Never Been Kissed

- TWO -

                                                                              -• TWO •-

At the dinner table that night, my mom took away dad’s cell phone as usual and served up her specialty: minestrone soup and garlic bread.

“How was swimming class today Opal?” mom asked, dipping her spoon into her soup.

“It was fun.” Opal said enthusiastically, slurping her soup and getting tomato all over her chin. Mom brought up her napkin to wipe Opal’s mouth, thankfully. “Dorothea taught me the backstroke and I did it better than Laura or Hailey or Max or Nicholas—”

Opal went on and on about her day at the lake and I tuned out, savoring the taste of my soup while mom and dad listened to her intently. I’d never seen two adults more entranced. But I didn’t linger on that too long, I was thinking about my own day. And my mind was flooded with memories of Beck.

“Amber has a boyfriend.” Opal announced loudly, snapping me out of my reverie.

Dad started to choke on a piece of garlic bread and mom jumped up, slapping him sharply between his shoulders and having an internal war on whether or not to do the Heimlich maneuver.

Luckily, dad’s choking fit wasn’t that serious, but unfortunately his temper was. “Amber has a what?!”

“A boyfriend,” Opal repeated, looking like she wanted to slap dad for asking again. “His name is Beck. He bought us ice-cream—well, Amber wasn’t really eating ice-cream, hers was green, but—”

“He is not my boyfriend Opal!” I interrupted her.

“He bought you girls ice-cream?” Mom asked, looking very surprised.

Dad’s face was red.

Opal looked a little irritated that everyone was interrupting her all the time.

“Yes, but—”

“Shh!” Opal hushed me angrily. “I’m not finished telling my story about my day. Wait your turn Amber.” She frowned at me and then turned back to mom. “Anyway, he’s Amber’s boyfriend mommy, he likes her and she’s gonna get cooties from him ‘cause he kisses your hands!” Opal giggled and dad’s eyes flashed to me. “He even shared Amber’s ice-cream with her—”

“He only tried it!” I argued.

 “Amber! Stop interrup-a-ting me.” Opal said bossily and flashed me a five year old frown.

“Oh honey!” mom exclaimed. “That’s such a big word! Where did you learn it?”