I couldn’t help but grin too because that was done and I’d managed to get it done with my kid grinning.

I hit my room. I did the spritzing thing, strapped on my high heels, and grabbed my leather jacket.

I walked back out and was collecting my phone and grabbing a pack of Butterfinger Cups to throw in my purse (in case I needed a candy hit during work) when I saw Mom pull up to the curb.

“Okay, Ethan, I’m outta here. Be good for your gramma,” I said as I went to the door.

“Lucky for you, you can take it easy at work since you don’t gotta make as many tips because you got free labor since I did somethin’ stupid that still got you a date with the coolest guy in town,” he returned.

I wanted to be “severe mom” who put the kibosh on her kid being a smartass.

But the operative part in that was “smart” so I just shot him a smile before I walked out the door.

I met Mom halfway up the walk.

“Why’d you want me to come early?” she asked. “And where are you goin’?” She looked to the house and kept at me before I could even answer her first question. “Is Ethan okay?”

“I needed you to come early so I could tell you that Ethan’s got additional chores, a deal we made because he did somethin’ not right. He’s got kitchen duty and needs to keep the place picked up. He’s had dinner, but if you guys make a mess, it’s up to him to clean it.”

She looked back at me. “What’d he do?”

“Think that might be better it’s between him and me for now, Mom,” I told her quietly.

She’d been at my side with Ethan since I pushed him out, and during the pushing him out part, that was literally. This meant there were things she had with my boy, good and the odd times he was bad. I had the same things. Sometimes, Mom and me shared about those things. Sometimes, for Ethan, we did our own thing so the bad he did didn’t spread and make him feel like a loser.

It worked for all of us.

So at that moment, without another word, she nodded.

“Also, before it flies through the ’burg like I know it’s gonna do, want you to know I got a date with Merry tomorrow night.”

In the shadows cut liberally by my front light, I saw her eyes get huge.

Now, my mom, even at fifty-six, with a life that didn’t often treat her kind, had never lost hold on her girlie.

She demonstrated this right then, grabbing my hands and giving a little hop.

“Oh, my beautiful baby girl, that makes me so happeeeeeeeee.”

It made me happy too.

But for me and my mom, since life didn’t often treat us kind, she had to cool it with her expectations.

“Mom, it’s just a date.”