Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“Hi boys!” My voice is all pitchy.
“Hi, Miss Hall. Congratulations on the date,” Michael, a senior who likely has a crush on my daughter, says.
I’m pretty sure they all have a crush on her, but none of them have enough balls to ask her out. Also, it would make the team dynamic awkward, and Violet isn’t interested in any of them. At least not that she’s expressed.
“Why don’t you guys get comfortable in the living room, and I’ll bring sodas in,” Violet says.
“I can help with the sodas,” Michael offers.
“It’s cool. I got it.” She plasters on a smile as they file out of the kitchen like awkward baby ducklings. She peeks around the corner before turning back to me. “You forgot they were coming over, huh?”
“I’m sorry. Today was busy. I have a set of taxes to prepare before tomorrow at five, and they’re a mess.” I motion to the kitchen table, which looks like it was struck by a paper bomb. I have a twenty-four-hour extension, which means tonight will be a long one. “It completely slipped my mind that the boys were coming over.”
“It’s cool. I’ll put out a bowl of chips while we wait.” Violet calls the pizza place and orders a lactose free pepperoni pizza for her, a gluten-free barbeque chicken pizza for Michael and Toby, and a meat-lovers for Ali and Kiernan and two orders of wings and chicken fingers. She tells them she has a coupon code for a free extra-large pizza and a pound of wings and once all the discounts are added, she writes the total on the whiteboard.
I pull out my credit card, but she holds up a hand. “The guys have already chipped in. Everyone paid ten bucks.”
“They don’t need to do that.”
“Their moms insisted. It’s fine. Now tell me more about this date you got asked on.”
I wave a hand around in the air. “I don’t know if I’ll go.”
Violet crosses her arms and props her hip against the counter. “Why not?”
“The timing isn’t right.”
She pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She must have gotten sick of the contacts at some point today. “I’m almost sixteen, mom. College is just around the corner. I know my plan is to stay local and save on things like rent and unnecessary expenses, and that buys you another three or four years of me living with you, but it would still be good if you started dating.”
“So should you,” I point out.
“Deflector deflecting.” She thumbs over her shoulder, dropping her voice. “Teen boys are more awkward than baby goats and not nearly as cute. I’m in no rush to deal with that nonsense. Besides, thanks to all your pro-self-exploration talks, I have a feeling I’m much better equipped to deal with my own needs than high school boys.”
“Amen to that.” I raise my hand and Violet slaps it.
“You’ve dedicated the past decade and a half to making sure I’m a well-rounded young woman. I’m a freaking Mathlete. It’s safe to jump back into the dating pool. Unless this guy is creepy. Then take a pass.”
“He’s not creepy.” I fiddle with the charm on my necklace. Violet made it in art class in middle school and I wear it every day. “We can talk about this later. Go hang out with your friends.”
“Fine. I’ll leave it for now. But we’re coming back to this. You’re not even forty and I’ve overheard those guys calling you a MILF more than once.” She nods toward the living room.
I make a face. “I did not need to know that.”
She kisses me on the cheek. “I’m sorry you can’t unknow it, but it’s a compliment.” She grabs a bag of chips, a bowl, and five sodas before she disappears down the hall to the TV room.
Being a single parent means I have a unique relationship with Violet. We’re close, and I don’t have many of the issues my colleagues seem to have with their teens.
Sure, she gets cranky when it’s shark week, and then complains about the double stomach cramps when she inevitably gives into the craving for a milkshake and compounds her period pains with the moops. We have dairy intolerance in common. But mostly we have a great relationship. She’s easygoing and studious. She has nice friends. She doesn’t get into trouble.
Maybe she’s right. Maybe I should start dating. It’s not that I haven’t gone out with anyone in the past fifteen years, because I have. But I’ve been very careful not to mess with what Violet and I have. I would rather be alone than in a relationship with someone who creates tension between me and my daughter. But if the right person came along…well, that would change everything.
“You should wear a V-neck instead.” Violet rolls off my bed, lands on her ass on the floor with an oof, picks herself off and limp-hops to my closet. “Show off the girls.”