When the second helping comes, I ask her how I can help.
“I know we just reunited, but God, Bailey, I want to make sure you’re okay. Taking a bus across town, staying at a motel — I just… Do you want to stay with me?”
She licks her lips. They are pink and perfect and God, I want to kiss them. “That’s really sweet of you, but I could never. My mom… she… well, I need to be there for her. She’s not really good at taking care of herself.” Her eyes are downcast, and still, I see them fill with tears.
I decide it is now or never. I move to her side of the table, slipping into the booth next to her. I rest my arm over her shoulder and let her lean against me. She exhales, her head rests on my chest and God, I want to be her man. The one to take care of her.
“You’re carrying so much Bailey. I want to help you, but I know you need to do what you think is best.”
“Thanks,” she says shakily. “I’m really all my mom has. And so even though I know it’s not a great situation, until I graduate, I want to be here for her.”
“And after graduation?” I ask, knowing it’s only a few weeks away.
“After, I will put my foot down. I’ll make a plan. Somehow.”
“You don’t know what you’ll do?” My dad has been helping me plan my future for years. The idea of not having a parent looking out for you, to navigate the world on your own seems like such a hard hurdle.
Bailey picks up her coffee cup, and I reach for mine, but I stay next to her. “It sounds impossible, but I’ve thought about going to culinary school.”
I smile. “To learn to make waffles?”
She smiles, looking up at me. “Maybe. But I don’t know. I don’t really want a career. Does that sound bad?”
I shake my head. “No, everyone wants something different. I got a full ride to college for wrestling, and I’m going to get a teaching certificate.”
“What do you wanna teach?” she asks.
“Maybe history? But I’d really like to be a coach. To help guys learn their strength, and what to do with it.”
“I love that,” she says. “I can see it, too.”
“So, if you didn’t go to college, what would you want?” I ask her.
“My dreams are simple. I want to be happy, healthy. And I want a family one day. I want to be a mom, but… a mom who really gives her kids everything.”
“A stay-at-home mom?”
She nods. “Is that something people plan for or just fall into?”
I smile, remembering my childhood. “My mom was a stay-at-home mom. She loved it. And I think it’s as good a dream as any.”
“I’ll need to get married for that to happen,” Bailey says with a laugh. “That’s probably a long way off.”
I clear my throat, my mind going crazy. For her. Hell, I’m thinking things no eighteen-year-old needs to be considering.
But sitting here, with Bailey next to me, it’s impossible to not dream of a future. Besides, girls grow up doodling the names of their crushes in cursive — why can’t a guy do the same?
“It’s not a marriage proposal,” I say with a chuckle, “but I do have something to ask you, Bailey.”
Bailey
I breathe him in. He must use peppermint soap, and I look at him with wonder — having no idea what kind of question he is going to ask.
“I was wondering if you’d go to prom with me next week?” he asks, holding my hand in his lap.
I smile. “Really? I’d love to.” I shake my head, surprised in a good way.
“Yeah?” He smiles so big that I find myself matching his.
“Yeah.” I bite my lip. “I don’t have any formal dresses, but I’m really good at finding things at secondhand stores and ironing them to make them look fresh and new. A little bit of bleach or a hot water cycle can go a long way toward freshening clothing up.”
“That why you always look so put together?”
“You noticed?”
He grins sheepishly. “I notice.”
“As much as I love sitting here, I have to go catch the bus.”
“Can I get us an Uber?” he asks. “I don’t have a car right now — but I’d love make sure you’re home safe.”
“Really? You don’t have to pay for my car. I can take the bus.”