Yes, I did something stupid. Again.

Okay, besides loving mom for being my mom and all, I actually like mom. She’s not to bad to be around, and I’ve sort of gotten used to it being the two of us. And, realizing that she picked me over some fabulous New York life, I don’t know, that’s cool.

But when we went out and I saw Jeri, I kind of forgot that one reason I was around mom was to remind her she wanted to keep me around.

It’s been a tough day, what with fabulous and New York showing up on the doorstep, unannounced and way uninvited.

So, after eating with Jeri’s family – they’re totally cool, even if they are that old fashioned male/female no divorces kind of setup – Jeri asked if I could hang more back at her place. I momentarily forgot the mission, being as I was so excited to be leaving the confines of my house. Even if it’s not a total lockdown kind of grounding, I’m still being punished. I had to jump at the chance for a reprieve. So I asked mom if I could do that, go with Jeri, and she agreed.

At some point, I figured fabulous and New York would have realized that when everyone leaves the house that you came to visit, except you, that maybe it’s time for you to leave, also.

But what if I figured wrong?

So, that’s what I was dreading the whole time I was with Jeri, what was mom doing? What if that Porter woman was still back at the house.

And I left them alone?

I’m not allowed to have company over when I’m home alone. Well, not datable company, anyway. Maybe I should have reminded mom of that rule before she left.

And maybe I kind of overstate things when I said that this is what I dreaded the whole time. I mean, I was at my friend’s house. I was there for a few hours, actually. And, ok, some of it was actually pretty fun.

We hung out near the pool and a couple of her neighbors came over – they’re seniors. So, even though I’m totally into Luis, I gotta say that I was kind of crushing on this other guy, Jake. He’s tall, and I like that since I’m an inch or so taller than Luis. But Luis is only a sophomore, like me. He could grow.

So at Jeri’s we hung out by the pool. She had music and stuff. Just a pretty normal time.

Now, as her mom’s driving me back, I’m really wondering what I might have done.

Will I have a home to go back to?

Only mom’s car was in the driveway. That was a totally good sign.

But then it got me wondering what if they’d taken off together? For all I knew, they might be doing some fabulous reminiscing trip around LA.

Even worse, Porter could have taken mom back to her hotel.

Bolting from the car, I tossed a quick good-bye and thanks.

Although I knew I had my keys, I had to try the door first. After all, mom wouldnt run off to a new life and leave the door unlocked, right?

It was locked.

But I guess I made a bunch of noise, since I saw mom coming to the door. That was a relief.

I waved off Jeri’s mom as mom unlocked the door for me.

“Mom!” I wrapped her up in a big hug. I mean, you know, she’s my mom and stuff.

“I take it you had a good time.” She’s so cute when she’s clueless.

“Yeah, it was fun. Thanks for letting me hang out.”

She pushed the hair away from my eyes. That’s like one step short of that tossling thing. Dreds are getting serious consideration. “You deserved a little fun.”

So does this mean? “But I’m still on restriction, right?”

This got a nod. “Yeah. Still.”

I gave her another hug. A quick one this time. “Okay!” And I headed back to my room.

With a week of being gone from school, I had a lot of stuff to catch up on, anyway. Our teachers had given us the assignments in advance, but who’s going to drag books on a trip? Surely they can’t expect that, right?

Well, now, it’s almost handy to be on restriction with the amount of stuff that I need to do to make sure I’ve got everything ready for tomorrow morning.

Plus, I’m just happy, you know. About mom and stuff.

After about a half hour of hard work, I heard the doorbell ring. I must have forgotten the last time I answered the door. Maybe trig numbed my brain. Anyway, I figured I’d go answer it.

Luckily, it wasn’t anyone fabulous and from out of town.

It was a delivery person with a big bouquet of flowers. That was weird. We just don’t get stuff like that too often.

But I got to sign for them, so that was fun.

They were for mom, though. Not as fun.

I thought maybe Luis had inherited some weird romantic streak. Or dare I think about Jake? No, that’s not right.

Mom was out by the pool, reading something that looked like a script. No surprise there.

I’d left the flowers on the table inside. They were in a pretty fancy-looking vase. No use taking chances, right?

“Mom, you got something.”

She glanced up, but I don’t think she was quite back to reality yet.

“Mom. Inside. Something.”

Now she put the script down. That was a start, at least.

“Something?” She can be a little slow on the uptake sometimes.

“You know, a delivery.”

“Oh.”

She clearly didn’t know, but she followed me into the house, anyway. Gotta like that in a mom. She gets it, eventually.

When she saw the flowers, it was like no one had ever sent her flowers before. There were a few roses, yellow ones only. And a bunch of things that looked like the black-eyed Susans that mom grows out in the garden, and then a few other flowers scattered in for color.

It had a nice balance, going more towards the yellows and oranges than the reds. I sort of liked the arrangement.

Mom took them into the kitchen and did the whole prep thing, cutting off the ends, and filling the vase with water.

I hadn’t checked for a card, but I guess she found one. It was sitting upside-down on the counter as she worked at the sink.

“What’s it say?” I asked, making as if I was going to grab for the card.

“It’s says they’re for me,” she answered, still smiling. But I don’t think she totally trusted me, since she made a grab for the card, too.

I wasn’t really going to take it – it was hers and all – but as she picked it up, my hand bumped hers and knocked the card loose.

It fell to the ground, this time the opposite side was up, and I could see how it was addressed. “T”. That was all.

And that meant it was from her.

So much for not losing my mom after all.

I’m so stupid!

I ran back to my room. Of course. Who else sends fabulous flower bouquets on a Sunday but fabulous visitors from New York?

Nothing else to do but work on my trig. Maybe Alice can take me in when mom’s too busy for anything but her girlfriend.

Oh, wait, how about Shane. Living with Shane, that’d be totally cool. Too bad she travels so much – but maybe she could take me with sometime.

I wasn’t all that surprised when I heard mom’s knocks at the door. “What?”

She came in. I knew she would. I could have locked it, but that just makes her mad. Plus, she can pick the locks way too easily. I learned that lesson young.

She sat down beside me on the bed. I hate when she does that close thing.

“Jess, we need to talk.”

No, really, we don’t.

“Jess, please?” Stop sounding so logical and stuff, mom.

I crossed my arms and just sat next to her. She can’t see what this woman is doing. She’s not trying to see what this woman is doing.

“Okay, Jess, if you’re not going to talk, you’re going to listen. There’s something I need to about with you. It concerns you and me, and it also involves Bette.”

(tbc)