Boy meets Girl

Starting Over

June 14, 2020

I laid on the couch and texted Roddi to keep me posted. Mom had gone into labor last night so Ricky took her to the hospital. Roddi has been on phone duty to keep family members updated.

I ended up staying home. My diploma arrived earlier this morning. I sent Josh a text about it and he said he would come congratulate me.

Things have been fine since I came back home. Josh and I call one another but I have to admit, I miss sleeping next to him and hearing him hum as he cooks.

There was a knock on the door before Josh walked in.

"Hey stranger." I said getting up and stretching.

"Hey Bunny." He said wrapping his arms around me.

I took a deep breath as I hugged him back. "How are your parents?"

Josh pulled away. "They're fine. Dad tried to calm down Ma when I said I was coming over today."

I slump back down on the couch. "Your mother hates me."

Josh slumped down beside me. "No, she doesn't. She's just trying to adjust."

I roll my eyes. "To what?"

Josh shook his head. "No woman has ever taken her place."

I cross my arms. "I don't want to take her place," I say getting up to get a snack. "I just want her to accept that she's gonna have to share you."

"She'll come around!" Josh called.

I opened the fridge and got out the fruit salad Roddi made for dessert last night. Mmm. It's mixed with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. They had some kind of juice.. lime I believe on them.

I made myself a bowl and leaned against the counter.

Josh came walking in when I was one my fourth bite. He opened the fridge and then peeked into my bowl.

"Is there any more of... that?" He asked.

I nodded with a mouthful and pointed down at the bottom of the fridge. He bent down and picked the bowl up.

I gulped down my bite. "Do you think there's a way for her and I to.. see eye to eye?"

Josh grabs a fork from one of the drawers. "Are you willing to wait until marriage to move in with me?"

I take another bite of my fruit salad. "No."

"Willing to stop having sex?"

"Fuck no."

"Are you willing to listen to her opinions about our relationship? Like what she thinks we are doing wrong in every way possible?"

"You sounded just like her when you said that."

Josh scrunched his nose. "Did not."

I rolled my eyes and took my last bite. "Anyway my answer is God no."

Josh started to make himself a bowl of the fruit salad and I hopped up onto the counter. "It's not like I'm trying to disrespect your mother, but this is our relationship."

Josh nods as he turns his back to me while putting the salad back in the fridge. "I completely agree with you."

He then leaned against the fridge.  "But I can also see where she's coming from too and it's just a constant debate."

"Yeah."

I can understand the point of view from Josh's mother. Josh is her baby. She wants him to be happy but I guess responsible too? I mean if I was his mom I wouldn't want some random girl to just come waltzing through and changing everything. But again, it wouldn't be my choice because it wouldn't be my relationship.

I hopped off the counter and put my empty bowl in the sink. Without looking at Josh I ask, "when do they go home?"

I can hear him sigh. "Tomorrow."

Before I could respond my phone rings. I walk back to the living room to answer it.

"Dylan! Dylan can you hear me? He's so cute!"

I scrunch my nose as Roddi shouts.

"That's great Roddi but, could you please, for the love of cheesecake, could you please not scream in my damn ear?" I mumbled.

There was some sound in the background and in a matter of seconds.. I heard him. A little baby cry. And it was like my world was starting over.

I didn't know when but I was sitting on the couch and Josh was right beside me. I was wrapped in a blanket and my face was soaked. The phone was sitting in my lap. Finally, Josh spoke.

"Are you okay?" He asked. "You were just standing there and when I touched you.. you just.. collapsed."

I nodded my head in silence. For the past nine months I've been so caught up in relationship drama with my boyfriend and with Lucas I wasn't prepared to be a big sister.

Josh placed a hand on my shoulder. "Should we go see him?"

He didn't have to ask me twice. I had quickly put my mask on and was halfway out the door.