A Fight Played Out
The Big Date
“Okay Kai, calm down. It's just a small date. Getting milkshakes is super common. It's not like she's gonna propose. She’ll be here soon though.. No! Don’t talk yourself into being sick!”
The doorbell rang, I checked my phone to see if Liz had texted me at all, clearing the unwanted notifications while making a mental note of the time.
I rush to the door, trying to comb through my hair with my fingers, I take a deep breath and finally open the door.
“Hello? Is this the pretty enbies residence?”
Jaden smiles brightly, having changed out of her drab work clothes into a pretty dark green dress and a tattered jeans jacket with fancy looking patches and thread work sewn onto it. I look her up and down and smile at myself.
“Why yes, it is. You look very lovely, did you get all dressed up for me?”
I step aside to let the gorgeous woman inside briefly before we leave.
“Why yes, I did. Decided to go home and change real quick before taking you out on our little date. I didn’t expect you to live in an old frat house however?” she twirls around slightly, taking in the small living and dining room.
“Yea, cheapest thing me and my parents could rent for now. I just got a little tidying up to do before we can leave all right?”
“Okay! Would you like some help at all?” I shake my slightly before speaking
“Nah, there's not much left. Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”
“So, Kai. What are you studying currently?”
“Oh, currently just general studies before I have to seriously choose anything, what about you Miss Jaden?”
Another soft smile crossed her face,
“Ah, not much yet. My parents own a business nearby and they decided I needed to get more ‘Experience’ before just giving me a job, or trying to decide what to minor in let alone major in college.”
I laughed a little while putting the last thing I needed into the cupboard.
I clap my hands together while looking around quickly and looking up at her.
“I think I am all set! Are you ready?”
She stands up from leaning onto the counter,
“Yep! I’m driving right?” She digs her keys out of her jacket pocket and twirls them around her finger via the key ring.
“Well, I don’t really know where we’re going so, yes please.”
While chatting on our way my phone pings and I get a text from Liz,
“Going to hang out with Nick and his friends, I’ll text you when I need a ride/on my way home okay?”
I quickly type out the response “Okie Dokie babes! Have fun!” before putting my phone down again and continuing the conversation.
“Here we are! The best milkshakes in town!”
Before me I see a small food truck painted mint green with white accents, it has a blue shake sign with string lights and flags of all random pastel colors. The seating is coral pink benches with tables and a center table with a standing awning right in the middle of a small pretty field.
“Oh wow! How did me and Lizzy not find this place sooner? This is so pretty!”
I look up at Jaden who’s smiling down at me, her hands in her jacket pockets.
“I dunno, seriously good milkshakes though. Shall we go order?”
I nod and we start walking towards the truck, talking about what's the best to order.
“I’ll have the strawberry and they will have..?” she looks down at me again as I look over the menu.
“Can I have the… Mint Chocolate Shake please?”
The man behind the counter nods and begins working on the shakes.
After a while of sitting and chatting and several brain freezes, a pair of arms suddenly wrap around me. I jumped obviously, and tried to elbow whatever had so viscously attacked me.
“AH MOM WAIT!” What?
“Lizzy? What are you doing here? I thought you decided to hang out with some friends?”
She smiled from ear to ear as she pointed to a small crowd of people sitting at a farther table, one of which I recognize as Nick.
“They're over there! They all wanted to show me this place, saying it's the best milkshakes in town. You should come over and meet them!” She finally glanced up, noticing Jaden sitting across from me.
“Oh, are you busy? I'm so sorry!” she let go of my shoulders and stepped a bit away.
“Ah! No no, this is Jaden. She also brought me here saying this is the best milkshakes in town. I met her at the grocery store, Jaden,” I turned towards her, smiling as I do.
“This is Lizzy! My daughter.”
Her face went from perplexed to smiling brightly.
“Hello Lizzy, I've heard alot about you!” she leaned across the table and held out her hand, of which Lizzy firmly grasped.
“It’s nice to meet you too! You two should come meet my new friends! They’ve been dying to meet you mom! And I’m sure they’ll be glad to meet you too Jaden!”
We both nodded, grabbed our drinks and followed the happy little gremlin to meet her new friends.
New Friends?
“Hey guys, I’m back! I was right, it was my mom!” she sat down next to Nick and a curly haired boy.
“Did.. were you not sure if it was me?”
“Er… Yes?” she smiled up at me, obviously lying.
“Anyyywayyy, this is Nick, his boyfriend Charlie, Tara, Darcy, Tao, Elle, and Isaac! Everyone, this is my mom and her friend Jaden!” she pointed at each person as she introduced them.
“It's lovely to meet you all!” Jaden spoke first, doing a small curtsey as she did so. She's really cute.
“It’s great to meet all of you as well, and it's good to see you again Nick! I'm Kai!” I waved and took a sip from my drink.
“It’s good to see you too Kai.”
“You're on a first name basis with Lizzy’s mom now? Should I be worried Nick?” Charlie piped up, it seemed he said it before he had to think.
“Ah, well, there is no real Miss or Missus with me, I’m nonbinary. So that's a bit difficult.” I smiled to ease the poor boy's awkwardness.
“Liz, no milkshake?”
“Mom, you know I’m lactose intolerant. No milkshake.” she half rolled her eyes in a joking manner.
“I know you’re lactose intolerant, you lil shit. It just usually never stopped you before. I have some Lactaid if you’d like some?”
I could see her eyes light up a bit and nod as I dug around in my bag.
“That's really nice of your mom there Liz.” she nodded again, taking the pill before speaking.
“I usually don’t care, but just didnt wanna deal with it this time, and they know I always forget to carry some around with me.”
And with that, me and Jade sat down, dragging two lone chairs over to fit into the already full space, and chatted with Lizzy's new friends until the shake shack closed.
“Okay, cmon Liz, say goodbye to your friends, they obviously have to go home now too, it's late. You have school tomorrow too. Jaden will give us a ride home. You all have a ride, correct?”
I looked between the nodding teenagers, checking to make sure.
“Would any of you like us to wait till you all get picked up or?”
Again, simple shaking of heads to tell me no, they’re all good.
“Okay, well, we’ll be off then. Care to take the driver's seat again Jaden?”
“Of course! To my steed dear ones!”
At Home.
I waved goodbye to Jaden once more as we walked inside and she pulled out of the driveway.
“Sooo, what's your girlfriend like?” I turned around to be faced with Liz's Cheshire grin.
I roll my eyes and put my stuff down.
“She’s great, she’s really nice and not to mention really, REALLY pretty. She didn't care that I have a kid attached to my hip either.”
“Hey!” she swatted at me with her sleeve.
“I’m not gonna get my hopes up though. It’s great that I have a friend, and not just end up hanging out with your friends.”
“Again, rude, but I get it.”
“Okay, rock paper scissors for who gets to shower first?”
“NOSE GOES!” she quickly tapped her nose and bolted up the stairs.
“HEY, NO FAIR I WASN’T READY!”
Fall Breeze.
It's been a few weeks since my first little Date with Jaden.
She comes over all the time, helps around the house, will randomly decide she's cooking dinner that night, or breakfast in the morning. Liz adores her too, they get along great and I've even heard Liz call her "Mama Jade" a few times.
Nothing has been made "Official", but I think I want to change that.
I open my eyes finally, the Saturday sun beaming through my partially open curtains, a chilly breeze blowing through the open window.
I roll over to cuddle up next to the darling girl in my bed, only to feel the cold mattress, and the smell of bacon finally reaching my nose.
"She must be up already."
I mumbled to myself as I pry myself from the comfort of my blankets and pillows. Walking down the creaky hallway and stairs, finally landing on the couch face first.
"Good morning sleepy head. Bacon?" She turned around, spatula still in hand. She's so pretty. I smile and flip around on the couch.
"No thank you. I will take some coffee however." She chuckles, turning back around towards the bacon.
"You and your caffeine. It's gonna kill you one day Love."
"The day coffee kills me, is the day I'll stop drinking it." I walk up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and nestling my head in-between her shoulders.
"Where's Lizzy?"
"She's out with some friends. There's a concert today at the school that Charlie, Tara and Darcy are gonna be in. Don't forget." I gasp.
"like I would ever forget about that. I've been looking forward to it!"
"You totally forgot about it!" She throws her head back as she laughs, the end of her braided hair tickling my forehead.
If I could spend the rest of my life like this, her laughing with her whole body, my arms wrapped around her, her hair in my face. I think I'd be perfectly happy.
Most of the day went by in a blur, hanging out with Jaden, texting liz randomly to make sure shes okay.
My phone suddenly rings. I look around, trying to remember where it even was. I grab it off of the counter, notice it's Liz calling me and then notice it's now around 7 pm.
"Heya honey. What's up?"
"Could.. Could you come pick me up? And Charlie and Nick?" I can hear her sniffle.
"Where are you?" I'm already grabbing my keys and slipping on some shoes.
"We're at the uh.. the movie theater. On third street."
"I'll be there in 5. Have Nick and Charlie call their parents and tell them I'll drop-"
"They already called them. Told them they'd be coming over for an after-movie sleepover."
In what seemed like a blink, I was already in front of the Theater. The group of three getting into my crumby little rental car. None of them looked at me, Liz even got into the back with the boys.
I know better than to try to ask them what's going on before getting them home.
"Okay everyone, inside. I'll make some tea and then you can tell me what's going on." I open the front door, drop my keys onto a side table and head into the kitchen.
The three sat in silence, and when I handed them each a drink I noticed Liz and Nick both had black eyes forming, Nick had a tissue held up to his nose. They all silently thanked me for the tea, but none of them touched it.
"Mom.."
"I'll be back. Give me a minute."
I ran upstairs, grabbing a first aid kit I had and some ice packs from the kitchen. I handed the now wrapped ice packs to Liz and Nick.
"Let me see your nose Nick."
"It's fine-"
"Let me see it." He made brief eye contact before dropping the hand that had the tissue in it.
I sat in front of him, the coffee table groaned as I sat down.
The three of them were still quiet as I put some gauze to his nose and checked his eye, and as I did the same to my kid.
I finally cleaned up a few minutes later, and sat back down on a chair I brought from the kitchen.
"What happened?"
Charlie started crying, sticking his head in hands. Nick wrapped his free arm around him.
"It wasn't our fault." Liz squeaked, her voice caught in her throat.
"I know."
Nick looked perplexed.
"How do you know it's not our fault?"
I met his watery eyes, the confusion disappearing.
"Because, I know Liz, and I know you. Liz doesn't just get into a fight for no reason, and you aren't an angry person. Now please. What happened?"
They looked at eachother. And then looked at Charlie.
"There's.. this guy, he's not very nice and he was at the theater. Charlie had gone to the bathroom during the movie and when he didn't come back Nick and I went to check on him. When Nick went into the bathroom this guy had Charlie cornered and was, screaming into his face."
"And I dragged him out of the bathroom. I just wanted him away from Char, but he ended up hitting me. Liz took that chance and ended up fighting the guy. We were all kicked out, and.."
"The fight continued outside?"
The three nodded.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed.
Okay well. Nick you will have to tell your mom tomorrow And Charlie, are you okay?"
Liz smiled, while the boys looked baffled.
"We're not in trouble?"
I let out a laugh.
"No, you both were simply protecting your friend. Now
Charlie, are you okay?"
He nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve.
"Welp, we don't got much for snacks. But I do have some popcorn and random sweets. So, pick apart the kitchen, use the TV. Maybe invite some more friends if you so wish. I'm gonna go fill in Jade on what's going on. Take a shower if you need to. Uh, there aren't many spare beds, so y'all better be comfortable with each other." I stood up and started up the stairs.
"I'm also gonna go grab a tampon for that bloody nose of yours if it doesn't stop here soon.."
And with that, I walked up the stairs, Liz and Charlie laughing as Nick's face flushed a light pink.
“Everything okay down there?” Jade was sprawled out on the bed, scrolling through TikTok.
“Yea, Liz and Nick got into some sort of fight. They were just being good friends, apparently some dude was assaulting Charlie. So they stepped in. I told them they could hang out here, invite some other friends if they want to. Just cool off y'know?” I sat down next to her on the bed, flopping down onto my back. Jade laughed, her head swinging down.
“You're a weird parent. My parents would’ve had a cow if I got into a fight. But you? You just practically let them off the hook.” Her smile glimmered, her eyes lit up by the light of her phone.
“Well, I’m only 19. Sure, Liz calls me ‘Mom’, but I don't think of myself as a parent. I’m more of the funny older sibling who won’t tell mom you snuck out as long as you do the dishes for me. Being a parent means being strict, not letting the kid experience the world or make mistakes, having emotions knocked down.” I stare at the ceiling as I speak. Noting a spider web in the corner, the amount of tiles that make a row or column.
“I don't want to be like that. I want to be there for them when they make mistakes, raise them off their knees when they scrape them. Sure, they got into a small fight, but it was for a good cause, they didn't throw the first punch, and while the two lied to their parents momentarily, they’ll tell them. Either tomorrow or as a funny ‘You wanna know what I did as a stupid teen?’ later in their lives.” I met Jade's eyes, she’d been watching me talk the entire time.
“You want to be the older sibling who was forced to be the parent from the sounds of it.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
I woke up without realizing I had fallen asleep to begin with. I sat up, digging for my phone, finding it hidden deep within the bed sheets. It was around 3 am, I decided to just get up, using the light from my phone to get around not wanting to wake anyone up. I went to the bathroom and then to the kitchen, desperately needing water.
I sat on the counter, chugging my third cup of ice water.
“Hey Kai.” I quickly turned around, almost spitting out my water,
“Oh, Hey Charlie? What are you doing up? It's late hun.”
He stood across from me, leaning against the sink counter. He fidgeted with his hands a bit before answering.
“I couldn’t sleep, I wanted to get some water but didn’t wanna wake anyone up to ask where the cups are, and didn’t want to make a bunch of noise trying to find them.”
“Oh, here.”
I slid off the counter, walked over to the cupboard with the cups and handed him one.
“The cups are just above the dishwasher. The bowls and plates are in the cupboard next to that, and the pots and pans are next to the stove. Everything else is just kinda shoved into cupboards and drawers.”
He nods along while I give him the small tour of the kitchen and fills his cup up.
“You’re shaking.”
He flips around quickly, some water spilling out of the cup.
"Are you okay?"
He set his cup down onto the counter, hugging his arms as he sorta curled into himself.
"I'm just, shaken up is all."
I smile warmly and open my arms as an invitation for a hug.
He awkwardly gives me a hug, crouching down slightly due to our height difference.
"Being shaken up is normal. You had a traumatic experience. No matter how big or small it is, it was still very traumatic."
I wasn't expecting this, but he hugged me tighter.
"Thank you."
I smiled wider, hugging him tight enough to let him know I'm here, but loose enough he doesn't feel trapped.
"Would you like some tea? Hot coco? More water?"
He let go of me, shaking his head as he picked up his glass.
"Water will be fine."
"I can turn on a show, there's no way I'll be able to sleep now."
He nodded again, following me to the living room.
"Well, I'm in the middle of Doctor Who. I know, the American watching a British show after moving to the UK. But I grew up watching parts of it, if you'd like to watch that with me?"
Suddenly his eyes lit up.
"I love Doctor Who! What season are you on?"
I knew I liked this kid.