It was my week to be at my mom's and I was dreading it.  I got along way better with Dad.  Dad said we fought so much because we're so much alike.  In my opinion, she is always out to prove how smart she is to everyone.  She can't just make an argument; she has to do it with a flourish.  As soon as I walk in the door Sunday night she's on me.

"Did you sign up for that mock trial thing at school?" she asked as she prepared dinner.  The house was spotless as usual.  Control freak.

"No," I said.  "I'm thinking about waiting until the next one."

She looked confused.  "Why?"

"Because I'm really busy, Mom," I told her as I watched.

"You seem to be playing on your phone a lot," she informed me.

"So just because I happen to check my phone I'm free enough to take on yet another extra curricular activity?"

"I'm just saying, it'll look good on your college apps," she said.

"Mom, I'm a freshman," I reminded her.

"It's never too early to start," she sing-songed.  I rolled my eyes.  "Don't start with the eye rolling.  You know how I feel about that."

Like Dad, she didn't put up with attitude and back talking and it was harder to hold my tongue.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't start laying into me the minute I walk in the door," I argued.

"Please don't be like this," she muttered as worked.

"Like what?  Like you?"

She stopped and glared at me.  "Just go to your room.  I'll call you for dinner.  While you're there maybe you can put away your laundry."

I grumbled and walked back to my bedroom.  I knew I shouldn't complain about my situation so much.  I had two parents who loved me and supported me.  Both had a nice home and I had my own bedroom.  Mom just irked me.

Instead of doing what she'd suggested I laid on my stomach on my bed and started scrolling through my Instagram feed.  Elliott's friends had posted more lame stuff about the football team.  I thought it was hilarious he couldn't play the rest of the season.  What was Elliott Soo without his football player identity?

I made a snide comment about their jock strap size and set my phone to the side, pulling out The Scarlet Letter for literature class.  I'd gotten all my other homework done at Dad's.  I always tried to save my favorite for last.

I easily made it through the two chapters we'd been assigned, then checked the chapter summaries online.  Mom called me for dinner just as I was finishing.

She'd made one of my favorites, chicken piccata, so I made an effort to be civil.

"How are things with Alex and Jack?" she asked, spearing a piece of broccoli.

"Fine," I replied.  "They're pretty sweet."

"And how about Elliott?"

"Still a douche," I told her.  "We did manage to play a few games of Sorry with Dad and Pippa without killing each other."

"That's something," she said.  "Are your dad and Pippa getting along?"

"Yeah," I said.  I hadn't ever seen them actually fighting.  Pippa usually just gave him the cold shoulder.

"Are they...dating?" she asked me.

"I don't....think so," I replied.  I think I would have noticed.  Dad had had a couple girlfriends in the years since my parents had divorced.  I liked to think I knew my dad well enough to know if he had someone in his life.  Then again, we all lived together.

"He seems to have eyes for her," Mom commented.  I furrowed my eyebrows a little as I studied the chicken on my fork.  Maybe I was too caught up in my own world to notice.  Mom and I both ate our food in silence.

"Speaking of which," she set her napkin aside.  "I met someone."

I almost spit out the water I was drinking.  My mom?  Dating someone?  When did she have the time?  And did she actually have a heart?

"What?" I asked.  She looked at me suspiciously, probably wondering why I was so shocked.

"A client," she informed me, picking up her glass of wine.  "We hit it off."

"Isn't that...unethical?" I asked her.

"The case is over now," she said, putting down her glass and putting her hands in her lap.  "I invited her over for dinner tomorrow night so you can meet."

I almost spit out my water again.  "Her?"

She smirked a little, knowing I must be surprised.  My mom's a lesbian?

"One of the reasons it didn't work out with your dad, I guess," she mused.  "Something was never quite right.  I guess I'd known all along, but wouldn't admit it to myself."

"Does Dad know?" I asked.

"No," she said, stretching a little bit.  "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him.  I'd like to tell him myself.  I wanted to tell you first."

I was a little honored that she'd told me first.  I wondered how many other people knew this secret about her.

"What's her name?"

"Victoria," she smiled, and I could tell she was thinking of her.

"Do you have a picture?" I asked.

She pulled out her phone and after a few moments had pulled up a picture of her.  She was Latina, like Mom, and had shoulder-length hair.  Her eyes were beautiful.

"Nice," I commented, not knowing what to say.  If I said she was pretty, did that make me a lesbian?  All of a sudden I was ready to get out of the situation.  I offered to the do the dishes and Mom gladly accepted.  I busied myself with loading the dishwasher and rinsing plates as Mom cleared the table.

In bed, I texted my best friend about it.  She said I should just want my mom to be happy.  Even though she pissed me off a lot, she was still my mom and I loved her.  Of course I wanted her to be happy.  If this chick made her happy, I was all for it.

_____

The next day after school I took a shower and flat-ironed my hair so I would look decent for Mom's new girlfriend.  Were they actually an item?  I dressed in a nice outfit.  Nothing too revealing or scandalous.  I set the table for dinner and waited nervously on the couch.

Victoria walked in the door without knocking a while later.  They were already at the stage where she just walked in?  I realized half the time I wasn't here and they had the place to themselves.  I watched my mom embrace her warmly and I stood by the couch uncomfortably.  I really didn't want to hug her.  What if she tried?

Thankfully they didn't kiss because that would be too much for me right now.  Mom turned to me and Victoria walked my way.

"This is my beautiful daughter, Josephine," my mom told her.  "She goes by Joey."

Victoria smiled widely and held out her hand, thankfully.  I took it gratefully and smiled. "Joey, I've heard so much about you!  Great to finally meet you!"

I'd barely heard anything about her, but I didn't mention that.  I wondered if my mom complained to her about me.  "You too," I said politely.

"Joey, would you like to offer Victoria a drink?" Mom suggested as she opened the oven.

"Water's fine," Victoria told me.  I was grateful to have a task to do.  I got a glass and filled it with ice, then water, and set it on the table.  I got myself a Vitamin Water and sat down as Mom put the last of the food on the table.

We all sat down and there was a bit of an uncomfortable silence as we all began dishing food onto our plates.

"How was work today, Victoria?" Mom asked her.

"Good," she said, piling some peas onto her plate.  "Always busy."

"What do you do?" I asked, glad to have a question.

"I'm an architect," she told me.

"Cool," I answered.

"Your mom tells me you're on the debate team?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.  "We have meets almost every weekend now."

"I think we have a future lawyer on our hands," my mom joked, passing me the peas.

"Well if she's half as good as I hear you are, look out world," Victoria commented.  "And you're into sports?"

"Yes," I said.  "Soccer and softball mostly.  I tried to join the football team but they wouldn't let me."

"Your mom told me about that," she said, glancing at my mom.  "Did you get anywhere?"

"No..." I poked at my food.  "Mom wouldn't let me because she says it's too dangerous."

"There's a lot coming out about head injuries and football," she agreed.

The rest of dinner passed pretty uneventfully.  Victoria seemed nice enough, but I still felt uncomfortable with the whole situation.  I wondered if I'd feel the same if mom was dating a guy instead of a girl.  I immediately felt guilty.

Thankfully, Mom let me go to my room after dinner without asking me to help with dishes.  I gratefully ducked away in my room and started on my homework. 

A while later, Mom knocked on my door and smiled at me.  "What did you think?"

She sat on my bed, looking at me expectantly.

"She seems nice," I said, avoiding eye contact.

"Good," she said.  "She really likes you."

"Good," I said quietly, scribbling down an answer to a math problem.

"Does this make you uncomfortable?" she asked.

"What?"

"Me dating a woman," she said. 

I didn't look at her.  "I don't know," I shrugged.  "Kind of but not really."

She smiled at me softly and put her hand on top of mine.  "It's okay," she said.  "I'm sure it was a bit of shock to find out I was dating a woman.  It might take a little while to get used to."

I nodded, grateful she wasn't offended.  It's not that I had a problem at all with her being lesbian, but she'd been married to my dad.  I thought she was into guys all my life.  It was a little shocking to find out she wasn't.

"Thanks, Mom," I said quietly.

She winked at me and patted my hand.  "You're a good kid.  Don't stay up too late."

She left me to my homework, and I let out a sigh of relief.  My life was becoming full of new things to navigate.  Freshman year of high school.  A new living situation with my dad.  Mom's new girlfriend.  If anything else happened I might panic.