A Mother-Son-Talk

Author's Note: This scene involves characters from my novel in progress, "When Love Changes Everything" . This is a scene that I thought of, but don't intend to include in the novel itself. However, I was so fascinated by it that I decided to write it and share it.

Spoiler Alert: This scene references characters that have not yet appeared in the novel. It also reveals things to come in the novel. If you don't want to know what's going to happen next, then don't read this scene.

Background and Setting: Josh(14) and Quinn(15) live and go to high school in rural Pennsylvania. Josh recently came out and the pair started dating. Josh just spent the night with Quinn and the pair are now having breakfast with Quinn's mother.

Josh and Quinn sat next to each other at the table in the Baker family’s kitchen. Each boy had a bowl of corn flakes in front of them. Josh occasionally reached over and caressed his boyfriend’s arm or turned to smile at him. Quinn returned each smile with one of his own, but he was uncomfortable. He kept glancing at his mother sitting across the table from them, but Mrs. Baker simply continued eating her own cereal. If she saw the other boy’s signs of affection, she chose to remain silent.

“So what do you boys have planned for today, anyway?” Mrs. Baker asked.

Quinn said, “Well, I thought maybe we could run out to the canyon and do some hiking.”

Josh set down his spoon. “That sounds nice. But I’m not sure I have any shoes that are good for that sort of thing. I certainly don’t have any with me.”
Mrs. Baker’s vision clouded slightly as she stared at a point past the teen couple, lost in thought for a minute. Then she offered, “I seem to recall Quinn having an old pair of hiking boots up in the hall closet. They should be a size ten, if that helps.”

Josh smiled hopefully. “Well, I usually wear a size nine-and-a-half. They might be a little big, but maybe they’ll work.”

“I have an extra pair of socks you can wear over the ones you currently have on,” Quinn suggested.

“Yes, that should work,” Mrs. Baker said. “Why don’t you run upstairs and see if you can find those boots, Josh? The upstairs closet will the first door on your right.”

Josh stood. “Thank you, ma’am. Where would you like me to put my cereal bowl?”

“Just leave it in the sink, dear.”

Mrs. Baker watched Josh as he rinsed his bowl and set it in the sink before heading into the living room and up the stairs. When she was gone, she turned to her son. “He’s a nice boy. And he seems to like you.”

Quinn shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He usually liked the fact that he could talk to his mother about anything, but talking about his love life always made him uncomfortable. “Yeah, I feel the same way. Thanks for letting him spend the night.”

“No problem.” Mrs. Baker leaned forward and lowered her voice. “So, you remember where we keep the condoms, right?”

Quinn dropped his spoon as he looked at his mother in shock. “Mom! It’s not like that!”

Mrs. Baker straightened up and shrugged slightly. “Maybe it’s not like that right now. But if you two really care about each other…well, let’s just say I want to make sure you’re prepared.”

Quinn shook his head, wishing his mother wasn’t quite so direct. He was sure he could feel his cheeks burning. “Fine. But like I said, it’s not like that right now. We just cuddled all night. Besides, didn’t you tell me that you wanted me to wait until I was at least thirty?”

Quinn’s mother chuckled and placed her hand over his. “Maybe not thirty. But yes, I’d much rather you wait until you’re older before you have sex. But I also know that love and desire are powerful emotions, and that waiting isn’t always easy. So I want you to be prepared if you decide you can’t wait.”

Quinn sighed, pulling his hand from hers. “I know, Mom. Thanks.” He frowned as a thought occurred to him. “Are you going to start counting them so you know if I’ve used any?”

Mrs. Baker smiled and shook her head. “No, I don’t need to know that. And I want you to have your privacy.”

Quinn took another bite of food, but the thought kept nagging at him. “I suppose you wouldn’t do anything like that. But at the same time, wouldn’t you eventually notice that there are less of them?”

His mother’s smile widened. “Perhaps. But I doubt it. Besides, the pile dwindles even when you’re not using them.” Quinn gave her a puzzled look and she added in mock surprise. “What? Do you think your father and I have turned celibate since you were born?”

Quinn grimace and brought his hand to his mouth and pushed away the mental image of his father holding one of the small wrapped package as he headed to the bedroom as fast as he could. “Ew! Mom! I didn’t need to think about that!”

She just laughed as she stood and took her own cereal bowl to the sink. “Well, maybe that thought will encourage you to wait a little longer, then.”
At that moment, Josh re-entered the room carrying brown hiking boots and a pair of wool socks. He glanced at Quinn’s expression and asked, “Did I miss something?”

“Nothing important, dear. Quinn and I were just having a little family discussion,” Mrs. Baker said quite calmly.

Quinn pushed away from the table, walked over to Josh, and put his arm around his boyfriend’s waist. “Yeah. Come on, let’s get going.”

Josh glanced at Quinn’s cereal bowl. “But you’re not done eating.”

“I’m not that hungry right now,” Quinn said in a nonchalant voice that was only betrayed by the glare he shot his mother.

“Have a good time, boys!” Mrs. Baker called out as they walked out the front door.