Less Than Three

Chapter 14: Sounds Like a Plan to Me

I was lost in thought, which is probably why I didn't notice when my mom snuck up behind me. "Penny for your thoughts," she said.

What can you buy for a penny? Not much. And certainly not my thoughts. I shrugged and closed out the  computer screen.

She upped the ante, "Chocolate Kamikaze Crunch?"

Before anyone thinks I'm stupid, note that I recognized this as a clever plan to get me to talk. What can I say? Mom knows my weak spot. We'd barely got in the car before she started in.

"I noticed Brady hasn't called today."

Yeah. I. Noticed. Too. But I wasn't crumbling that easy. "So?"

She dug deeper into her mom skills chest, turned onto a street that would take us a mile out of the way, and tried on the dreaded 'wait you out in silence' strategy.

I didn't fall for it. Instead, I remembered one of my dad's more useful clichés: The best defense is a good offense.

"Aren't you the same mom who always says: A girl's life should not revolve around a boy?" I said. "Shouldn't you be glad Brady hasn't called? I mean, maybe it means I've been listening to you." 

Mom didn't seem convinced so I went on, "All those times when you said 'You can't expect a boy to make you happy unless you can make yourself happy first'. Well, maybe I thought about it a little. And maybe I told Brady not to call me today. Just so I could practice making myself happy." 

I smiled, secure in the knowledge that I had just beaten my mother at her own game.

"Did you?" she said.

"Did I what?"

"Did you tell Brady not to call?"

"You know," I told her, "if you turn left here, the back way into the Ice Cream Palace is just two blocks away."

***

We were three customers from the front of the line when I heard a familiar voice, "Hey, Summer. Hey, Mrs. Day." It was Craig! And with him – Dave.

"Nice to meet you," Dave said to my mom when he and Craig cut in line behind us.

"And you are?" Mom asked.

"Dave."

"Dave?"

"Dave Brown."

"The Dave Brown?" 

"I see my reputation precedes me," Dave said, all charming-like.

Mom started to raise an eyebrow but it got stuck halfway. I looked from her to Dave and I knew why. He was doing the lip/teeth/eye thing. Even my mother is not immune.

"Can I help you, ma'am? Ma'am?" The ice cream dude had already said it twice with no response. Other customers were starting to stare. Sheesh.

"She'll have the bumblebee sundae," I said.

We got our ice cream and I turned for the car. Mom stopped me. "Summer, honey, don't you think we should ask Craig and Dave to sit down with us?"

No. I did not think that at all.

"We could have a nice talk."

And I certainly did not want to talk. Imagine the humiliating things my mom might say in her weakened state? I tried to give her a look. She's usually incredibly good at the whole non-verbal communication thing but this time she blew it.