Page 87 of Love in the Lab
Nicole and Olivia simultaneously let out a reflexive “awww.” Even Adam looks impressed.
We finish breakfast, and I help clear the table, taking dirty plates into the kitchen to wash. I’m bellied up to the sink with my arms half-submerged in hot, soapy water when my mom finds me.
She leans back against the kitchen counter and folds her arms. “I have some concerns about your new plans.”
My mom and dad are still acclimating to our news, but they’ll come around. Last night, I thought my mom was actually excited, but after she talked with my dad and heard about ourless-than-traditional plans, she must have realized some fresh doubts.
Without taking my focus off washing the dishes, I say, “I’m sure you do. I’d be surprised if you didn’t. But I’m happy with my decisions, and they were my decisions to make.”
“But that’s just the thing, honey. It’s not like you to make such a big decision so suddenly.”
I turn to look her full in the face now. “Actually, impulsive decisions are exactly like me, only I’ve been subduing that part of me, a lot of parts of me actually, for a long time now.”
She frowns. “What do you mean?”
Pulling my hands from the sink and drying them off, I share with her, for the first time, what I went through that first semester I spent away from home. She knows about my grades, of course, but always chalked it up to the adjustment to college-level academics. I never corrected her.
“Ever since then, I’ve been trying to be asnotADHD as possible. But I’ve come to realize that while, yes, ADHD makes my life harder in a lot of ways, it’s also a huge part of my strengths. It makes me who I am.”
Mom rests her hand on her chest over her heart. “I had no idea you felt that way. I hate that you felt that way all those years. What made you realize that you’re perfect just the way you are?”
I smile, my eyes almost overflowing. “My husband. There’s nothing about me Jonathan doesn’t love. Makes it kind of hard for me not to love myself, too.”
Her eyes gleam with tears. “I can understand why you married him, in that case.” She hesitates. “Honey, when you were growing up, I know I wasn’t always the best mother for you. You were my first baby, and you were so challenging. We had to learn how to parent you, usually through trial and error. I know I made mistakes. I’m so sorry if I contributed to you feeling like you needed to change who you are.”
I shake my head. “You didn’t. I always felt loved and supported. I still do. How could you know what was going on inside me whenIdidn’t even know most of the time?”
My mom leans closer, a smile touching her lips. “Can I admit something?”
“Of course.”
“There were so many times, even after your sisters were born, when you would say something insightfully wise beyond your years or something so witty I’d laugh out loud, that I would stop and think ‘this little person is my favorite person on the planet.’ I love you so much, Molly. And I trust you.”
I wrap my arms around her in a hug, blinking to keep the tears from falling. I sniffle, then laugh. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Nicole or Olivia.”
“Or Dad,” she cautions.
“Or Dad,” I agree.
Chapter thirty-two
Jonathan
Iknow I’ve made it with the Delaneys by the way Molly’s father sees me off at the airport the Saturday after Thanksgiving. He pulls the car into the departures area at the Austin airport, shifts into park, and opens his door to pull our luggage from the trunk. After setting the suitcases on the sidewalk, he wraps Molly in a bear hug.
Then, he turns to me. He shakes my hand. “Take care of her, Jonathan.”
“I can try to help, Mr. Delaney,” I tell him with a grin, “but she’s pretty good at taking care of herself.”
The smallest hint of a smile creeps across his lips. “Call me Ben.” He shakes my hand one more time before getting back into the car to drive away.
I meet Molly up on the sidewalk. “Did you hear that?” I hiss in a stage whisper.
She takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. “I did.”
“Does your dad like me now?” I ask hopefully.
She smiles. “Maybe. How could he not, though? It was only a matter of time.”
