Goodnight, Jessica

Roy had been through this enough times now that the transition felt almost routine.

Not normal. Never normal. Routine.

The woman walking beside him toward the front door was Ava's mother. Twenty minutes ago she'd been a complete stranger. Before that, Roy had been sitting in a parked car trying very hard not to think about how uncomfortable the entire situation with Ava made him.

Now he was her boyfriend in every way that mattered. Every way but consent.

At least this time he wasn't completely blindsided. His experience helped. A little.

The front door opened and Ava's mother stepped inside first. Even in grey sweatpants and an oversized Harvard T-shirt, she looked absurdly attractive. Long brown hair spilled over her shoulders in soft waves. The casual clothes somehow made her more intimidating, not less. She carried herself with the confidence of someone who expected to be listened to whenever she spoke.

Roy followed her inside. The house felt warm. Comfortable. Lived-in. Family photos lined one wall. Ava smiled out from nearly every frame. His stomach tightened immediately.

"Have a seat, love," the woman said, steering him toward the couch with a hand against his arm. "How long were you sitting in that car?"

"Not that long."

"Too long. You could have been in here with me."

The smile she gave him was affectionate enough to make him feel guilty. Not because of her. Because of the photographs. Because one of them showed Ava missing her front teeth. Because another showed Ava holding a soccer trophy. Because fifteen minutes ago, it had been Ava in the car with him.

The woman disappeared into the kitchen. Roy sat carefully on the couch and tried not to look at the photographs. A moment later she returned carrying two beers.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted beer, wine, or something stronger."

"Beer's good."

"Good answer."

She handed him a bottle before settling onto the couch beside him.

Very beside him.

Their thighs touched immediately. Then her hand landed on his knee. Then stayed there. Roy was beginning to suspect that physical contact might simply be her natural state of being.

"I still can't believe you're actually here," she said.

The warmth in her voice caught him off guard.

"What do you mean?"

A laugh escaped her.

"I know it's silly, but not long ago I would've bet actual money that I'd never date again. And now, right when Ava's grown up, right when I'm looking down the barrel of living alone, I find the one man I can truly love."

Roy took a sip of beer, trying not to let the undercurrent of shame he felt at accepting the wish's transactional nature show on his face.

"That bad?"

"That bad."

She leaned back.

"My ex-husband managed to thoroughly sour me on the entire concept."

Something dark flickered behind her smile.

"Not the divorce itself. Those happen. Not even him coming out of the closet. I can't really blame him for that."

A shrug followed.

"It was the cheating. The man told me that he loved me, then he went behind my back and slept around. Yes, it was with other men, but that's irrelevant. Cheating is cheating, and when a man says he loves you, he needs to commit."

Roy nodded slowly, her words hitting a bit too close to home.

"I can imagine."

That seemed to satisfy her. For a few moments she studied him.

"You know," she said, "before I met you, I really thought I was done."

"Done?"

"With relationships."

Her fingers squeezed his knee.

"No dating. No casual flings. No drunken mistakes. Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Not once."

The answer came immediately.

"I focused on work. Focused on Ava."

A smile softened her features.

"My daughter became my whole world."

Roy glanced toward the photographs. A mistake. Ava's mother followed his gaze instantly.

"Oh, don't get me started."

The smile widened.

"Ava."

Roy braced himself.

"What about her?"

"What about her?" she repeated. "Everything."

A laugh escaped her.

"She's honestly the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Roy smiled politely.

"She seems nice."

"Nice?"

The woman shook her head.

"She's brilliant. Kind. Responsible. Funny."

More photographs received a proud glance.

"Straight A's. Never caused trouble. Volunteers. Works hard."

"That's impressive."

"I know."

There wasn't an ounce of false modesty in the statement. Roy couldn't blame her. The pride in her voice was impossible to miss.

"Ava has such a bright future ahead of her. That's what made today so strange. Eighteen. One day they're learning to read. The next they're adults."

Roy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. For a moment she stared into her beer.

"I spent years protecting her," A small laugh, then, "Honestly, I still worry."

"About what?"

"Men."

Roy nearly inhaled his drink. She didn't notice.

"God, listen to me," she said, rolling her eyes. "One bad marriage, and suddenly every man becomes a potential catastrophe. Ava's so trusting. So optimistic. She sees the best in everybody."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing."

"No, but it does make me worry. I know eventually some man is going to break her heart. I keep imagining ridiculous scenarios."

"Like what?"

A laugh escaped her.

"Oh, I don't know," she said, waving a hand casually. "Some older guy taking advantage of her innocence. Finding my daughter bent over in the lap of some middle-aged man in a dark car somewhere."

Beer went down the wrong pipe. Roy erupted into coughing. The woman stared at him.

"Wow."

He wiped at his mouth.

"Wrong hole."

"Apparently."

She laughed.

"Relax. Ava would never do something like that. She's got more common sense than I did at her age. I'm just being an overprotective mother."

Roy managed a weak noise that hopefully sounded like agreement. Inside, he was dying. His new girlfriend leaned closer.

"Besides," she whispered, tapping a finger on his chest, "if anybody's taking advantage of someone around here, it's probably me taking advantage of you."

That earned another smile. Then a kiss. Roy returned it automatically. It was surprisingly easy. She was funny, smart, warm, and so beautiful it almost seemed unfair.

The front door opened. Roy cracked an eye open and glanced toward the hallway.

Ava stepped inside. Sweaty from her run. Flushed. Then stopped dead. The look on her face was immediate.

Disgust.

Pure, concentrated disgust.

"Oh God."

Ava's mother laughed, climbing off of Roy's lap.

"There she is."

"Mom."

"What?"

"Seriously?"

"What?"

Ava pointed directly at Roy.

"It's fine that you're dating, but do I have to walk in on that?"

The urge to hide behind the couch became overwhelming.

"Be nice," her mother said.

"I'm being nice."

"No, you're judging."

Ava stared at Roy. Roy stared back. The memory of their time in the car crashed through his mind with all the subtlety of a train wreck. Meanwhile, Ava looked like she couldn't imagine kissing him under any circumstances whatsoever. Which was honestly reassuring.

"Hi, Roy."

"Hi, Ava."

Ava tilted her head.

"Still gross."

Her mother burst out laughing.

"Ava!"

"What?" she asked innocently. "You're my mom."

Despite everything, Roy laughed too. The sheer absurdity of the situation had become impossible to ignore. Ava left them alone to spend time together. Several more minutes passed, mostly filled with the idle conversation of two people entirely comfortable in each other's company.

Roy was fully aware of what he was going to have to do with Ava's mother, what he would have to do to let her return to the life she had without him, but he was tired. It was late, and Ava's performance in the car had left him questioning whether he'd even be able to perform. And so, despite the nice evening he was having with this woman, he checked the time.

Then checked it again.

Then stood.

"I should probably get going."

"Aww."

She immediately reached for his hand.

"So soon?"

"I'm really tired."

That part, at least, was true. She studied him suspiciously.

"Plans with one of the others?"

Roy blinked.

"What?"

"Zara?"

A teasing smile appeared.

"Maybe Elaine? Michelle?"

Heat rushed into his face. She laughed immediately.

"It's fine if you do," she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm just happy for the time we get together. I know it's important to share."

He studied her, looking deep into her brown eyes. She showed no hint of jealousy, of the hurt she'd described when talking about her ex-husband cheating on her. The wish had made it perfectly normal for him to have multiple girlfriends to this amazing woman who truly deserved to have someone commit to her.

"I just need sleep," Roy answered honestly.

"Fine."

She stood and walked him toward the front door. Halfway there she squeezed his hand.

"Can I meet them someday?"

"The others?"

"Yes."

Roy laughed nervously.

"We'll see."

"We'll see means yes."

"We'll see means we'll see."

She rolled her eyes. At the door she kissed him one final time. Long enough to make leaving difficult. Long enough that it made him question his doubt about whether or not he could perform.

"So."

Roy smiled.

"So?"

"You'll call me tomorrow?"

"I was actually hoping you'd text me."

One eyebrow lifted.

"Oh?"

"When you wake up."

"And why would I do that?"

"I thought maybe breakfast."

The smile that appeared on her face could have powered a city block.

"Roy."

"What?"

"If you think I don't want breakfast with my man, then you should probably check the address on your way out."

Roy frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you might've been kissing the wrong Jessica all evening."

Roy blinked. Jessica. Finally. Her name. A grin spread across his face.

"Goodnight, Jessica."

The expression she gave him softened instantly.

"Goodnight, Roy."

A few minutes later he climbed into his car. The engine started. The house glowed warmly behind him. Jessica stood in the doorway, watching him leave. Despite everything, Roy found himself smiling. He genuinely liked her.

"Goodnight, Jessica," he said again to the empty car.