Her Mom Likes Girls

16

The next day at school, Hailey walked past me in the hallway as though she didn't know me. It wasn't unusual since she didn't talk to me at school anyway.

I walked past Jamie's class and noticed that she was alone. I was tempted to go in and talk to her, but I had my own doubts about being alone with her.

"Peyton?" Jamie called as I walked away. I stopped in my tracks and turned, shy to face her.

I never get shy.

"Hey, Jamie," I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.

"Busy?"

I shrugged. "No. I don't think so. Why?"

"You just seemed to be in a rush," she said.

"No, no. I'm just heading to my office."

"Still on for Saturday?"

"Yeah, of course, can't wait!"

Jamie followed me. "I see that Hailey's back in school."

I almost flinched as she brushed past me by the door and sat down in my office.

"Yeah. I hope that she's on her best behavior?"

"She is doing her best, from what I can see. She's not saying much. I'm sure it'll brush over quickly."

"I hope so," I said. "But do let me know if she gives you any trouble."

"I can handle myself."

"I'm sure you can. But that daughter of mine." I walked behind my desk and sat down, "can be a handful."

"Makes me wonder if you're as feisty as her," Jamie giggled. "Are you?"

I smiled bashfully, "I'm not sure anymore. Maybe when I was her age, I was."

"I'm sure that you've still got the fire in you. But that's for your wife to handle."

Jamie looked down and sighed.

"Audrey seems nice. I hope it works out between you two," I said, redirecting the conversation.

"Thanks. I guess we'll see. It's been good so far."

"That's good. Before Sam, I remember that I dated someone older than me for a couple of months."

"Did you? What was the age difference?" Jamie asked.

"Ah, well, don't judge me. But I believe it was fifteen years?"

"Why would I judge you? As long as you were an adult."

"Well, I wouldn't say that I was an adult. I was only nineteen at the time. But I don't have any bad things to say about the relationship we had. It just didn't work out."

"Wanted different things?"

"I was still figuring out what I wanted to begin with," I said.

Jamie said, "makes sense. I always find myself dating older women. I don't know why it always happens that way."

"You've never been with someone your own age?"

"Very briefly. It never worked out. But then again, none of my relationships have worked out so far, so who knows."

I looked at Jamie curiously. "How old is your girlfriend?"

Jamie smiled. "She's older than me, for sure."

"I assumed as much."

We chuckled.

Jamie said, "she's forty-five ."

"Wow, she's older than me too."

"Yes, she is."

I asked, "is she the oldest person you've dated?"

"I don't think so. I seem to have a thing for women in their forties."

"I think we all feel that way when we're younger. Sam's the only woman I've been with that's actually younger than me."

"Is she?"

"Yeah, by three months."

"You're basically the same age."

"Yeah I know." Thinking about Sam made me sad. "I do really hope it works out between you two," I told Jamie.

"Thanks, Peyton. I'm honestly not too sure. She's great and all. But I don't know. It's complicated."

"You just know. I get that. It took me a couple months to know that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Sam. And, still, sometimes, I question it."

"Spending the rest of your life with her?" Jamie asked.

I felt foolish disclosing that information. "Yeah. It's been seventeen years. I want us to work out, and I can't imagine being without her. But sometimes I do wonder if time has driven us apart."

"I'm sure she loves you," Jamie mentioned. She seemed taken aback for a moment.

"And I love her, more than anything. I wouldn't ever leave my family. Never. I just hope that Sam and I can work through anything."

"I'm sure you will."

"We will," I assured. "I have no doubt about it."

Of course I had doubts. But that wasn't for Jamie to know.

"I've got to finish to some stuff. I'll see you around, Peyton?"

I smiled at her, "you will."

As Jamie walked out of my office, I felt tension in my chest. I had the urge to cry. But I didn't.