At the end of July, I received a text from my mom. I’ve dreaded it and awaited this message in equal parts.

• Mom: Michael and I are getting married. *

I can’t say things have been tense at home because that would require us to interact with each other. That’s not possible when she’s never at home. I don’t know exactly where she goes, most likely spending all her time with Michael, her new beau.

He is some kind of bigwig lawyer downtown with more money than Midas himself.

• Me: Congratulations. *
• Mom: We will be moving in with him and Xavier after the wedding. *

Excuse you! And who the hell is Xavier?

Do I look like some piece of furniture she can just cart around from home to home as she fits?

The sad truth is though, I’ll most likely have no other choice.

Due to her selfishness in squandering my college fund, I don’t have the finances to get my own place at this stage.

I would love to! Having my own space, my own independence. She has basically checked out when it comes to being a mom, so it won’t make much of a difference if I do.

Cade walks into the breakroom while I’m pondering on my reply to my mom and immediately sees something is bugging me.

“What’s wrong? Who do I need to fight?”

His offer makes me smile at him slightly. “My mom, as per usual, has decided to throw a giant-sized turd in my pathway.”

He grimaces, stands closer, and bumps his shoulder into me. “No matter what, I know you’re strong enough to get through this. And even if you’re not, I’m willing to run away with you to Vegas.”

I laugh at that, and he gives me a panty-melting smile in return.

He always has this uncanny way of knowing how to cheer me up in the simplest of ways.

“Thank you, I needed that.” I lean over to lay my head on his shoulder. I stiffen and start to pull away. I’m not sure what compelled me but, at that moment, I just felt safe enough with him to let my guard down.

He doesn’t let me get far though, placing his arm around my shoulders and hugging me to him. He whispers against my hair, “Always.”

We sit like that for a couple of minutes longer before my phone alerts me that my break is over. I pull away slowly, peering at him as I do and notice that he has this soft look in his eyes, a slight smile tipping the corners of his mouth.

By the end of our shift, Cade walks me to my car as usual. As he goes to pull my door open for me, he abruptly stops, gently spinning me around and pinning me to the side of my car with his hands on either side of my shoulders.

“Would you, by any chance, be willing to give me your number?” he’s leaning forward ever so slightly, making me inhale his unique scent of sandalwood and freshly cut grass. I’ve noticed it wafting around the coffee shop but being this close to it makes my head spin in the most delicious of ways.

“And what, pray tell, would you like to do with my number?” I decide to go with coy yet flirty, just to see if I’m not reading the situation incorrectly.

“Bullshit! I inherited half of the house when Dad passed away, I did not give my consent to put the house up for sale!” I am livid and can barely keep my voice steady.

“Until you are 18, I oversee your portion of the inheritance. And as you know, that is not until next month. So go upstairs and pack your stuff, I refuse to hear anything further on the subject.”

I have had enough of my mom’s high-handedness and dictatorship when it suits her. Recently she basically has been AWOL as a parent and now suddenly, when it is to her advantage, she wants to act all authoritarian. No! I am done pandering to her!

“No, I won’t. I’m staying here until the very last possible moment. This has been my home for the last 18 years. I won’t allow you to just diminish my memories and moments that I shared with Dad like that. Move if you want, but I’m staying until the day of the wedding.”

She glares at me, opening her mouth as if to spill more of her bullshit commands. Ultimately, she reconsiders, but only slightly.

“Fine, stay. But don’t expect me to keep paying for the utilities around here. You want to act all high and mighty, thinking you’re miss independent. Let’s see if you can cope in the real world.” She turns around and stomps off towards her bedroom, slamming the door in her wake.

Well shit, that went well. Unfortunately, the joke is on her. In the last 2 months, I’m the one that has been paying for the utilities and groceries around here. She conveniently forgot during one of her gambling binges and if I wanted to have hot water and electricity to make dinner, I had to step up and become an adult earlier than under normal circumstances.

It’s not too long after our spat that I hear the truck being pulled out of the driveway with her disappearing into the night. Good riddance!

As I’m enjoying my homemade lasagna and sketching at the kitchen counter, my phone chimes unexpectedly.

• Handsome Barista: What’s a barista’s favorite exercise at the gym? *
• Layla: LOL – I have no idea! *
• Layla: And also, it’s a little presumptuous labeling yourself as ‘handsome’ in my phone smirking emoji *
• Handsome Barista: You wound my crying emoji *
• Layla: I’m sure you’ll get over it *
• Layla: What’s the answer to the riddle? *
• Handsome Barista: The French press. *
• Layla: lol *
• Layla: is that the exercise you do to get those guns of yours? *
• Handsome Barista: Why Miss Layla, have you been checking me out? winky emoji *
• Layla: It’s hard not to with those t-shirts of yours that are a size too small smirking emoji *
• Handsome Barista: I’ll have you know, my mom bought these for me and says they make me look handsome grinning emoji *
• Layla: You keep on telling yourself that! *
• Layla: I have a serious question for you. And keep in mind, your answer could make or break our friendship! *
• Handsome Barista: Now I’m scared…but sure, go ahead *
• Layla: DC or Marvel? *
• Handsome Barista: lol *
• Handsome Barista: Marvel, all-day, every-day *
• Layla: See, I knew there was a reason I liked you winky emoji *
• Handsome Barista: And here I thought you liked me because of my sparkling personality, my winning smile, and my handsome good looks sad emoji *
• Layla: Well, now that you mention it… thinking emoji *
• Handsome Barista: I knew it! *
• Handsome Barista: Now it won’t be long before you fall for my charm, become obsessed with me, and eventually start stalking me grinning emoji *
• Layla: ROFL *
• Layla: Diabolical plan! *

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