Sweet Caroline

#38 Little Nate and the blue hurricane

The room is silent for a long, tense moment. I can tell Dad's mind is reeling just like mine is, trying to figure out why the hell my mother and my boyfriend already seem to know each other. Mom swats Nathan's outstretched hand away and pulls him in for a hug, surprising him. He pats her back while his eyes meet mine, wide and panicked.

"How?" I ask without making a sound, but he's not in a position to answer right now, obviously. I just pray that she's not an ex-girlfriend. I don't think I will recover from the shock if I'm sleeping with a guy that my mother used to share a bed with. Part of me knows that it's unlikely since Mom had only just turned 20 when she gave birth to me and she'd been with my father for two years already, ever since she turned 18. Dad was 21 when he met her and he was her second boyfriend, meaning that would make Nathan her first boyfriend if they ever dated, and he's three years younger than she is, so that would mean... Stop, I tell my mind, getting frustrated with myself. They obviously never dated. Stop making yourself crazy.

"Oh my goodness," Mom gushes as she lets go of Nathan, holding him at arm's length. "You really grew up. I can't believe we used to call you little Nate back in the day!"

"Erm... honey?" Dad gets up and touches her arm to get her attention. "Would you care to explain how you and little Nate know each other?"

"Oh, right!" She giggles and gives Nathan another glance from his hair to his toes before she sits back down next to my father and motions for me and Nathan to sit down as well. He makes his way over to me and takes his usual spot on the couch. I want to take his hand in mine because we could both use some reassurance and strength, but I wouldn't dare with my dad glaring at him with dark eyes. My dad is a real sweetheart, but not when he thinks someone is doing me wrong. He wanted to kill Danny when he found out he kissed another girl. And he doesn't even know half of everything that went down both during and after our relationship.

"So...?" Dad grumbles, still annoyed that no one is explaining the situation to him.

"I used to be friends with his sister," Mom explains, her words easing the knot in my stomach. His sister. Of course. Mom and Jennifer are about the same age, so that makes perfect sense. It even explains the nickname. Nathan was the annoying younger brother. Thank God. That's much better than anything my mind was concocting.

"You look good, Magda," Nathan says, smiling at her. "Although I have to admit I prefer the blue hair."

"Blue hair?" I repeat, not sure that I heard him right.

"Oh God, don't remind me," Mom grunts, rolling his eyes at him. "Thank God I was back to my natural blonde color when I met this one, or I'd still be alone." She winks at my father, whose eyes are moving over her hair with a frown. Apparently, he didn't know her hair had been blue at one point in her life. "How's Jennifer?" Mom asks. "I haven't seen her in years."

"She's fine," he responds with a smile. "I can give you her number, if you want. I'm sure she'd love to catch up."

"Oh, that would be great!" Mom is beaming at the thought of rekindling an old friendship. "I think I last saw her a few months after you-" She stops talking without warning, her eyes going wide. "Oh Lord," she mumbles, glancing at me. "Does she know...?"

"Know what?" Dad asks, immediately latching on.

"She does." Nathan's voice is soft now and he's looking at the floor.

"Know what?" my father repeats, his voice dangerously low.

"Mom..." I start, hoping that she's not talking about what I think she is. "When did you last see Nathan?"

"Well..." My bubbly, talkative mother scratches the back of her head and grimaces, at loss for words. "I think he was about 18 years old, weren't you, Nate?"