Little Girl Don't Grow Up Too Fast

The Hard Goodbyes

 "Mom, I'm starving," Charlotte complained as she walked into the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready soon enough," the mother replied. "I'm thinking about eating it outside though. It's such a nice day."

"Ooo, I like that idea," Charlotte replied. "Is Dad getting here soon?"

"He said he might run a little late. He had a lot of work he had to get done," she replied, referring to the phone conversation she had with him earlier. "Do you have all of your stuff packed and ready to go over to his house tomorrow?"

"Um...sort of."

"Well, just make sure that gets taken care of after dinner," she told her. "How was school?"

"Ma, you ask that every day and it's the same answer every day," Charlotte sighed. "It's fine but it's so, so boring."

"Yeah, but five minutes from now some story will pop up in your head about what happened throughout the day."

"We'll see," Charlotte shrugged.

Carrie continued to make dinner while Charlotte sat at the counter working on homework. It was quiet between the two besides the faint sound of country music playing through the home speakers that was blue toothed to Carrie's phone. Charlotte looked up from the math problem she had been working on and observed her mother cutting up vegetables as she tapped her foot to the music.

"Okay, fine," the teenager huffed. "You were right."

"What?"

"There's one thing about school," Charlotte admitted.

Carrie put down the knife she was using and leaned over the counter on the opposite side of where her daughter was sitting, giving her daughter her whole attention. "What's up?"

"There's a guy that I sort of like," Charlotte spoke slowly and awkwardly, unsure of her mother's reaction.

"I can tell," Carrie responded sweetly, but giggly. Charlotte gave her a 'how do you know?' face before Carrie answered, "You've been so attached to your phone waiting for texts back from a certain somebody I couldn't help but assume. What's his name?"

"Travis," Charlotte responded. "I like him and he likes me, but I've never done this before. I've never been anyone's girlfriend, I've never gone out on a date, I've never even been kissed."

"Whoa, slow down," the mother told her. "First of all, you are only thirteen, there's no need to rush or feel pressured to do anything yet."

"But so many girls in my class already have boyfriends."

"How about we sit on the couch," Carrie suggested leading her daughter over to the living room where it was more comfortable to have these types of conversations.

"I wish you weren't leaving right as stuff like this comes up. No way do I want to mention this stuff to Dad."

"Just because I won't physically be here doesn't mean you still can't talk to me. I am not going to get through an entire day without hearing from you, and that's more for my sake than your's," Carrie joked, trying to make light of the situation. "We'll FaceTime, text, call, whatever every day and any time you have any trouble with a boy or a friend or whatever is going on or bugging you, I'm all ears and I'm going to be there for you. I want you to come to me when you need help with those things."

"Thank you," Charlotte reached over and hugged her mother. "But seriously, I have no idea what to do when it comes to guys. I need major help!"

"A lot of it is just having to figure it out as you go along. You'll learn what type of man you want to be with as you go through more experiences," Carrie shared. "But Charlotte, you're thirteen and I know you are growing up, but make sure you don't grow up too fast. You're a beautiful girl on the outside, but always make sure that whatever guy is going after you, that he is going after you for what's on the inside. You have such an incredible heart and so selfless and caring so make sure that it's those qualities he likes about you. Don't just kiss someone just to kiss someone or don't have a boyfriend just because everyone else does. Choose someone that cares about the real you. You'll find a lot more happiness in that and go through a lot less heartbreak."