Page 30 of Until Now
Kim sits on her favorite chaise while Dominique and I take the table under the yellow umbrella.
“Your garden is beautiful, Kim,” Dominique says, looking around at the well thought out plantings.
It’s a small garden, but there are lots of colorful plants, and the way she designed the walkway and patio looks good. When she told me she would tackle making a pond feature, I thought she was way over her head. But when I saw what had been created, it was impressive. Kim has never been afraid of getting her hands dirty.
“It’s my thing. Hunter had to be bribed to help do the plantings this Spring, but that’s to be expected. My child is becoming less interested in the things that interest me and more interested in things teenage boys have on their radar.”
“Bing is the same. We used to watch this cooking show that he loved. We would try to recreate whatever they made that day. But it’s all fallen to the wayside. It kind of makes me sad.”
I look at the sad faces. “You two are funny. Do you really think you’re going to hold a candle to girls?”
Shots fired! The expressions change. Now they are ready for a fight.
“Girls? They aren’t there yet. They don’t even have hair on their balls,” Kim says firmly.
“Denial is not a river in Egypt.” I smirk.
Dominique laughs. “As much as I hate to admit it, Maxen has a point.”
“Thank you.”
“A few days ago, when Bing came home from band practice, he was practically upbeat.”
“About what?” Kim asks.
“Apparently, there were girls at Trevor’s house. You know, the groupies watching while the boys played their music.”
“Thirteen-year-old groupies? Where are their mothers and fathers?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. These girls are as innocent as the boys are. They can hardly look directly in the boys’ eyes.”
I listen as the women comfort each other by believing the lie that their kids are still children.
“Oh hell, you’re both screwed now,” I add.
My sister looks stunned.
“You’re not surprised, are you?” I say. “This is the way it should happen. They are in puberty. Lots of sensations ‘down there’.”
“I’m going to cry!” Kim teases.
“It’s all happening too fast. Are you sure? Just a minute ago, Bing was only interested in skateboards and video games.”
I take a bite of my sandwich and dip my chin toward her. “This new game’s more fun.”
