Tea by Doubtful-Della
Lena was worried, and with good reason.
Now, it wasn’t something small—to her, at any rate—like how she would pay the taxes this month, or what she should do for Christmas this year. No, to her, it was something far more important.
It did involve her son, however. Dante, whom she’d conceived and bore with her husband, bless his soul. Dante, with good grades, great personality and attitude, manners, and not to mention his looks—he was such a handsome young man. He may not seem like someone you’d need to worry about, but to Lena, all the reasons just mentioned were mainly what worried her about her son.
And so, she decided one Saturday afternoon, she needed to voice these concerns to her twenty-two-year-old son, otherwise, they would continuously plague her poor mind until she finally snapped.
Luckily Danny didn’t work this weekend, as she’d had an appointment with her doctor on Friday. He’d taken the whole weekend off in order to take her and then make sure she was doing all right. He was too sweet for his own good…
“Dante? Lunch is ready,” Lena called through the door, knocking lightly before pushing it open slightly.
“Okay Ma’. I’ll be down in a bit,” Dan replied, never pausing in the writing of his notes. So focused on his favorite pastime, keeping up with local bands. Lena smiled slightly at this; always the hard worker… which somewhat worried her, and reminded her of the coming conversation.
That is, if she could buck up the courage to bring it up.
A few minutes later, both were sitting at the kitchen table, eating the light lunch Lena had made. It was strange, it being just the two of them in the house. You’d think after all this time she’d be used to it, just having the two of them there. But she and Dante were both fine with it being just the two them, too… And Dante was such a homebody sometimes.
Another thing that worried her. She sighed softly.
Lena put the dishes in the sink to be washed later, and began preparing tea, asking if Dan wanted any, to which he politely accepted.
Then they were back to sitting opposite each other in silence.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Dan broke the silence first. “Is something wrong, Mom?” he asked gently, setting his cup down.
So perceptive, she thought, biting her lip and looking into her tea. Another thing to worry over. So many things that made her conscious of her caring son.
“Yes, actually… I wanted to speak with you about something.” He waited patiently. “You’re growing up,” she began hesitantly, still looking down, “and you’ll eventually find someone you want to be with.”
Oh… I wondered when this topic would be brought up, Dan thought, sipping his tea quietly. It was only a matter of time…
“Uh-huh,” he said gently, trying to get her to speak again now that she had paused.
“Well, I’m—and please don’t be insulted, Dante—I’m slightly worried about when that time will come.”
“What for?” he questioned, curious as to what she must be thinking. She pursed her lips.
“You… are very soft-spoken, compared to other young men your age, and always so polite. You’re also intelligent, very much so, and very good looking, and…”
“Is there a point in there somewhere, or are you just flattering me?” he teased lightly, trying to soothe her. She seemed so tense and nervous; he could only imagine what she must be thinking…
“I am merely worried that, because of all that, some young girl will take advantage of you, or something worse,” she said in a rush, taking a deep breath when she was finished.
A pregnant pause followed her admission. Dan was left blinking in shock at her confession, a confused look puckering his brow slightly. Then the very idea of it set into his mind, and he began to all-out laugh.
A young girl, take advantage of me? Please! He mentally chortled, still laughing loudly. He was now clutching his sides, and his eyes began to water. If anything, I would be too shy to even talk to someone
“Dante, please, I’m being completely serious,” Lena said, trying to make her son see the troubles on her mind, to hear just how much this was bothering her.
“I-I’m sorry, Mom,” he gasped, trying to suck in air between the few chuckles that still seeped through. “I understand where you’re coming from, but believe me, there is absolutely nothing for you to worry over.” No hormone-driven, ditzy girl could take advantage of me. I’m shy but not stupid…
“I know, but I can’t help it. Dante, you are my son, my only son, and that makes it so much harder to think about these things… and to know that, maybe, it could happen. I don’t want that to happen to you, Danny.” She reached across the table and held his hands in her own. “Just let me get out my worries and possibly make sure that they won’t come true, and I’ll be fine. But you have to promise to take care of yourself, all right?”
Smiling, Dan squeezed her hands with his own. “I promise,” he swore.
She sighed happily, “Good.” Then she brightened. “So, is there a special someone I don’t know about yet?”
“Ma’…”
Happy belated Mother’s Day! And also sorry for the weird white space at the beginning. I… don’t know why it’s doing it, and it won’t go away. Whoops.
