Everything in Between

Chapter 15

June 2019

Zach can barely breathe; he's laughing so hard.

"Jesus, Mama Murphy, you never should've told that story," he gasps when he finally comes up for air. "I am never going to let you forget that. Not ever."

"I know," she laughs with a tiny snort. "Can you believe that happened in front of my kindergarten class?"

"Kinda," he says, laughter subsiding. "The funniest things always happen to you."

This has easily been the best night of my life. I am so happy to be in the company of my mom and Zach for one last Sunday dinner before I leave for New York. I am very proud of myself for accepting a paid student position for the summer, and I know there aren't any other two humans I'd want to spend my last night in Ann Arbor with.

"I can't believe you never told me before tonight," I say. "You slipped on a four-year-old's vomit and fell ass-backward while wearing a skirt, and Mr. Finley, the attractive maths teacher, walked by at that exact time and saw your floral printed underwear while you laid there spread eagle."

Mom nods and takes another bite of her spaghetti with a groan. "I know. It's so embarrassing. I've never been so humiliated in my entire life. I'm sure Mr. Finley will never be able to see anything other than my floral fanny from now until eternity."

"This is the worst dinnertime conversation."

Shaking his head, Zach says, "Surprisingly, I'm not even slightly grossed out."

"I am," I say. "And more by the thought of Mr. Finley seeing mom in her underwear rather than the vomit situation."

We all laugh, and I see Zach watching me across the table. "I'm going to miss staying at Mama Murphy's this summer," he says.

After my birthday party, Zach agreed to spend the summer with Katrina in San Francisco. She was hired as an intern at her father's tech firm, and Zach was currently waiting on an employment offer on a few construction jobs in the same area. Katrina was already home, and Zach planned to leave Ann Arbor and meet her in San Francisco in a few weeks. Mom was sad Zach wouldn't stay with her for the summer again, but she also understood. I didn't, though. This would be the first time Zach would meet Katrina's parents and spend his entire summer living in their basement without a solid offer of employment in his field of study. It sounded less than ideal to me. For once, me and Mrs. Zimmerman were on the same page about Zach's questionable life choices. 

"I'm going to miss you being here too," Mom says, sipping from her cup. "But I know you will have a wonderful time on the West Coast. Think of all the cool things you'll see, like the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge, and -"

"- Alcatraz," I mumble. Mom glares at me.

"And so many beautiful vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Valley."

Zach touches her arm, smiling. "I promise I'll bring you back the finest bottle of Chardonnay."

We all fall silent, and I hear her television in the background. Mom's eyes welled up unexpectedly with tears. She inhaled a sharp breath and abruptly rose from her chair.

"I'm um - I'm going to be right back," she says, voices uncharacteristically shaky. "Lucky for you two, I made homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert." She inhales another sharp breath, turns away, and disappears into the kitchen.

Zach and I exchange a glance.

"What was that all about?" he whispers.

"No idea," I say, glancing over my shoulder and into the kitchen. Mom is digging through the fridge. "I've never seen her get emotional like that before."