, so I tend to spill and slip along the way to the stove tops, and then it's just a mess...might I add, but one day...I hope to make it work..."

I shook my head and smiled. "Well, I'm sure one day the macaroni and the water will adore you..."

"Not so sure about the water, but the macaroni...maybe..." Keith laughed. "Agnus...Cara, Lisa, Joey and I are going to see that Disney movie tomorrow night...wanna come?"

"Yeah, of course, if my mom..."

"She can go," my mom winked. She scooped the stew, rice and salad into a big container and handed it to Keith. "Send my regards to your mother."

"Thank you," Keith glanced at my mother then back at me. "See you tomorrow Agnus?"

"At the mall?"

"Six thirty sharp...in the evening..."

"And what about that jog?"

"I don't know, will you be running in those bunny slippers? Cause that I'd love to see..."

"Just hop away ok?" I said and laughed. Keith turned around and left the house while chuckling.  I turned around to see my mom smirking.

"What?"

"Just that one day, I hope you figured out Keith's story as quickly as I did..."

I frowned. "Keith's story?"

My mom started dishing out the food, and I was left puzzled.