I See Sparks Fly Whenever You Smile

Brook

"Mom. I'm here," I called, walking through the front door of my parents' house after work. 

"In the kitchen, dear," I heard her reply and I followed the sound of her voice. 

"Hey," I said, walking into the kitchen, finding my mom stirring a pot on the stove. 

"How are you sweetheart? How was work?" she asked. 

I took a seat on one of the stools at the island and placed my bag next to me on the empty stool. "I'm fine. Work is fine. How about you? What's up? You got me all nervous before when you said we needed to talk about something important."

My mom shook my head, lowering the temperature of the flame on the stove  before turning to me. "Nothing is wrong, Brooky. We just need to talk."

"Okay," I nodded slowly. "What do we need to talk about?"

"I spoke with Alex this morning," she started and I signed loudly. 

"Let me guess. He told you about Hawaii."

"Brook, sweetie, when your super cute, super sweet, rock star boyfriend offers to take you to Hawaii, you say yes."

"Mom. Stop," I sighed. "I'm not letting him take me to Hawaii. It wouldn't be right."

"Everything else is taken care of. You just need to get a plane ticket. I don't understand."

"Alex is my boyfriend, Mom. Not my personal ATM. Je does enough for me already. I can't do this."

My mom signed. "So why not do it yourself?"

"Because I have pills to pay. I can't afford it," I snapped. 

"So, you're saying, every week when you get paid, all the money goes straight to your bills? You have nothing saved up?"

"Of course, I have money saved," I sighed. "But it's for important things."

"Like what?" she challenged. 

"Like getting a new car and I don't know - my future?"

"You're twenty-four years old, Brook. You have time to save for your future. I really think you owe it to yourself to do this."

I shook my head. "Mom. Let it go, okay?"

"I will not," she said.  "And don't worry, he also told me about going on tour with him for the summer. And I also think you should go."

"Who are you?" I shook my head. "I will consider Hawaii. But there is no chance I'm going on tour with him for the entire summer. No way."

"Brook," my mom sighed, frustrated. "You have some pretty cool opportunities coming your way. I think you should take advantage of them."

"I'm working this summer, remember?" I reminded her. 

"Your teaching a writing class online. So, really, you can do it from anywhere," my mom retorted. 

"Mom. I'm not the type of person who can handle life on the road like that."

"Exactly. This is why I think you need to go. Be spontaneous. Have fun."

"I do have fun," I argued. 

"Yeah. Since you started dated Alex."

I sighed. "Mom. I told you I would consider Hawaii. Can we leave it there, please?"

"Fine. But, I really think you should know how much Alex wants you to go with him to Hawaii," she said.

"I know, Mom. He's mentioned it."

"No," she shook her head. "Like, I feel like it's really important that you go. Almost like he's got something planned for you, if you know what I mean," she said with a wink. 

"Um. No. I actually don't know what you mean. We've already had sex," I said without thinking, realizing once it was too late that I may have shared too much with my mother. 

My mom laughed. "Oh. I'm well aware of that fact. However, I'm referring to something a little more," she paused, lifting her left hand and wiggling her ring finger. 

I laughed. "Be kidding."

"What? You don't think it's possible?

"Absolutely not. You think Alex, the one with commitment issues, is going to propose to me, the one whole is very vocal about being anti-marriage?"

"You mean to tell me that if he asked you, you would say no?" she asked as if she was surprised. 

"Of course I would say no, Mom." I said, rather loudly to make my point. "But it doesn't matter because he is not stupid enough to ask me that question."

My mom shook her head. " You know he loves you right?"

I sighed. "Can I go home now?"

My mom cocked her head to the side. "Wait a minute. Have you guys not done the whole I love you thing yet?"

I shrugged. "Nope."

My mom laughed. "You guys are too much. You both practically have it tattooed on your foreheads. Just get it over with."

"Mom. I promise I will consider the Hawaii thing. Can I please go home now?"

"Brook, can you consider it a little quicker? The flight is non-refundable."

"Why would that matter if you hasn't bought-" I froze for a second and snapped my eyes to my mom. "You didn't."

My mom smirked. "Look at it as an early Christmas present."

So many emotions passed through my body at the time, I found myself speechless for a few moments. 

"Now would be a good time to say thank you..."

I rolled my eyes and stepped closer to my mom, wrapping my arms around her and giving her a tight hug. "Thank you for going behind my back and doing this for me."

She laughed as she let me to. "I love you, Brooky. And I only want what's best for you."
**** 

After I left my parents house, I decided to go straight to Alex's and let him know- whether I wanted to or not- I was going to Hawaii. While driving to his house, I realized what a brat I was sounding like. There are far worse things I could be forced to do. 

"Hey you," Alex greeted me excitedly when I walked into his house. For a second I forgot that I wanted him to think I was mad for a least a few minutes. 

"Hi," I said flatly. 
 
"Oh," he frowned. " That was not a happy hi. What's up, buttercup?" he asked, kissing me quickly. 

"My mom,  Alex. Really?"

He frowned again. "You're mad."

"Kinda of. Did you just call her up to rat me out?"

"Of course not," he said, walking towards the back door to let the dogs in from the yard. 

"So what then?" I asked, following him to the next room. 

"Look, your mom calls me once a week. We catch up. She called me this morning, asked about upcoming tours and I mentioned Hawaii and the rest started trickling out."

"You and my mom talk?" I asked, biting back a smile at how cute that was. 

He shrugged. "Sometimes."

I shook my head. "Why did you go behind my back like that?"

"I didn't look at it like I was going behind your back. I thought I was doing something good for you. You need to let loose sometimes. You stress yourself out too much."

I sighed. "And I appreciate that, Alex. But I don't like the idea that every time I tell you no about something, I'm going to have to worry that you're going to turn my parents against me."

He shook his head. "I promise. I won't do that again. Not unless it's really important."

I sighed again. "You're a real pain in my neck, you know that, right?"

Alex laughed a little. "I have a feeling this won't be the last time you say that," he said, cautiously moving closer to me and eventually placing a hand on my waist. 

"I know it won't be," I agreed, slipping my arms around his neck and let him kiss me. 

"So...." he said when he pulled back from the kiss. 

I rolled my eyes.  "Yes. I'm going."

Alex smiled. "I know. You're mom called me right after you left the house."

I shook my head. " You guys are too much."

"Brook?"

" Yes, pain in the neck?" I giggled. 

"You're going to Hawaii!" he exclaimed. 

I smiled. "I am," I said, trying to match his enthusiasm. 

He wrapped his arms around me again, lifting me from the ground a little and spinning me in one full circle. "This is going to be so much fun."

"There's just one teeny, tiny thing I think you need to be aware of," I said. 

"Yeah. What's that?"

"My mom is under the impression that you have something special planned for this trip."

"Special?" he repeated. "Like what?"

"Well, I thought she meant sex. So I let her know that's been done already."

Alex's eyes widened.  "You told your mom we're having sex?"

I laughed. "Relax. It's not like we're teenagers. We are adults, Alex. Plus, she said she knew already anyway."

Alex blushed a little which made me bite back a laugh. "So, what does she think?"

I lifted my left hand and wiggled my ring finger around, much like my mother had done. 

Alex laughed. "She thinks I was going to propose?"

I nodded. "Crazy, right?"

Alex shrugged. "I mean, it's not that crazy."

My eyes widened. "Uh. What?"

Alex looked serious which made my heart race start to increase. "Would it really be that bad if I did?"

"Alex," I shook my head. "I swear to God, I will say no."

He laughed. "Relax, babe. I was just kidding."

"That's not funny," I hissed through gritted teeth, punching him in the shoulder lightly. 

"I'm sorry," he whined, rubbing the area I had just hit. "It was just too easy."

"You're a jerk," I grumbled, looking for an excuse to change the subject. "Are we on the same flight? You know how much anxiety I had over the flights to and from California."

"Same flight. Seats right next to each other so you can squeeze my hand until my knuckles turn blue."

I smiled. "And you promise not to judge me when I freak out a little?"

Alex pressed his forehead against mine and kissed my nose gently. "Why would I start now?" he asked and I laughed. 

"Well, stay with that. We have to go."

"What? Where do we have to go?" he asked confused.

"My place," I said, reaching for his hand and pulling him towards the front door. 

"Why? You just got here."

"Alex. I'm leaving in a week and a half for Hawaii and I haven't started packing yet," I said as if it was obvious. 

"Neither have I," he said with a shrug. 

"Don't get me started on that," I said with an eye roll. "You said it yourself, I need to let loose. Normally, I start packing a month before a vacation."

Alex smiled. "You're so cute."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You said you wouldn't judge me."

"No. No. Not judging. Just observing your cuteness," he stated with a smirk. 

"Plus, this is your fault. You made my mom get me a plane ticket."

Alex smiled, pulling my body back against him. "And I told you that I don't take no for an answer."