My Mother's Secret - A Sequel To The Summer of 1993

A Tradtion

Mom, Jackie, and I went to the window displays at the history museum.   The window displays were from the late sixties and before.  The magic died in the seventies.   After we ate burgers at the counter of the five and dime. An independently wealthy citizen bought it in 1987 and made it their own. They stocked the aisles with the most current items so the people who work downtown can have what they need.  I had friends that lived downtown butbtheybweee broke.   QMom and I woke up and went downtown at nine., we were first few through the doors and we were swept through the displays we were taken back to a certain place and time. We looked at each window for hours. It wasn't like with dad. "Looky, look, let's go. Let's go eat at Applebee's." He ruined a lot of our times out and I remember when I was four, we went to this and dad rushed us through. Mom was hugely pregnant as well, Mom always made sure it was just us. She looked really pretty. She had a nice sweater which flattered her shape, a reddish wig, and perfect makeup. I was sure Johnny would melt when he saw her.

At noon, we went to the counter. We sat at at table though. It was me and Jackie and mom across the table from us. She asked how we liked yesterday. The turkey was really good and dad did a good job on the mashed potatoes.

"Who helped you with the turkey?"
"I read the directions."
"Well it was scrumptious."
"I have a lot of leftovers."
"Is dad home?"
"No. He went to work."
"So, mom. Do you want to meet Johnny?" Jackie asked.
"I am scared to. You know dad and all."
"Yeah, but I think if you do, you would get closure. Mom, I am sort of jealous that you have a bond with him."
"I never meant to."
"You need to speak with him. I think you would get closure and you deserve that.  Look, you got closure about Seth."
"Let's go get some turkey."

    Seth came out of the closet in 2022, and they are actually good friends. 

"Oh, I have that election officials meeting in early December the 12th through the 14th. Could you watch the house, come fix dinner for your dad? You know, make sure he isn't dead or sick."
"Sure. We can do that,". Jackie said. Dad was pretty much helpless and we would do days. I had Monday and Wednesday and Jackie had Tuesday. I was going to get into that diary of hers. I felt like such a bad girl.

She was talking to him. She just looked better. Happier.

I drove home. The boys were in the back. I came in. Same asked how the day went. I told him well. I told him I are way too much at the counter. He said, "Bobby is napping. We can burn some calories." I obliged him. I was so lucky that I had a loving, doting husband. We had a tradition in our family and the place was still open, despite Covid, the economy, most of the patrons dying, and a laundry list of other things. We sat at a table just talking and a childhood memory came back where mom brought us and dad bitched the whole time, refused to eat the food, and the few bites he did, he threw up in the parking lot. The more I thought about mom meeting Johnny. She deserved it. She decorated the next day and I went to see her and help.

She put up her pink tree in her room. "It just smells so good in here,". I told her sweetly. "Like a girl." She smiled. The diary had moved.
"Well, I am female. So did you do the tradition?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry I had to move it from the night it was to be on."
"It's not your fault."

She decorated the tree and I took the time to talk about my childhood. She said, "I sort of lost myself trying to find a dad and then I began my little affairs."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Let's just say I made love like a porn star at the firm in 1995-1996. It was why I lost my job."
"I am sorry mom."
"I am glad you loved yourself not to do that. Johnny would have been so upset. From 1995-1996, I did it all."

She told me about the threesomes she had in the office. I just looked at her. This God loving woman so was not. Well, she had an affair or two when she was married as well.  "We were upstairs.  They had these rooms full of old couches and lawyers would come up to smoke pot or do stupid stuff and well, we were having a threesome.   I was on the couch with my pants and panties around my waist.  I hurt grandma and grandma so bad, even worse than when I told them I was pregnant."  She looked outside at the gray day.   "I was upfront with Johnny and I guess he had w kid time, too."  She took out a bracelet and gave it to me.  It was pretty.  "A pretty thing for a pretty girl."   She smiled.   She had so many nice things.   She has wigs from the best stores.  She had nice clothes.  I thunk in some weird way, she made up for not having a loving husband.  

    At six, I went home to mine.   We may not had a lot, but we had each other and Bobby.