Pop: Chapter Sixteen

    "I'll tell everyone what happened.  Goodbye, mother."

    I turn off my phone while a watch Addie's family crowd around my Dad.  As expected, he arrived about fifteen minutes late.  Even Pete arrived early, and he had to drive all the way from Morehead. But not my Dad.  I told him to try and leave early so he would get here on time, even with moving the dinner up an hour.  At least he seems to be getting along with Addie's family.  Almost everyone came.  It really does seem to be ...

    "Dude, anything wrong?" Will asks as he comes up beside me.  

    I had stepped to the side to take the call.

    "Sort of.  My mother just called to inform me she won't be able to come to the dinner tonight."

    "I hope she's all right.  Was it car trouble or something?"

    "No.  She heard about the weather forecast, as well as a wreck on the Parkway, so she decided that she shouldn't be driving this far."

    "She call you from her car?'

    "Landline, back at home.  She doesn't use smartphones."

    "She still live at your grandma's house?"

    "Yep."

    "That's at least three hours away."

    "More like two-and-a-half the way she drives."

    "So, if she called you from her house."

    "Yes."

    "And that's hours away."

    "Go on."

    "Then that means she..."

    "Never left.  She wasn't planning on coming here tonight at all.  I tell you, my mother is one real mother."

    Will waits a few seconds before asking, "Has she even met Addie?"

    "No, not really.  I've managed to get to speak over the phone for a few brief calls.  I even got them to see each other on FaceTime once."

    "Wow.  I took Nora down to Florida to meet my parents a few times before we got engaged, but you are so, I can't begin."

    "Well, my mother has always managed to find a way to wiggle out of every meeting.  Mind you, I don't think she hates Addie or anything, it is just that my mother and me have had problems for years.  I mean, Addie and Dad get along great, from the first time they met two years ago."

    "Why do you use 'mother' for her, but 'Dad' for him?"

    "Analyzing me?"

    "Hey, it's my job.  Literally.  Sometimes I can't help it."

    We both chuckle a bit before I respond.

    "Back in seventh grade or so, my mother began to insist that I use 'grandmother' whenever the three of us were out in public.  She said she didn't mind, but my mother insisted.  So, to keep things straight, I used 'mother' for her.  I used to call her 'Mom, but that never really fit her.  'Considering what I found out what both of them did to me when I was a kid, she's lucky I'm still talking to her at all."

    "As for Dad, it just suits him.  I know that you and the guys usually used 'Pa' around your own fathers, but that just didn't fit for me. Maybe it's because we never met until I was an adult, that I chose 'Dad' for him.  Sam uses that too, so maybe I picked it up from him.  Whatever.  I may have only known my father for a few years now, but he will always be Dad to me."

    Will smiles at me before responding.

    "Hey guys!  What's up?" Jim walks up behind Will, startling him.

    "Oh, hi bro. Chris just found out that his mother's not coming tonight." Will manages to mumble.

    "Ah man.  Sorry to hear that.   Are we going to start the rehearsal now that we know everyone's here?"

    "No.  I think we'll have the dinner first.  With my Dad being late, I think the caterers will appreciate being able to leave early.  Besides, I think my future father-in-law is getting hungry.  I'll just check in with him and the reverend to see if that will be okay with them."