"When are you going to be back?"

Misty watched as Ash collected his clothes from the ground and put them in the suitcase. She was lying down on his bed, the covers hiding her bottom body. She was wearing a satin red undershirt and she had no bra on.

"It's just for the weekend." Ash zipped the suitcase. He sat on the edge of the bed. "If I don't go, mom will come here, and I don't want her to come here."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want her to come here." Ash shook his head. "She keeps looking through my stuff. She doesn't respect my privacy."

"Are you scared she might find out about me?" Misty shifted a bit on the bed, smirking.

"You really need to stop hanging your underwear in my balcony." Ash pulled close and whispered to Misty, "I don't want anyone else to see them."

"Oh, you. You're so selfish." Misty got off the bed and walked up to Ash. "I don't see a problem with it."

"With what?" Ash was checking the content of his wallet.

"Your mother finding out about me." Misty shrugged. "It's fine. We're together. I don't mind meeting her."

Ash blinked. He started laughing. "Our relationship is not the problem, Misty!"

"What's the problem?"

"My mom is the problem!"

"What if I die? Huh? What if you get here and you don't find me? Huh?"

Ash rolled his eyes for the third time. He put his foot on his thigh and leaned back on the couch, flipping the channels on the TV.

"Of course! You don't care! You're an adult and you don't need me anymore!" Delia was shouting from inside the kitchen. "You think you don't need me but you still do!"

Ash sighed. He got up. "Do you need help with anything in the kitchen?"

"Screw your help! You know nothing about the kitchen!"

"God help me..." Ash sighed heavily again.

"You know what?" Delia got out of the kitchen. "Since you're here and you're doing absolutely nothing like usual, you can help a little by pulling the weeds in the garden while I do the laundry."

"Anything to make you happy, mom."

"You're thirty-five and you still act like a kid! Guys your age already have children!" Delia waved her hand and she went upstairs. "When we found you a girl you made her run away from you!"

"If I could run away from here..." Ash grabbed the gardening tools from the porch and headed to the front garden. He bent down, put on the gardening gloves and started pulling the weeds.

"ASH!"

Ash rolled his eyes. He got up. "What is it, this time?"

His mother came to the main door, looking furious. Ash's face paled when he noticed she was holding up a red laced string he instantly recognized from last night.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Delia shouted.

Ash panicked. He probably collected it with his clothes when he was getting his suitcase ready. He looked left and right and made his mom get inside the house. "I can explain."

"Is this why you wanted to stay in Goldenrod city?" Delia looked very angry. "You wanted to whore around! Is that so?"

"Mom!"

"Where were you before you come here? Huh?" Delia hit Ash on the head.

"Mom, listen to me!"

"I won't-" Delia slapped Ash's nuke. "Listen-" She grabbed her broom. "To anything you say!" She literally started hitting him everywhere.

"Mom! Stop!" Ash stepped to the back. He protected himself with his arms. "The broom is dirty! Stop!"

"You're sleeping around with women!" Delia grabbed him by the collar and slapped his nuke hard. "You have no shame!"

"Aie! No! I'm n—aie!" Ash tried to grab the broom but his mother's grip was pretty strong. "Mom!"

"I can't!" Delia hit Ash on the back with the end of her broom. "Believe!" She hit him again. "YOU!"

Ash rushed to the living room and went behind the coffee table. "Mom, you need to calm down!"

"And who is this woman? Huh?" Ash stepped backwards when his mom tried to poke him with the broom. "WHO IS SHE?"

"I'll tell you the whole story if you calm down and listen to me!"

"You're living with a woman!" Delia gasped. She put her hand over her chest. "Oh my Lord! Come look at me, Joseph! Come look at your son!"

"Stop!" Ash dodged when his mom tried to hit him with the broom. "I'm not living with a woman!"

Delia put down her broom for a moment.

"I can explain," Ash repeated in a lower voice.

Delia crossed her arms over her chest. Catching Ash off guard, she quickly picked up her broom and poked his belly. "Ouch!"

"You don't have kids, do you?"

Ash shook his head.

"Are you married without me knowing?" Delia narrowed her eyes. "You're married!"

He shook his head.

"Are you engaged in secret? Is she pregnant? Were you trying to run away with her?"

Ash blinked.

"ANSWER!"

"No! No! She's not pregnant and we're not running away." Ash shook his head.

Delia put the broom against the wall. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her son. "Fine."

"Is it okay now?" Ash pointed at the broom. "No more hitting?"

Delia grabbed the broom.

"Mom, please."

"Do I know this woman?" Delia she pointed at him with the broom.

"You've met her before..."

"Did I?"

"You've probably seen her at office..."

"Raja?"

Ash shook his head. He tried to smile. "Misty."

"Misty..."

"The girl with the orange hair..."

"Oh—oh!" Delia gasped loudly. "OH MY GOD! It's that fake twiggy city whore woman from your work!"

"No no no no—listen-"

"You told me you hated her!" Delia threw the broom at Ash. The latter hurried quickly away from the living room and headed to the bathroom. "Come back here!"

"Mom! You need to calm down so we can talk about this!" Ash shouted from behind the locked door of the bathroom. "We can't talk if you keep poking me with the broom!"

"I can't believe you!" Delia picked up the broom from the ground and shouted. "Are you crazy? Do you want me to go nuts? Are you trying to kill me?"

"She's nice, I swear! You'll change your mind when you meet her!"

"You're not going to teach me about women, Ash!" Delia hit the bathroom door with the broom. "Are you trying to make of me the big joke in Pallet town? Do you want me to lose this bit of mind I have left?"

"Misty is nice and we like each other!"

"Don't speak to me about this city crap, Ash Ketchum!" Delia hit the door hard with the broom.

"I love her!"

Delia paused for a moment.

"Mom?"

She hit the door hard again with the broom. "SHUT UP!"

"Mom! You're going to damage the door."

Delia took a deep breath. She supported herself with the broom. "Open the door."

The bathroom door opened slowly. Ash peeked form behind it. "Yes?"

"Next spring break." Delia spoke in a stern manner. "You're taking days off if you have to, you're going to come spend the break here and you're bringing that twiggy Misty with you. Am I clear?"

"..." Ash nodded.

He pulled to the back when Delia tried to clap him across the face.

"Men these days only like the outside! They're so shallow!" Delia walked toward the kitchen. "Just because she wears make-up and whorish lingerie you're going out with her!"

Ash walked out of the bathroom cautiously. He kept looking at his mom who moved around in the kitchen.

He ran away when he saw the broom flying in his direction.