by Brooke Bishop
08 Jun 2012 23:43 (updated 08 Jun 2012 23:44) | 0 comment(s)
"Touch of Magic. Brooke speaking." I roll my chair out from behind my desk, moving toward the fax machine. I really wish everyone would use emails these days, but some of the older people, like Mr. Wysocki at Tattered Cover prefer faxes. Picking up the information I roll back to my desk and begin typing the information into the laptop.
"Brooke? It's your mother."
"Hey, Mum. What's up?"
"Your sister told me that you've been dating."
I'm going to kill Bridget the next time I see her. "Well, Mum, I'm thirty. It's not unusual for me to be out on a date, right?"
"She said you really like this man. He's not another sorcerer is he? We liked Bryn, but that was an entirely different story." I can hear mum puttering in the kitchen, likely preparing dinner for dad once he's back in from the stables.
"I do, but it's not as though it's serious. Just a few dates." Just a few dates my ass. It's been two, with a third tonight. I really like Kieran, but I can't tell my mum that. "Please don't try to marry me off or anything? And don't tell dad."
There's a strange pause on the phone, and I can just tell what my mother is thinking.
"Well… your father already knows. He wants to know if you're planning on bringing your boyfriend around for Father's Day."
My typing stops and I take a deep breath. I really don't want to yell at my mother, but it's going to be a very close call here. "Mum," I say as calmly as I can manage, "He's not my boyfriend. He's a man I've been out with twice." Never mind that I probably would've gone well beyond the making out I did with him in the private room of his club if I thought he'd want to see me again after.
"Still, your father wants to know."
Another deep breath is taken before I answer, "No, mum. I'm not bringing him home for Father's day. It's not that involved of a relationship at this point. If it goes beyond just a few dates, I'll let you know and we can discuss whether or not I'm bringing him home then, alright?" Beat. "But I'll drive up the Saturday before and spend the day with dad on Sunday."
"You know, you need to start thinking about settling down. By the time I was your age, I'd already had all of you kids. You're not going to be able to procreate soon…"
"Mum! I'm not settling for some jerk just to have kids. When and if I get married, or have children, it will be with someone I love as much as you love dad."
"Do you think it'll be with this man?"
I really want to bash the phone against the desk, but I can't. I need to keep it handy in case a client calls. "I don't know, mum. I barely know the man. All I can tell you is that I like him." Really like him. "I'm attracted to him." Extremely so. "That I look forward to seeing him again."
"Oh, Brooke! That's wonderful. You know, you'll probably be settling down soon. I should let you go and give your sister a call. She doesn't even date, you know."
Of course Bridget doesn't date. I've never been quite sure of her reasoning, but that's her own business, I figure. "I'm sure she will when she meets the right man."
"I've got a friend visiting from college. Her son would be perfect for your sister. Maybe I can introduce them on the weekend…"
Another call is coming through the line and I bless my lucky stars. "Mum, I've got to let you go. I've got a client on the other line. Love you, bye."
I hang up before she gets another word in edgewise.
