The door hasn’t even fully opened before Beth’s shriek of joy pierces through it.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FINALLY HAPPENED!”
Before I can process what’s happening, I’m being yanked inside and crushed against Beth’s chest in a bear hug that threatens to crack my ribs.
“I ALWAYS KNEW YOU TWO WOULD DATE!” Her voice is loud enough that I’m pretty sure the neighbors three houses down can hear her. “I told Nina, didn’t I tell Nina? I said ‘those two are meant to be together!’ And look at you now!”
“Mom...” Ashley’s voice comes from somewhere behind me, tinged with embarrassment.
Beth finally releases me from her death grip, but keeps her hands on my shoulders, beaming at me like I’ve just given her the greatest gift in the world. Her eyes are actually glistening with tears, and I can see the genuine joy radiating from her face.
“Come, come!” She grabs my hand and practically drags me through the living room toward the kitchen. “Sit down, we need to talk!”
The kitchen table hits me with a wave of nostalgia so strong it makes my chest ache. How many meals did I eat at this exact spot growing up? How many afternoons did Ashley and I spend doing homework here while Beth baked cookies in the background? The scratches on the wood surface are familiar, like old friends.
Beth pulls out a chair and guides me into it with gentle but insistent hands. I sink down, my backpack sliding off my shoulder to rest against the chair leg.
“Go easy on him, Mom,” Ashley says, sliding into the seat next to me. Her voice carries this protective edge that makes something warm flutter in my chest.
“That’s right, that’s right,” Beth agrees, but she’s already sitting down across from me, her eyes fixed on my face with this intense focus that makes me want to squirm. She leans forward, folding her hands on the table. “Ashley told me about your... fluid problem.”
My brain screeches to a halt.
“My what?”
Ashley’s hand suddenly lands on my thigh under the table, squeezing hard. A warning.
“You know,” Beth continues, her voice dropping to that concerned whisper that somehow feels more intrusive than if she was shouting. “The bleeding issue.”
Kill me now god. It wasn’t even me.
My face goes nuclear hot. I can feel the heat spreading from my cheeks down my neck, probably turning my entire upper body bright red. My mouth opens, but no sound comes out.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Beth says quickly, reaching across the table to pat my hand. “These things happen! There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Bodies are complicated, and sometimes things go wrong down there.”
“It was a burst blood vessel,” Ashley says quickly, her voice steady despite the mortification I can feel radiating off her.
Beth’s face crumples with sympathy. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Vincent. That must have been scary.”
“Uhhh...” My throat feels like sandpaper. “Yeah...”
Beth reaches across the table and grabs both my hands in hers, squeezing them with maternal concern. “Did they say what caused it? Was it stress? Sometimes these things are stress-related, you know.”
“Mom,” Ashley cuts in, her voice sharper now. “Can we maybe not interrogate him about his medical issues?”
“I’m not interrogating!” Beth protests, but she does release my hands. “I’m just concerned. You know your father and I always thought of Vincent as family.”
The words make my chest tighten. Beth’s looking at me with such genuine warmth that I almost forget how mortifying this entire conversation is.
“Thank you,” I manage to say. “That means a lot.”
Beth beams at me, then turns her attention to Ashley. “So how long have you two been official? Ashley was very vague on the phone.”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, Ashley’s hand still resting on my thigh. “Uhhh well... It kind of just happened.”
Ashley nods beside me. “Yeah, just happened naturally.”
The guilt of lying to Beth feels crushing. Her face is so full of genuine happiness, her eyes practically glowing as she looks between us. This woman who’s always treated me like a son, who baked cookies when I was sad, who let me sleep over when Mom was working nights. And here I am, lying straight to her face about dating her daughter.
My stomach twists into knots.
Beth’s smile somehow gets even wider. “Oh, I’m so happy for you both!” She stands up suddenly, her chair scraping against the floor. “The lasagna should be ready. Let me get it out of the oven!”
She bustles over to the stove, and I watch her pull out the most perfect-looking lasagna I’ve ever seen. The cheese on top is golden and bubbling, and the smell that fills the kitchen makes my mouth water instantly. She sets it on the counter to cool for a moment, then starts cutting generous portions.
“Where is Mr. Chambers today?” I ask, trying to steer the conversation literally anywhere else.
Beth glances back at me as she plates the food. “He’s at work. He’s really sorry for missing you again though.” She carries two plates over, setting them in front of Ashley and me with maternal care. “He’s been working such long hours lately. But he was so excited when I told him you two were finally together.”
Great. More people I’m lying to. And he’s just as kind as Beth is…
Ashley’s hand squeezes my thigh again, but this time it feels different. Less like a warning and more like support. I glance at her, and she’s staring down at her plate, her jaw tight.
Beth brings her own plate over and sits back down, clasping her hands together. “So tell me everything! How did it happen? Did you ask her out, Vincent? Or did Ashley finally make the first move?”
“Mom,” Ashley groans.
But Beth’s not deterred. She’s leaning forward again, her eyes bright with curiosity. “Come on, I’ve been waiting years for this story!”
I pick up my fork, cutting into the lasagna to buy myself time. The first bite hits my tongue and it’s exactly as perfect as I remember. Rich, savory, with that perfect herb mixture that makes Beth’s lasagna better than anyone else’s.
“It just... evolved,” I say carefully. “We started talking again, and things just kind of went from there.”
Ashley nods, pushing her food around her plate. “Yeah...”
Beth’s watching us both with this knowing smile, like she can see right through our vague answers. But instead of pushing, she just sighs happily. “Well, however it happened, I’m just thrilled. You two have always been perfect for each other.”
We eat in relative silence after that, Beth occasionally making comments about how good it is to have me back at the table, how she’s missed having me around. Each word makes the guilt dig deeper into my chest.
Finally, mercifully, the meal ends. Beth starts clearing plates, waving off my attempt to help.
“You two go on. I can’t wait to see you more often, Vincent.”
Ashley follows me to the front door, her footsteps quiet behind me. I can feel her presence at my back as I reach for the handle.
The cool evening air hits my face as we step outside onto the porch. The door clicks shut behind us, and I turn to face her.
“You need to tell her we’re breaking up,” I whisper, keeping my voice low enough that it won’t carry through the door. “As soon as possible.”
Ashley’s face falls immediately, her eyebrows drawing together in a frown. “But she’s so happy, Vince.”
“I can’t keep lying to her.” The words come out more forceful than I intend, but the guilt’s been eating at me all through dinner. “She’s too kind for that. So is your dad.”
Ashley’s hand shoots out and grabs mine, her fingers wrapping around my palm with desperate intensity. Her green eyes lock onto mine, and there’s something raw in them that makes my breath catch.
“Please.” Her voice cracks slightly. “Please let her have this for just a little bit longer, okay? We could... you could just come over once a week. That’s all. Just once a week for dinner.”
I stare at her, trying to understand what’s happening here. Her grip on my hand is almost painful, and there’s this pleading expression on her face that I haven't seen in a long time.
She needs this. I can see it written all over her face. But I don’t understand why.
My chest tightens as I look at her. Part of me wants to say no, to protect myself from the inevitable pain of dragging this out. But that desperate look in her eyes...
“Okay...” The word comes out as barely more than a breath.
Ashley’s face transforms. Relief floods her features, and before I can process what’s happening, she’s throwing her arms around me. The hug is as tight as her mothers.
“Thank you,” she whispers against my shoulder. “Thank you so much.”
I stand there, my arms hovering uncertainly before finally wrapping around her back. She fits against me perfectly, like she always has, and something warm spreads through my chest despite all my better judgment.
Then she pulls back slightly, and her lips are on mine.
The kiss catches me completely off guard. It’s not like the awkward kisses we had when we started. This one feels different.
My brain short-circuits for a second before I pull away, confusion flooding through me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, my voice coming out rougher than I intend.
Ashley’s cheeks flush slightly, but she doesn’t let go of me. “Mom might be watching,” she says quickly, her eyes darting toward the front window.
I follow her gaze and see the curtain flutter slightly, like someone just stepped away from it.
“For Christ’s sake…”