“I want to do this right.” My hands trembled as I looked at her.
Seeing that I was already nervous she made it easier by propping herself up with pillows and patting her lap. Slowly I moved the tray, she reached for the coffee but stopped her hand as she noticed the scrap of paper underneath.
A hundred different thoughts flashed in her eyes as she pulled the note free. One line had said it all. “I want a day with Sarah Le blanc.” After a long silent moment she patted the bed beside her. Taking her invitation, I began the day by feeding her in bed.
She moaned in pleasure as I slid the first powdery bite onto her tongue. “You really don’t have to…” I fed her another bite, drawing another little moan from her lips. “Feed me” she moaned.
“You fed me every day for two entire years. I think I can handle one breakfast.” I chuckled taking a blueberry from the bowl and dipping it in whipped cream before offering it to her opened lips.
“Mmmm, you’re going to spoil me.” She moaned.
“You deserve to be spoiled, and if not by me…then who?” I looked into her eyes and offered another bite. “After all, you wound up pregnant with me when you were fifteen, and you could have aborted me, but you didn’t. Not even when my father disappeared… You’ve sacrificed a hell of a lot, to have me and raise an ‘oops’, all on your own, and that deserves more than just a little spoiling!”
Mom turned to look directly at me, and a dark furrow creased her brow as a brief glint of anger flashed in her emerald green eyes.
“Jonathan Michael Cooper, I’m pretty sure I’ve told you before,” she spoke the words slowly, and with emphasis, “but – in case I didn’t – you were NOT an ‘oops’! You were the BEST birthday gift I’ve ever received! And, there’s that old phrase, ‘the gift that keeps on giving’? Well, you’ve kept on giving me joy and happiness, and amusement and amazement, for the last 18 years. Nothing anyone could buy me, from a store, could ever top that!”
“Well, then be amazed and amused with this magical breakfast,” I smiled at her, my heart warming at her comment.
“I should, but I can’t help thinking about all the calories,” she chuckled.
“We’ll burn most of them off of you, today, Mom,” I assured her. “As soon as you finish eating and get yourself washed and dressed, we’re off to the mall,”
“Isn’t this enough?” she asked, waving her hand at the tray on her lap.
“No,” I shook my head. “You are always buying ME stuff but nothing for yourself. We’re going to spend the better part of the day fixing that! You’re a beautiful woman, and you deserve beautiful things,” Mom tried to protest, but I kept shoving sweet delicious fruity goodness into her mouth. Finally, she surrendered.
After I had stuffed her stomach with all it could hold she reached over me for the pack of Marlboro 100 cigarettes on her end table, I beat her to it. At first the look she flashed me was stern as if she was about to tell me that I was not old enough, then she seemed to remember what day it was and she leaned back giving me a grin. “Go ahead, if you want.”