If your mother claims you hate her, why does she insist on wanting to spend the night when your dad is on a business trip?
"I can make dinner for us." Mom looks at me after an awkward long period of silence.
"No, that's fine, I can." I start to stand up.
"Spence.." She grabs my arm. "Let me, sis. I know we don't get along, but please let me be the mother that I am. Just relax and do nothing, sweetheart.. You work hard all week." By work hard she means sitting at a desk and stare at a computer until I'm messaged to send in an article that been done for weeks.
Can't really say no to that.. "Okay." I smile at her.
"Thank you." She kisses my forehead. "I just miss you and your brother around the apartment. It's so quiet with just dad and I." She raids my cabinets and pantry in the process.
"Then you should've had more kids, mama.." I open a text from Jimmy.
'Can't make it tonight.. Sorry babe.. Rain check me for tomorrow or sometime this week though :)'
"No.. Two is enough for me." She laughs. "Why don't you have babies?"
"I need a man first. That's how a girl gets pregnant and.."
"Spencer! Stop." Mom hates sex talk.
'No worries :) moms here anyways..'
Click click click
The fire from the stove starts and makes a swishing sound. "Get out there! You're a very beautiful girl, sweetheart. Someone will snatch you up!" A very beautiful boy already has! I wanted to say.
'Yay? Nay? I'm totally free Thursday night :)'
'It's a nay! But Thursday is a good night :)'
"Yeah.. Maybe." I change the channel to something other than the news. "What's for dinner?"
The sink turns on and then quickly back off. "Some spaghetti for me and since you're not a fan of it.. Pesto for you. And some garlic bread." I hear mom smile. "But I need to go down to the bakery for some French bread.."
"I'll go!" I jump up and shove my phone in my sweater pocket. "Just French bread? Nothing else?"
She sucks her cheeks in. "No.. I don't think I do."
"Okay! I'll be back."
....
"Hey, Penners.. Why do you have male clothing in your laundry room? Shirts, jeans, boxers, and all.." She looks at me confused.
I freeze with my fork at my mouth. Umm. "Oh, yeah, Collin was over and had to change before work a couple times last week."
"Your brother isn't a Jets fan.. Who's clothes are they?"
Think quick, you idiot! "The shirts mine and the rest are his clothes."
"Those jeans are awfully small for being Colls.." It's true, Collin is very Andy Whitfield in body shape. Jimmy's just fit.
"I don't know, mom.."
"Are you dating anyone?"
Kinda.. "No. I live here alone and very single."
"Okay.. Sooo.." Mom wipes her mouth off. "How's work? Who've you interview lately?"
I pause and look at her. "Just Jimmy Fallon.. But that was a month ago. I passed off my Trump interview to Curtis the other day."
"Spencer! You love Jimmy! How was it, baby? Was he just as cute in person? Is he the same in person? He's a sweetheart, huh? What's he smell like?" Told you mom's insane!
"He's exactly what you see on TV and he smells like strawberries and boy. But a good boy. He's just as cute in person and yeah, he's a sweetheart."
"Too bad you couldn't date him.. I think you two would be so cute together!" Do tell more!
"Yeah.. Too bad." I gather moms empty dishes and kiss her cheek. "Thanks for dinner though, mama. I appreciate it."
She grabs my arm and hugs me. "No need to thank you mother.." She pats my stomach and butt. "But you're welcome." She looks at my zip up hoodie and back up to my face. "What's that?" She points to my tank.
"What's what?" I quickly walk to the dishwasher and place our dishes inside.
"This.." My zipper starts to unzip down my torso. "Spencer!!" Mom slaps my arm. "You have a damn hickey! You are seeing someone!"
My chin meets my chest once I look down. "It's a bruise!" I block her arm away. "I tripped over a shoe and almost face planted it on the counters corner. I could've broke my nose and knocked my teeth out, and you're more concerned about a bruise being a hickey.."
"Right next to your boob?"
"Yes! I just told you what happened."
"Are you telling me the truth?" Her eyes narrow at me.
No, not even close.. Because it is a hickey from last night with Jimmy. "Yes, why would I lie over that? And plus if it was a hickey, why would you care?"
"I don't know. I just think they're gross."
"It's a bruise." I zip my zipper back up and head back to my couch.
"Your phone." Mom hands my dinging phone over.
'Thursday night :) got it!' I smile at my screen.
"Oh! That's a boy smile." She pinches my cheek. "Who is it?"
Ugh. I turn back to her. "No one. Just an old friend."
"An old boy friend?" She winks.
"No, mom, it's a girl. We use to have a few classes together in college and she found something that made us laugh. It's nothing."
"Alright.." She lays a blanket over her legs. "What are you in the mood to do?"
I shrug. "I don't know. Whatever's fine with me."
"So much like her father.." Mom sighs and finds something to watch. "Godfather?"
"Sure." I scoot to the far end for leg room. "Mama, I love you."
She looks at me for a second. "I'm really starting to doubt it again. But I'll always love you, Penners."
40 minutes later, mom's out cold and snoring. Typical Stella.. I lay a bigger and thicker blanket over her and turn the lights off. I kindly charge her phone and turn the TV volume down.
My phone dings on my nightstand, who's texting me at 2 am? 'My beds so lonely..' Is typed under a picture of Jimmy's arm in the spot I sleep in in his bed.
'My body is lonely..' I attach a picture of my tank topped torso.
'My arms..'
'I miss you!'
'I miss you too!" This dork is lonely and bored. 'Come over..' He texts again seconds later.
'Mom's here.. She's asleep on my couch..'
'Why she there and why does that stop you?'
'She's crazy.. Remember? Because I told her she could spend the night since my dad's on a business trip in Dallas until tomorrow afternoon..'
'Oh yeah..'
I quickly throw my zip up from earlier back on and step into some Vans. 'I'm on my way over anyways! Keep my spot warm for me!'
'It's warming up ;)'
I turn my light off and tip toe out to the front door. "Spence.." Mom mumbles, I ignore her and open my door and lock it.
'I'm free!!' I text Jimmy back.
'Yes!! I'll meet you outside my building :)' I love when he does that. Makes me feel safer about roaming New York streets at 2 am.
'I'll run!' I grip my phone and book it down the street.
I almost take out a few drunks and maybe a homeless man? I'm not sure what he was. Almost got hit by a biker, but I managed and ran faster.
"Hey.." I say out of breath when I reach Jimmy's arms. "Carry me.. Please.." My head drops to his chest.
"No problem." He giggles and picks me up. "You ran the entire way?" He uses my foot to push the button.
"Yeah.. I didn't want to waste a minute." I smile up at him. "Did you wait the entire time?"
"Inside, but once I saw you I walked out."
"I like that you wait. I hate walking at night."
My foot gets used to push his floor number. "That's why I always wait for you. I almost went to your place but once you said you'd run here, I figured you'd be okay." He kisses my forehead.
"I don't know how you manage to be so sweet. I can stand now."
"I don't know how you manage to be so cute." He kisses my forehead again. "You can walk later." Jimmy maneuvers me out of the elevator and down the hall. "Someone's here that wants to meet you."
"Gary?!" I ask a little too excited.
"Shh.." He laughs with lips at mine. "And yes. It's funny because we've been hanging out for the past month and you haven't met her."
I open his door to a platinum-ish blonde pup waggling her tail at us. "Gary.." I whisper to her. "Hey!" I kneel down and the second I do my face gets attacked by kisses. "Oh thank you! You're the sweetest ever! So much like your daddy." Gary sits back and looks at us. Ears perked up and tail quietly thumping. Apparently "daddy" gets her attention.
"Is daddy home?" Jimmy laughs behind me. Gary goes berserk and jumps on him. "I know." He scratches behind her ears. "I missed you too! My heart broke for 10 minutes." He picks her up. "I left the TV on for you."
"She's so cute and soft!" I can't stop petting her.
"She sleeps in bed with me, hope you don't mind sleeping on the floor."
I narrow my eyes at him. "I love the floor.."
Gary walks off after her 2 minutes of daddy love and goes to the bed by the TV. "To bed." His arms wrap around me and I'm forced down the hall.
"I'm not tired."
"Neither am I, maybe we can have some late night fun." Jimmy pushes me to his hips.
"I like late night fun with you." I hold onto his hands.
They squeeze. "I like fun with you anytime of day." He kisses my head.
"Yeah, well I love fun with you!"
"I love it too!" He spins me to his face. "And I love you." He smiles.
I can't help but feel all warm and smile back. "I love you too." My feet raise, I'm on my tip toes, kissing him in his cold TV lit room. "So much." My hand runs through his hair.
"Mmm.." Slips opposite of my mouth. "I love when you do that.." His warm forehead rests on mine.
"Guess what.." I say monotone.
He sighs. "Oh no.. What?"
"Mom saw my hickey.. She knows something is up and she attacked me. So if she happens to ever remember when you two eventually meet.. Please tell her I tripped over my shoe and almost face planted into my counter."
"Because that is legit."
"Hey!" I pinch his neck. "I had to think quick and that can happen! Maybe not a bruise on a boob, but it can!"
My zipper goes down again and then my tank top. "It's not that bad.. I don't know why she'd flip on you." The left cup of my bra gets pushed to the side. "I don't know.. Maybe I'd flip on my daughter too.. Especially some who's as beautiful as you, babe."
"Oh shut up!" I laugh. "You and my mother are full of shit."
"Am I now?" He smirks.
I nod. "Uh huh.. Explains why your eyes are brown."
"You know how many times I've gotten that in my life? I'll tell you anyways. It's rare, but it's annoying."
"Maybe it's true.."
"I don't lie. Well.. I have to get out of things, but to a girl that I love.. I would never ever."
"You're still the sweetest.." I kiss him before I'm tossed on his soft mattress.
He hovers over me. "You're the sweetest and you always smell like vanilla.. The good vanilla.. Not a whore house candle scent vanilla. Like legit vanilla bean."
"Say vanilla again.."
"Vanilla again." He kisses me. "And your lips are always sweet even after a beer or shots." A squeak fills the quiet apartment. "Gaaarrryy!" He sings.
I smile at him. "You two are cute together."
Looking back down, Jimmy furrows his eyebrows at me. "You know who I'd be cute with?"
"Janet Jackson?"
"Yeah.. Stay outta my head, okay?" Our lips meet again. "No, but you.."
"Still think Jackson.."
"Same.. Gary!" He shouts this time. "Stop, babe!" His head comes back down to me. "She's like a child.. You tell her to stop and she gets louder."
I force my head down before he kisses me again. "Awe, daddy Fallon!" I smile up to the face inches from mine.
"Yeah yeah.. I get lonely on quiet days off. Want someone there at night to hang with. Watch a movie with someone if I want to.. Listen to music at 3 am if I can't sleep or get bored. But now I have you." He kisses me.
"And little Gary!"
"Yes, and I have Gary. I love my girls."
"But!" I tickle his ribs, my neck gets met by a giggly head.
"But what?" He kisses my collarbone.
Rubbing his back, my hand goes to his hair. "You can do a lot more with me."
"Mhmm!" Jimmy lifts up. "And I like that. And I like that you are the way you are. Because, baby, I have to be honest.. You're kinky as hell."
"I just like my men and I like this man." I kiss him.
"This man likes you." A warm hand goes under my hoodie and rests on my ribs. "Gary!" Jimmy jumps up and walks out. "Babe, I'll throw your toy out the window if you don't stop squeaking it." I hear from his family room. "I know you like it, but please, Gar, give daddy some peace and quiet." He does call himself daddy with her! "Here, chew this."
By the time Jimmy walks back in, I play opossum. "Kay?!" He jumps on the bed, making me bounce. "I'll just play by myself!" He's not moving.. "I SAID!"
"I wanna!" I roll over to him. "Pick me! Please."
He quickly sets me between his legs. My head on his upper thigh and resting at his stomach. "Meh.. I'm kinda tired now.." A leg lays over mine.
"So am I!" I stretch my arms off his legs and my stomach. Resting them out like a cross over his thighs. "Thursday though.." I close my eyes for some reason. I'm not that tired, just tired enough to not wanna do anything.
"Yeah, Thursday. All night if you want!" He says yawning and flipping through the channels. "Gary, come here!" The jingling of tags gets closer and closer. "Up.." He pats the bed. "Gary.. Up."
"Oof!" She jumps up on me, of course.. "Well hello!" I scratch behind her fluffy white puppy ears. "You're so damn cute! You must win daddy's heart." Her ears go up and head tilts to my left. "You love him, huh?" I fold her ears back and make her smile. "Wait, how old is she?"
"2 I think." His hand reaches for Gary's chin. "You are cute, babe. And this babe is cute too." My chin gets scratched.
I move my head a tad. "Little to the right and thank you."
"Uh huh! Anytime." He pats my cheek. "My two cute girls. Look at her, she already likes you!"
"Usually dogs hate me for some reason, but this little girl is so cheery. She really is yours.."
"Oh shut up.."
I look up at him and smile. "It's true! And we're both blonde. Do you have a thing for blondes?"
"Not really. But they're usually the most beautiful." He smiles.
I turn back to Gary. "Tell your father he's lying.. He may listen to you."
"No.. Don't listen to her, Gar." He taps her nose.
"Whatever.." I yawn again.
The empty spot next to me gets patted. "Gary, come.." She stretches her little body out and drags her legs behind. "Thank you." He scratches her side before laying a blanket over her. "She gets cold, okay?" He picks me up and lays us on our sides. "Sleep."
"You sleep!"
"Am I." He laughs. "Night, baby.. Love you." He kisses me.
"Night, babe. Love you too." My lips touch his. This is the only way I wanna fall asleep. In his arms.
....
"Your phone.." Jimmy pokes my cheek with it. "It's your mom."
I click my volume to vibrate and toss it on the floor. "What time is it?" I ask on his chest.
"Around 8."
"Go back to sleep." I hide my face more in him.
His arms squeeze me closer than I am. "I can't now.. Your phones been ringing for the past 20 minutes and I finally got annoyed. I'm awake now."
"Fuck.." I yank away and fetch my phone. "Hello?" I answer it.
"Where are you?!" Mom says panicking.
I look at Jimmy who's nodding at me. Clearly he can hear her. "Out.. At a friends house."
"What friend?! Why can't you tell me these things before you go out and leave me here to worry about you!"
"Mom.. I have something to tell you.."
"Okay? Go on."
I take a deep breath and quickly let it out. "Mom.. I'm seeing someone.." I walk to the bay windows.
"Someone who?"
"Okay, don't flip and don't get all crazy and mom on me."
"Spencer, just tell me."
"Maybe Jimmy Fallon.." I bite my lip and close one eye.
She laughs. "No you're not. You would've said something last night when I asked if you're with anyone. Baby girl, I'm not dumb."
"Oh, but you are."
"You may be, but I'm not. Really, who are you seeing?"
"Jimmy Fallon! Host of The Tonight Show, mama." Her end is silent. "Mom?"
"Are you lying?"
"Yes, mom.. I'm lying to you.. No, I'm not lying!"
"You're really seeing him?"
I roll my eyes to the left window. "Yes, he's behind me right now. Laying in his bed with his dog."
"Gary?!" Oh god.
"Yes.. Just please! Don't tell anyone. We're laying it low for awhile. Don't tell dad or anyone."
"Baby, I promise I won't. You can trust me."
"And don't go crazy when you meet him.."
"I won't."
"Thank you. I'll be home soon or you can leave whenever you want. Just lock the top lock."
"Okay, if you're not home by the time I leave I'll text you. Love you."
"Love you too!" And I hang up. "That was nerve wracking." I sit back on Jimmy's bed.
A body scoots to me and an arm around my stomach. "But at least it's over. She knows."
"That's true. I was scared of her more than anyone."
"Because she's crazy?" My stomach gets squeezed.
"Yeah.. When I said your dog she got excited.."
Jimmy's forehead hits my lower back as he laughs. "Oh god.. Okay, now I know why you said she's insane."
"And you doubted me!" I pat his head. "If she goes crazy, you deserve it now!"
"I honestly doubt I'd care. People go crazy on me all the time. I'm kinda used to it."
"She'll attack you with stupid ass questions.."
"Oh no.." He laughs again. "What about your dad or brother?"
"No.. I think they'll be fine with you. What about your family?"
He sighs. "I don't know.. They change every time I bring a girl home. Which isn't often so that's why they tend to change.. But they're usually nice and friendly."
"What if they hate me?"
I'm squeezed again. "They won't. You're not a bitch and you're sarcastic as fuck. You'll fit right in. Don't worry, babe."
"Soo.. When do I get the meet them?"
"Whenever I go visit my parents."
"When's that?"
"Probably Saturday or Sunday.. Why?"
"So I can run and hide."
In one motion I'm laying on my back on top of Jimmy. "You don't have to fear them, Spence.. They're good people and don't bite.."
"Yeah.. But you bite! You learned it somewhere.." I joke.
His laughter raises me up. "This is truth.. But no, you'll be totally fine. If we want to date and eventually get ourselves out there, we have to meet each others families first, baby.."
"Yeah, I know, but still. I never make a good first impression.."
"Hello! You're here on top of me after spending the night. You made a perfect and amazing first impression."
"But it was for work.."
"Pretend it's for work. Hey.. I'll talk to them before we head over. I know you're a shy person and they don't care about that. Trust me, they'll get you talking and comfortable in no time."
I lay my head on the mattress, next to Gary's back. "Okay.. That's fine with me." But it's not and I hate meeting boyfriends parents. In this case, soon to be boyfriend.