The Mom Job

Flash Fiction

The Mom Job

“Where are you going?”

“Out”

“Where?”

“I don’t know, Jeff’s picking me up.”

“I thought you were never speaking to Jeff again…”

“I was just angry when I said that, Jeff’s my best friend.”

“Because he has a car?”

“Well, that’s certainly one of the reasons…”

“Is it the only one?”

“No! Of course not!”

“It seems to me every time I hear about Jeff you’ve just had a fight.”

“Well, when we’re getting along there’s not much to talk about…”

“What do you do when you’re getting along?”

“Nothing. Just ride around and look for kids we know doing something that’s worth stopping for. Or go for ice cream… you know stuff!”

“Stuff?”

“Yah”.

“It doesn’t sound exciting to me…”

“Mom! What are you doing this for? You’re driving me crazy.”

“I just wondered what you guys do. You seem to get angry with him a lot and that’s all I ever hear… Why don’t you get a friend that you don’t get angry with all the time?”

“I don’t get angry at Jeff all the time. But when I do get angry it’s nice to be able to talk to someone about it, and I don’t have a lot of someone’s in my life. So, you usually get it. I’m sorry, I will try to remember not to complain to you about Jeff. I didn’t know it upset you.”

“It doesn’t…”

“Huh?”

“I’m your mother, I want you to be happy! I thought you were always fighting with Jeff because you never talked about good things. My fault! I forget you’re my kid, and I’m just your mother…”

Jeff blinked, “I apparently forget you’re my friend, and still my mother… I will tell you the good things too from now on!

Mom always regretted that decision…