Lauren nervously stood up from the couch and walked into the kitchen to welcome her mother. She wasn’t sure how well her mother would take the news that she had a boyfriend. Diane had never known about Justin, but if she had, she would have blown a fuse. In fact, Jessica had always been sure that Lauren’s grudge against males had been influenced by their mother. “Hey, Mom. How was Europe?”
Diane wrapped her in a warm hug. “Great, sweetie! How has it been without me? Where’s Jessica?”
“Jessica is getting some food for lunch, and it’s been pretty good, here. We haven’t burned down the house or anything, obviously,” Lauren joked.
“Who moved in next door?”
“Well, actually, that’s kind of a funny story, Mom. Wait until Jess gets home, and then we’ll tell you everything,” Lauren said.
As if on cue, the back door opened and Jessica walked into the kitchen, carrying two bags of groceries, which she immediately dropped. “Mom, you’re early!” She gave her mother a hug.
“Yes, I know. The traffic wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d expected. The car was waiting for me, and I took off and came back here as fast as I could.”
They led Diane into the living room and told her what had happened, leaving out everything about Nick and Greg.
Everything was going well until Diane asked the inevitable question. “Now, who moved into Jill’s house?”
“Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys,” Lauren answered.
“Oh, so it’s just some snooty guy?” Diane said disappointedly.
“That’s what Lauren thought, too, Mom, but Nick is actually really nice,” Jessica said cautiously.
“That can’t be. He just wants something from you girls,” Diane muttered. She saw the pain on Lauren’s face and became confused. “What is it?”
“Nick and I are really close, Mom,” Lauren admitted.
Diane didn’t really understand what her daughter was getting at. “What?”
Lauren gulped. “Mom, he’s my boyfriend.”
Immediately, Diane jumped off the couch. “Absolutely not, Lauren. He’s just going to hurt you.”
“No, he’s different,” Lauren objected.
“No, he isn’t.” Her daughter remained silent, but glared. “You will end this thing with Nick,” Diane ordered.
“I’m nineteen years old! I don’t have to listen to you anymore!” Lauren exclaimed.
“If you want to live in this house, you’ll listen,” Diane threatened. Lauren ignored her and dashed out the door. She didn’t stop until she ran straight into her boyfriend, knocking them both to the sand. That was when the tears began flooding her cheeks.
“Whoa, whoa, settle down, Lauren,” Nick soothed, stroking her hair. He knew better than to ask her what was wrong. She would tell him when she was ready.
Lauren buried her face in Nick’s shirt and sobbed for about five minutes. Finally, she looked up and realized she was past the point where she had met Greg, meaning she was about a mile from her home. “Mom and I got into an argument.” She looked into his eyes and began to cry again.
“What about?” Nick asked, unable to contain his curiosity or concern for her.
“She doesn’t like the idea of me having a boyfriend,” Lauren replied. “She says I have to break up with you.”
Nick looked alarmed. “What do you mean?”
“She’s afraid…she’s basically afraid you’re an asshole,” Lauren explained in short. “I’m not breaking up with you. No way. She’ll either change her mind or lose me as her daughter.”
For several minutes, Nick sat in silence. Finally, he looked at her painfully. “Lauren, I love you. You know that, but I’m not about to come between you and your mother. If she wants you to break up with me, that’s what you’re going to do.”
“What?” Lauren cried. Nick looked her in the eyes and nodded, a tear escaping his eye. “Nick, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m not going to give you up. I love you too much to let you go. I’m nineteen. I don’t have to listen to her.”
“I know that, babe, but she’s your mother!”
“No, Nick. Uh-uh,” Lauren said firmly.
Looking somewhat relieved, Nick lifted her chin. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?”
“Yes, baby. What will happen is that Mom won’t talk to me for a few days, and then we’ll make up and she’ll say I can do whatever I want as long as I’m responsible with it,” Lauren answered. Wow. She hadn’t even realized how simple this would be until she told Nick.
“Are you positive?” Nick wondered skeptically.
“Yes,” Lauren groaned, leaning back into his arms as her tears stopped. They cuddled on the beach in silence until the sun set an hour and a half later, and then walked back to their houses, hand in hand.