I smile to myself, staring at the fridge door as my mind wanders to Riley. "I don't think I'll wait that long."
"What do you mean? Are you seeing someone?"
"Not yet, but I hope to be soon."
"Who is she?"
"I'd rather not say. Not yet."
"Is this someone from college?"
"No. It's someone here."
"Here? You just moved back this week. How'd you meet someone already?"
"I've known her forever. We went to school together."
"Does she know you want to date her?"
"I'm not sure. I've been giving her signs to let her know, but I'm not sure she's picking up on them."
"You don't have much time. You only have a few months before you get a job and move. Could be even less than that. If you want this girl, you need to tell her now. Don't wait."
"I will. I'm just not sure how to say it."
He gets up and takes his bowl to the sink. "Just ask her to dinner. She'll know what that means. If she doesn't feel the same way about you, she'll turn you down and you'll avoid any awkward conversation telling her how you feel."
"That won't work. She won't see dinner as a date. We've had dinner before. As friends."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." He puts his bowl in the dishwasher. "I'm gonna go get ready. Orientation is at noon, right?"
"Yeah. We'll leave around 11:45."
He walks past me.
"Hey," I say, stopping him. "How was last night?"
"With Riley? It was great! We had a good time."
"You just went to the brewery? Nowhere else?"
"We thought about going to a movie, but it was getting too late. She had to work this morning."
"What'd you think of her?" I ask, wanting his opinion. I'm too blinded by love to see any of her faults, so I'm curious if Brad can find any.
"I thought she was really nice. Easy to talk to. Fun to hang out with. She said she'd be working with us at the pool."
"Yeah, I told you that."
"I don't think you did, or maybe I don't remember you saying it."
"Riley and I have worked there for years. This will be the last summer."
"Yeah, she told me that. She seemed sad about it."
"I am too. I'm really going to miss our summers there."
"You were right about that trailer. The place needs some serious work."
"Yeah, I know. It's so bad I don't even think it's worth fixing up. But she won't be living there much longer."
"Oh, yeah? She's moving?"
"Um, not yet, but hopefully soon."
"Huh. I'm surprised she didn't mention that last night."
"She's not sure yet so don't ask her about it, okay?"
He looks at me funny. "Yeah, sure, man. I'm gonna go shower."
He walks off and my mom appears. She was in the basement doing laundry.
"Your sheets are almost done," she says. "I'll make up your bed while you're at work."
"Mom, you don't have to do that. I can make my own bed."
"I know, honey, but you're sick." She pours herself some coffee. "I don't mind doing it."
"Just let me do it. I'm feeling a lot better today." I get up and toss my banana peel out before she does it for me. I love my mom, but when I'm living at home, she treats me like a kid and wants to do everything for me.
She looks around. "Where's Brad? I thought I heard his voice."
"You just missed him. He went to take a shower."
"Did he get some breakfast?"
"Yeah. He wanted eggs, but we didn't have any."
"Oh! I'll add them to the list." She grabs a pen from the counter, along with her list.
"He said he'll get them himself. He doesn't want you buying his food."
She sighs, adding the eggs to the list. "You boys just need to let me be a mom. And an aunt. It's my last summer to spoil you both before you go off and find jobs and get married."
"You'll still be my mom. And if I get married and have kids, you'll have some grandkids to spoil, so that's something to look forward to."
"That'll be years from now," she says, walking to the table to get her purse. "If it even happens."
"You don't think I'll have kids?"
She searches through her purse. "Honey, don't take this the wrong way, but you never stay with a girl long enough to get to know her. That makes it hard to find a wife."
"I get to know her. But if I don't feel a connection with her, I break it off. I don't stay in relationships that aren't going anywhere."
My mom shakes her head, still digging through her purse. "I think you're expecting too much. Real life romance isn't all stars and fireworks. You just need to find a nice girl you get along with and be happy with that." She holds up an earring. "Ha! Found it! I've been looking for this for days."
"I need to get ready," I say, walking away. "And don't make my bed while I'm gone!"
She laughs.
I'm laughing too, at her advice to just pick a nice girl to marry, even if we don't have chemistry. That's a horrible idea. Why would she even say that? Did my dad destroy love for her? Make her think it doesn't exist?
As for me, I still believe in love. The real kind, with the stars and fireworks my mom described. Not actual stars and fireworks, but that spark you feel when you know you're with the right person. The person that makes you feel something so strong it knocks you off your feet and makes you wonder how you ever went through life without her.
That's how I feel about Riley. I can't imagine my life without her, and hope that never happens. Riley is my forever girl. The one I want to marry someday. I know in my heart we're meant to be together. I just need her to see that for herself, if she hasn't already.
On our way to the pool, I call Riley. "Hey, it's me. You want us to swing by and pick you up?"
"No, I'll just meet you there. I have to finish sweeping before I go."
"I thought you got off at 11:30."
"I'm supposed to, but we're really busy and Angela hasn't shown up yet."
"Is that the new girl?"
"Yeah, but I don't think she's going to work out. Tell TJ I'm running late."
"I will. Bye."
"What's going on?" Brad asks as he adjusts the air conditioning. We took his SUV because it's bigger and nicer than my car. It's less than a year old and fully loaded with every possible option. It was his dad's SUV, but he got a new one and gave this one to Brad as a graduation gift.
"Riley's going to be late. She's stuck at work because the new girl didn't show up. Remind me to tell TJ."
"Who's TJ?"
"Our boss. He couldn't get a job after college, so he works odd jobs during the year and manages the pool in the summers. He's been doing it for five years now."
"Who are the other lifeguards? Anyone you know?"