Same red hair, though now it’s liberally threaded with gray.
Same green eyes.
Same curves.
Same stubborn streak.
Just with a few laugh lines and decades of wisdom I clearly haven't earned yet.
“So,” Mom says casually as she spears a potato.
I narrow my eyes.
“So?”
“How's Kai? He, uh, does know about the female orgasm, right, Honey?”
I nearly choke on my green beans.
“Mom!”
“What? I'm old, not dead. And you sleep home way too often for a woman whose man knows where the clitoris is, that’s all I’m saying!”
“OH MY GOD! Mom, stop, please just stop! I am not talking about S-E-X with you!”
She laughs.
“Oh Mary, how did I raise such a prude?”
Then I laugh.
“I don’t know. Just lucky, I guess! Seriously though, Mom, I just didn’t want you to think I was rushing into anything. And I guess with your history with Dad, I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
She sighs.
“Oh, Honey, please tell me you’re not using my failed relationship with your father as some standard for your own happiness? No, no, no. I don’t want you to do that,” she says and clasps my hand on top of the table.
“Dad and I made a commitment, and he broke it. He left us, but I moved on with my life. And you need to do that too. I know love is scary, falling always is. But if he’s right for you, then it’s worth it. I promise.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, and feel tears pricking my eyes. “But, Mom, we haven’t talked about love or anything like that… Um, are you sure don’t you mind? About me and Kai?”
She looks genuinely surprised.
“Mind?”
“Yeah.”
“No, Honey! Of course not!” She sets down her fork. “If anything, I’m rooting for you. I mean, Mary, that man is hot as Hades.”
I burst out laughing.
“Mom!”
“What? It's true!”
“You cannot say things like that!”
“Why not? Your father was handsome, and I appreciated him properly for the time we were married. Look, Honey, I haven’t wanted to bring this up yet, but actually, Mary, I’m seeing someone.”