Zach and Abby

19. - Edited

Zach - Edited

I knew Abby's mom as soon as she walked out of the restroom. They didn't look very much alike but in their eyes was the same gentle kind of look. I'd seen Deb before at football events and team parties but we'd never met or talked. She'd always been latched onto Michael's arm, as if afraid of being on her own.

I had never been educated in Alzheimer's or diseases in general but Abby's mom didn't look sick in the slightest. Her eyes were bright and wide, like she was seeing the world for the first time. She appeared normal; I could have passed her on the street and never known what was really happening inside her head.

Abby grabbed her mother's hand, turning her body to face me. I tried to conjure up a smile but I'd never been so nervous in my life; not even for the state championship games. This wasn't just a regular or even a huge game; this was Abby and now I was meeting her mom. I didn't want to fuck it up or say the wrong thing. There were reasons Abby had never dated anyone in school and I didn't want Deb to see those things in me and ruin everything I'd been building between her daughter and I.

 She didn't speak so I introduced myself first, hoping the awkwardness was something only I was feeling. "Hello Ms. Mitchell, I'm Zach Green."

Hearing my voice snapped her back into reality, not even a second later she was shaking my hand, tilting her head up to meet my eyes. "It's nice to meet you. Call me Deb, please."

I nodded and tried harder to smile that time. Over Deb's shoulder, Abby was holding her thumbs up, happiness written all over her expression. I had never seen any of this coming when I transferred schools but somehow in less than six months, I was now here, standing in a group home meeting my girlfriend's mom.

It showed Abby trusted me and if Deb wasn't standing in the middle of us, I probably would have pulled Abby to me and kissed her.

We signed Deb out, Abby promising the staff we'd have her back around dinner time. Throughout the car ride, Deb sat up front, playing with all the radio stations until she settled on one playing hits from 80s. She rambled on animatedly about her sister in Chicago, hardly ever stopping even to take a breath. Abby replied like her mom wasn't sick or different, like nothing else existed besides her mom, herself and Aunt Sherry in Illinois.

The topic of who I was and why I was suddenly tagging along with her daughter never came up to Deb and so I left it alone. Maybe she didn't know who I was to Abby or that I even played football; I just knew I wouldn't be the one to break either news. Abby may have told her about it all and maybe it didn't make any difference to Deb.

During that drive back to campus I hardly even listened to the conversation; my mind was too preoccupied with things that didn't even matter.

As soon as we stepped inside Abby's dorm, Deb was on the couch, complaining she now felt tired. A sigh slipped through Abby's lips but she caught herself, obviously trying to keep her mom as comfortable as possible. I felt helpless like I had all afternoon so all I could do was pull Abby into a hug, kissing the top of her head before letting go.

The look she gave me made me laugh, like I'd embarrassed her in front of her mom. Deb was distracted with the TV remote, maybe not even realizing we were still in the room.