What You Don't Know

After spending most of the day with Gracie, I drove her home. We planned what day we would go on our date, next Saturday. When I drove up to her house, she gave me a kiss on the lips. Her lips tasted like the pumpkin cupcakes we bought earlier in the day at Sweet Cheeks. I didn't want to let her go. I walked her up to her door just in case a murderer or rapist came and snatched her up within a five second period of time. I made sure she got into her house before I got back into my car and drove home.
By the time I got home, it was 5 PM. My cell phone started ringing right as I sat down on the couch in the den which was still a little messed from our early morning fun. I looked down at the screen and saw that it was Owen. "Hello?" I ask after picking it up. "Hey, I heard your sister was coming home tomorrow. Your mom called my house, and her and my mom talked for hours. We just picked up a Incredible Edibles fruit basket. Can Jake and I bring it over right now? We're on the road," Owen rambles. "Uh, yeah. Sure, come on over. I just dropped Gracie off at her house. My mom is going to be home soon too to get Maggie's room ready and the rest of the house ready," I answer back.
"You were with Gracie? That pretty psycho? For how long were you with her?" Owen questions me.
"Back the fuck off. She NOT a psycho. And for your information, she's my girlfriend now, so, if you say one bad thing about again, I'll beat the shit out of you so badly that you won't remember your fucking name, you fucking douchbag. You don't even know anything about her. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me, so shut your fucking mouth," I lash out angrily at him. No, not even angrily. I'm at the point of being apoplectic.
"Well, ah, uh, um, I, uh, um..." Owen stutters nervously, trying to figure out what to say to make it alright again, "Can-can we, uh, still, uh, bring the, uh um, fruit bask-basket over?"
"Fuck you. Bring it over, but don't your dare open your fucking mouth and say something stupid when you two get your asses over here," my nose flares.
"O-okay, we'll be over in ten to fifteen. Look, I'm really sor-"
"Don't even start with me right now."
"Okay, we'll see you in ten to fifteen."
I hang up the phone, and I want to throw it at the fucking wall. I can't believe that asshole said that about Gracie. Is that really what everybody thinks about her? God, I can only imagine all that she's been through. I want to cry, but I need to be strong for her and defend her. She my girlfriend, my girl. She everything that I want...that I need. She has let me be myself and admit things that I've never admitted to anyone else other than a therapist. She shared one of her deepest, darkest secrets with me. I can only imagine how painful those memories are for her to reminisce about. The last thing I want to do is hurt her more. It's sad to say, but I'm glad we didn't go too far during our make out session this morning. I don't think I would've been able to deal with taking her virginity on a couch not in my bed. She deserves more than that, so much more than that.
I hear the sound of keys jingling and jangling and then the sound of a door opening. "Ty?!" It's my mom. I run to her and give her the biggest hug I've given her in a while. "I missed you, mom. And, I missed Maggie." I can tell that she's crying a little bit or at least tearing up. "I missed you too. Linda Lee told me Gracie stayed over last night. I'm glad that you're happy again," she squeaks out. "Thanks mom, but are you okay right now?" I don't want the focus on Gracie and I right now. I want to make sure my mom is doing okay right now. "Yeah, I'm just so happy that everything is going to be okay again. I've called around and obtained a lawyer and the window is redone and my son is finally happy again." We unlock ourselves from each other. I look at her. Tears have started streaming down her face, but she's smiling. She really is happy. "Thanks, mom. I love you," I give her another hug, "I'll start making dinner if you want to sit and rel-"
"Oh, there'll be no relaxing for me. I have to get Gracie's room cleaned up. I bought a rug to put over the blood stain until we can get a cleaner over. I bought a bench for her to use in the shower also. They're in the car. I should go get them now, and you can get supper together," she smiles at me and turns to get the stuff from her car.
When I get into the kitchen, I hear footsteps that definitely aren't my mother's. There are multiple. They are Jake and Owen's. I have to act fine in front of my mother and not let her know what went down. When they get into the kitchen, I see the huge fruit basket that they bought from Incredible Edibles. They look contrite. "Set it down on the counter," I say flatly as I pull the ground turkey from the fridge. They do as I say. "Your mom looks happy," they say after they set it down. "She is," I say, "she's straightening everything up now. I'm sure she was happy to see you two. I'm making turkey burgers. Want to stay for some?"
"Are you sure?" Jake asks cautiously.
"Yeah, I'm not happy with you two right now, but that doesn't mean I won't let you stay over to have good food," I answer and look at them.
"Okay, I guess we'll stay," Jake answers. Owen doesn't dare open his mouth.
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After dinner, Jake and Owen talk to my mom for a bit more before heading home. I give both of them manly handshakes. I clean up the dishes and help my mom finish with Maggie's homecoming stuff. She even bought Maggie new bedding, curtains and blinds. Anything that was broken or had blood on it is gone except for the hardwood floor. Mom says that she'll call the floor cleaner tomorrow after we get Maggie home. I told her I'm going back to hockey on Monday. I'm sure the boys will be happy to see me. She agreed. I told her about my night with Gracie, not about the whole thing we did in the morning though, just bits and pieces. I told her about our date too. She can't wait to meet Gracie and her parents. She loves Gracie already.
"She promised to go to my games too, most of them at least," I tell my mother while we're finishing with Gracie's bathroom, "we still have this stupid calc project to finish too."
"Well, I'm ecstatic that she's not like that tramp you dated. What's her name?" she flicks her wrist a few times fake-trying to remember.
"Yeah, I know. I think Gracie is the best girl in world. I think she's the girl that I've always wanted."
My mom looks at me, "I always knew that you could just tell when things were right."
"Thanks, mom."
For the rest of the night, we clean and get things in order. It passed the time, and before we knew it, we were fast asleep in our beds, unconsciously waiting for when we could go pick Maggie up.