totally meta

chapter 30

Henry walked through the door of his apartment, quietly closing it behind him. The dim lighting of the living room was a stark contrast to the fancy restaurant he had just left. His mom was sitting on the couch, watching some late-night TV, but she immediately turned her attention to him when he entered. She had that look on her face—the one where she was curious but trying not to be too pushy.

"How was your night?" she asked, her voice casual but clearly fishing for details.

Henry sighed, tossing his jacket over the back of a chair. "It was... interesting," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. He still felt the lingering awkwardness from Dr. Harris's question earlier, but he pushed it aside for now.

His mom muted the TV and turned to face him more directly. "Interesting, huh? That sounds like you have more to tell. Who was this date with? I didn't even know you were seeing someone."

Henry hesitated for a moment. He hadn't planned on keeping it a secret, but now that he had to explain, it felt a little weird. "It was with someone from Seven Labs," he finally said, sitting down on the couch beside her.

His mom raised an eyebrow. "Someone from work? Are you even allowed to do that?" she teased, but there was a hint of seriousness in her tone.

Henry chuckled softly. "I think it's fine. It's not like we're breaking any rules. It was just a dinner."

His mom crossed her arms, leaning back a bit as she studied him. "Okay... so who is this 'someone from Seven Labs'?"

Henry took a deep breath, figuring there was no point in beating around the bush. "It was Dr. Harris. You remember her, right? The one who saved my life after the lightning strike."

A flash of recognition crossed his mom's face, and she nodded slowly. "Oh, Dr. Harris... Yeah, I remember her. She seemed like a nice enough person when I met her at the hospital." She paused for a moment, then looked at him a little more seriously. "But, Henry, are you sure about this? I mean, you're not just doing this because you feel like you owe her for saving your life, right?"

Henry shook his head immediately. "No, it's not like that at all. I mean, yeah, she saved me, but I don't feel like I owe her anything. If I did, I wouldn't have agreed to the date in the first place."

His mom studied him for a moment, clearly weighing his words. "I just want to make sure you're not getting into something because of guilt or some sense of obligation. You've been through a lot, and I don't want you feeling pressured into anything."

"I get that, Mom. I really do," Henry said, his tone reassuring. "But that's not what this is about. We're just... figuring things out. It's not like we're rushing into anything. And it's not because of what she did to help me when I was hurt. I just think she's a good person, and we get along."

His mom softened, the worry in her expression easing a bit. "Well, if you're sure, then that's what matters." She reached over and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "I trust your judgment. I just want to make sure you're happy and not doing anything that doesn't feel right to you."

Henry smiled at that. "I appreciate it. But I promise, I'm not doing anything I don't want to do."

His mom smiled back, though there was still a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Alright, then. As long as you're happy. Just don't forget to take care of yourself, okay?"

"I won't," Henry assured her.

Satisfied with his response, his mom leaned back, unmuting the TV. "Well, I'm glad you're alright. But sweats on a fancy dinner date? You're lucky she didn't send you home the second she saw you."

Henry laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I know. I probably should've dressed better."

His mom chuckled. "Probably. But I'm glad you didn't try to be someone you're not. That's important."

Henry nodded, appreciating the support. Even though the date had been awkward, it felt good to have this moment of understanding with his mom.