***
Lynne was getting along great with his mother. She loved teasing him about how his mother loved her. He was getting jealous. She and Linda spent long times talking on the phone when she called for Leif. Linda would give her gardening tips. She'd send his mom pictures to show how her garden was doing.
His mom was really looking forward to their visit now. And, she wanted to taste some of Lynne's creole cooking, that she'd learned from her Grandma. She could have killed Leif for making such a big deal about the way she cooked on the telephone. Now she had some serious expectations to live up to! His mother had mapped out a whole list of things that Lynne needed to see, since she'd never been to California.
She was happy that the two of them were dating. But she'd slip in reminders that they were both young and had their whole lives ahead of them. This was also a time when they should be finding their passion in life. Lynne reassured her that their shared love was making their life passions stronger. And, also that they were not forgetting to experience the rest of the world, although these days, their worlds were wrapped up in each other.
His mother told her that they would be very comfortable during their stay, and she was not at all old fashioned. She knew that they slept together, so she would be putting them in the guest cottage where Leif used to stay right before he moved out. Lynne almost dropped the phone with embarrassment. On the other hand, she thought it was wonderful that Leif and Linda had such an open relationship that he could be honest, and be himself around her, and not have to hide any portion of who he was. She envied him.
And she was relieved that his family, at least his mother, was so receptive to their relationship. It didn't seem there would be anything standing in their way as far as race relations on his side of the family. If there were any problems, it would be due to personality conflicts as they got to know each other. Those were easier to deal with than racial problems.
She was also looking forward to spending the Christmas Holidays with Leif's parents, because it would be her first, real Christmas. Her family eschewed material gift giving's and celebration at Christmas, as part of their church religion. Christmas was not holy, because it had become commercialized. It also, according to their church lore, was not on Jesus's birthday. So, it was always a bleak time in Lynne's home with a simple dinner and no gifts. But, what was most hypocritical of all was the way her father spoiled her, and her mother with every gift under the sun as soon as January 2nd rolled around. So, it was almost Christmas. It just wasn't on that day. What a hypocrite! It was still commercial shenanigans.
Lynne hadn't told Leif all of this. She was embarrassed. She wondered why her family could not be normal, like his family. One thing she'd always looked forward to, was the Thanksgiving Holiday. While they did not call it Thanksgiving, they called it Family Dinner day. And, instead of Turkey, they had chicken, but all the usual trimmings. She felt hurt, and sad, knowing that they would probably not be inviting her over during the Thanksgiving holidays, even though she was their own daughter, because she had broken ranks with their church.
She started planning her own, fun informal Thanksgiving dinner that included Leif, some of his bandmates, and even Janelle, who wouldn't be able to make it home to her parents in Chicago because of a deadline for the political column she wrote for a New York Paper. So, she was ever so surprised, when she was preparing baked catfish, smothered in hot sauce for Leif, while he followed her around in the kitchen like a puppy, playfully getting out pans, ingredients, feeling her up, and messing up stuff, when her iPhone rang, and it was her mother.
Leif had never talked to her parents before, and when he figured out it was her mother, his curious blue eyes were staring her up and down trying to figure out what was going on in the conversation. She didn't talk about her parents much, just let Leif know that their relationship was not open like the relationship that he had with his parents, and that they were very disappointed in her, and there were problems in that relationship.
He heard her starting to decline the Thanksgiving dinner, and he said softly,
"I'd like to go,"
Lynne looked panic stricken. She could have killed Leif.
She shook her head no back and forth and he shook his head yes, and then even threatened to take the phone.
She looked at him with wide eyed shock.
"Sure...sure Mom, I guess I'll see you Thursday,"
She hung up the phone and glared at him.
"Damn it Leif! Are you happy now. Ugh! I don't want to go back to that Damn house for Thanksgiving I want to spend it with you. With my new friends and family. You and your crazy assed band members and my best friend," said Lynne.
"Oh Lynne, honey, you can't keep hiding from them forever sweetheart," he added lovingly, kissing her forehead.
She playfully head butted him.
He chuckled.
Then reached over and lazily began tickling her arm pit while she shrieked and squealed with laughter.
"Stop that! I'm not hiding from them," she said with an exasperated voice.
She and Leif had this conversation before.
"Like hell you aren't! Don't you think it's time that you told them about me sweetheart? After all, my mom already likes you more than she likes me. Damn it if you'll be calling her mom and she's still fucking Linda to me," said Leif.
