"Mom I'm nervous."
"I know babe, it's okay to be nervous. It's going to be okay though. I'm right here beside you." Carrie said, glancing at her son in the rear view mirror who sat fiddling with his seatbelt as they drove to lunch.
"I don't know what to say." He mumbled.
"Just talk. There's no right or wrong. He'll keep the conversation going, he just wants to get to know you." Carrie said, pulling off the interstate. She pulled into the parking lot and hopped out to help Isaiah out.
"Is he here already?" Isaiah asked nervously, getting out of the car.
"Yep, looks like it." Carrie said, noticing his car parked a couple spaces over.
Isaiah gripped her hand, squeezing it tightly as they started walking to the door. Carrie could tell he how nervous he was and she hated it. She immediately started regretting ever thinking this was a good idea.
The duo walked in, Carrie quickly spotting her boyfriend sitting at a table near the back.
Isaiah followed her back, hiding behind his mother as much as he could.
"Hey, sorry there was traffic." Carrie smiled as they sat down.
"No worries, I just got here." He smiled back.
"Isaiah this is Mike." Carrie said, looking at her son who was looking down at the floor.
"Hi, I'm Isaiah" He said very quietly, glancing up.
Mike looked at Carrie, unsure what to say. They both felt extremely awkward already. Carrie mouthed 'say something' to him, Isaiah still looking down at the ground.
"So Isaiah, I hear you're a hockey fan." Mike said, remembering his love for the preds. Mike hoped that talking about that would help him become more comfortable.
He nodded, barely looking up.
"Do you like the Predators?"
"Yeah." He mumbled.
"You love the predators." Carrie gently bumped Isaiah, hoping to get him more excited.
"Would you believe me if I told you I played for the Predators?"
Isaiah looked up, studying the man in front of him. "What?"
"Mike Fisher, Center number 12"
Isaiah's mouth dropped open. "No Way."
"Yes way." Mike chuckled. "Been there my whole hockey career."
"Are you lying?"
Carrie and Mike both laughed. "Nope, I'm serious."
"Mom! How come you didn't tell me?" Isaiah exclaimed, looking at his mom beside him.
"I figured it would be a good surprise." Carrie grinned. "And it was."
"Your mom says you got to go to a game for your birthday last year, is that right?" Mike asked, happy that Isaiah had finally opened up some.
"Yeah! It was amazing!"
"How would you like to watch the next game from the front row with the players?"
"NO WAY" Isaiah practically jumped out of his seat.
"I'll even take you back into the locker room if you want too."
"Yes yes yes!" He shouted, jumping with excitement.
Mike winked at Carrie, who smiled back at him. This was going even better than they'd hoped.
"It's a date then. I'll make it happen."
"This is so cool!" Isaiah exclaimed.
"And I hear you're a pretty good soccer player too." Mike said.
"I'm okay."
"Isaiah don't be modest, you're really good." Carrie said, taking a sip of her drink.
"Okay, I guess I'm pretty good. I score a lot of goals." He said, his cheeks getting red.
"That's awesome. Maybe I can come to one of your games this spring?"
"Yeah! That would be fun." Isaiah smiled.
Carrie sat back and watched the two interact. Isaiah had opened up to him abnormally quick. He couldn't seem to stop talking.
"Mom I gotta go to the bathroom." Isaiah said, pulling Carrie out of her trance.
"Okay, it's right there around the corner." Carrie pointed to the sign in the back. "Do you need me to go with you?"
"No" Isaiah said, hopping out of his chair. "I can go myself."
Carrie and Mike watched him walk to the bathroom, disappearing around the corner.
"That kid, wow." Mike said, almost speechless.
"I told you, he's a good one." Carrie smiled.
"He's a great one. Wow, you did an amazing job with him Care." Mike said, causing Carrie to blush. "I'm serious, he's a great kid. That's all on you babe."
Carrie blushed again, her cheeks turning more red. "I think he really likes you."
"Well then I guess it's a good thing I really like him too." Mike grinned.
"I love you."
"I love you more." Mike stood up, leaning over the table to kiss her before Isaiah came back.
Carrie couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She no longer had to worry that they wouldn't get along. She could already tell that they were going to be very close. and maybe, just maybe, they might be a family one day.
