Until the End of Summer (Rini Through the Years)

3. (Pov. Ricky)

"Hey mom?" I yelled from upstairs. "Are you down there?"

"I'm in the kitchen honey."

Big Red and I ran down the stairs and walked into a room with a pleasantly sweet aroma. Brownies.

My mom's back was facing towards us when we reached the kitchen, so Big Red and I crept to the stove to grab a piece. Our mouths were watering as the warm, fudgy treat was about to enter them.

We realized we were caught as soon as my mom shut off the water and turned around.

"Hey boys, what do you-" Startled, my mom gasped and stepped back to only bump into the edge of the countertop behind her.

Big Red and I snuck a glance at each other. We weren't sure if we should laugh, or run.

"You boys scared me." Sighed my mom. She sounded more relieved than upset, so we were in the clear.

"What are you two doing sneaking up on me like that?"

"We wanted a brownie and we thought you'd say no if we asked." I answered.

My mom shooed us away from the stove. "You're right, I would've said no. I'm bringing these with me to Ms. Lancaster's later."

"You're going to visit her again?" I complained. "You've already been over there two times this week."

Ms. Lancaster is an elderly friend of my mom. My mom liked to visit her often because she apparently was a big help when it came to coping being around my dad whenever she was upset with him. However, I've become annoyed with her visits because even though she would go a couple of times a week, my parents' arguments would never get any better nor would they lessen.

I guess my mom was trying her best though. She has to travel to Chicago a lot for work, so she started seeing a counselor there; and when she wasn't in Chicago, she saw Ms. Lancaster. I never understood why my parents thought it would be a good idea for one of them to get counseling in Salt Lake, and the other to get counseling in Chicago. I mean, shouldn't both clients go together? It was their marriage.

My mom sighed. "Ricky we've already been over this already." She seemed uncomfortable with my remark, but quickly shifted the topic. "What do you boys need?"

I looked at Big Red and then back at my mom. "We need to know-"

"Ricky needs to know." Big Red interrupted, matter of factly.

"Okay let me do the talking." I said. Big Red shrugged. I continued. "I need to know if this girl-"

"Nini." Big Red interrupted again.

"Dude seriously?" I asked him, irritated that he couldn't keep quiet for two seconds. He looked as if he didn't do anything wrong. Except he did. I didn't plan for my mom to know every detail.

"What?" Said Big Red. "Why would you refer to the girl you like as 'this girl' when you obviously know her name?"

My mom gave him a look of approval and nodded her head. "I'm very fond of you Big Red."

His face reddened. "Awe geez thanks. I don't get that a lot."

My mom's gaze fixed back on me. "Okay Ricky, spill it."

I sighed. "Fine whatever. I need to know if Nini likes me. Do you know anything about teenage girls?"

My mom crossed her arms and started to look off into the distance as if she was trying to remember something. "Hmm do I know anything about teenage girls? I may know a thing or two. It's not like I was one or anything."

"Ha ha very funny." I let out a small grin and she and Big Red laughed.

"Lot's of girls are different because we all like different things but there are ways to tell if a girl, in your case Nini, likes you. Boys, get out a pen and a piece of paper. This could take a while."

Oh boy.