Amanda Walters hung around the lobby of the gym, waiting on her son to leave the locker room so they could head to dinner. It was a routine she and Billy had happened into now that he was home from college and she was working-out regularly again. It became easy for them to ride to the gym together after work, and then ride home together.
It had also become the routine for them to have dinner on Thursdays after working-out. Amanda's husband, Bill, thought it was good for Amanda and Billy to spend the time together. Amanda and Billy had been close when Billy was growing-up, but ever since Billy had gone away to college, Amanda felt he was more aloof, and she worried about him.
"How was your work-out?" Billy asked her as he entered the lobby.
"Good, thanks. And your's?" She smiled in reply.
"Let's put it this way---my favorite part today was showering," he joked as they headed to the car.
When they got to the car, Billy opened her door for her.
"Well, aren't you the gentleman, today," she said to him as he got in.
"Just helping out the elders is all," he laughed, as she slapped at his shoulder for teasing her.
"Hey, watch it, you. What do you mean, 'elders?' I can keep up with the best of them."
"Right," he teased some more, "I keep forgetting. Like Friday night."
"You are a brat," she said back to him, remembering that he was talking about last Friday when she'd been so tired from the week, she'd fallen asleep on the couch.
Billy drove them to a neighborhood Mexican restaurant he knew she liked and they went inside. They were both hungry, and glad the waiter was soon around, and taking their order.
Amanda surprised him and ordered a Margarita, which for her during the week was rare.
"Alright then," he smiled, looking to the waiter, "make that two."
"What's gotten into you?" he asked her.
"Oh, just ready for the weekend, I guess."
"Yeah, me too," he said noticing her playful attitude, and realizing that he didn't see her like that that much.
"I like this weekend attitude setting in early," he told her, "how do I get that?"
"Now, Billy, I thought you usually had that," she grinned, acknowledging his partying ways that had been the norm this summer.
"Well, I like it coming from you."
"Even your old mom can relax now and then."
The margaritas were cold and potent, and Billy had only had a couple of drinks of his when he noticed her's was half gone.
"So what are you and Sandra up to this weekend?" Amanda asked him.
"Actually, Sandra and I aren't getting together this weekend."
"Really?" Amanda said, taken back.
"Yeah, we're backing off for a while, I think," he replied.
"Is that a good thing?" she asked, concerned.
"Yeah. It is," he answered, and tried to change the subject.
"What about you and dad. What are you up to this weekend?"
"Oh we're backing off for a while, too," she said, and they both burst out laughing at this.
"No plans really," she answered when they stopped laughing. "But if we were to back off I'd probably have to let him know it was happening." She smiled half-jokingly.
"Aw, I'm sure he'd notice," Billy said, feeling a little awkward that she was sharing this feeling with him.
She looked straight at him and held his look for a moment.
"He'd notice if his golfing buddies were backing off, Billy, but me? I just don't know."
He tried to console her, and he said the usual things about people and relationships and how things can sometimes seem.
"Hey, try something different. Try something that'll surprise him," he added, hoping to help her think of something that'd get them out of their rut.
"Hmmm, that's a thought," she said. "Any suggestions?"
"Well, let's see... ." Billy came up with a couple of ideas that he realized were lame even as he said them.
"You mean, that would spice things up for you?" she said back to him.
"No, but it wouldn't take much for me, I think," and as he said this he was immediately embarrassed at the way it sounded, and she giggled.
" I mean, I... I," he grinned embarrassingly."
"Why wouldn't it take much for you?" she said, putting him on the spot.
"Well, I just meant I haven't had that happen much where things got... I don't know... ."
"Boring?" she used the word he wouldn't say.
"Well, low key, or something."
"We still haven't come up with a solution," she said, as the second Margarita and dinner got there.
Over dinner, they talked about school and her work. As they were finishing dinner, she paused and put him on the spot again.
"So I guess you're not gonna help me with my problem?"
"Huh?" he answered.
"You know, getting things livelier at home?"
"Well, take him out somewhere you haven't been before?"