Ditched

"I suppose we should head back inside now, huh?" Jake suggested.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure this'll be the biggest security event we'll deal with the rest of the time the fair's up and running," Ross told him before telling the two younger officers he'd see them later.

Neither Lauren nor Makayla said a word on the ride home. When they got there, Makayla finally spoke.

"I know. Go to your room."

Her mother was still steaming, but the anger was fading. The good news was her daughter was safe, and the anger had turned more to feelings of hurt and betrayal. Lauren knew she just needed some more time to calm down and put things in perspective and focus on the positive.

Still, she couldn't help but think if Makayla's father was still alive, this wouldn't have happened. She couldn't know that for sure, of course, but it seemed likely his calming influence would have kept their daughter in check.

Then again, her daughter was a teenager, and no teenager was perfect, and no one knew that better than Lauren who'd done some pretty crazy things herself. But as a parent, it was just so scary thinking about all of the things that could happen to a girl her daughter's age.

She drew a deep breath, sighed loudly then thought how perhaps marrying a good, decent man like her boss wasn't such a bad idea after all. But just seconds later, Lauren realized how wrong that idea was. Friendships were one thing, but marriages needed romance, too. And the thought of being romantic with her boss did nothing for her—except make her feel ill—and that told her all she needed to know.

As she sat quietly waiting for the calm to come, she thought about how nice it had been to run into both Ross and the two new police officers she didn't know.

Ross had been Carl's best friend on the force, and they'd both liked his wife and daughter, Olivia, a lot. She'd never seen the other, new officers before, but Jake reminded her a lot of Carl in the sense that both men had been very handsome. She also recalled Makayla's embarrassing comment, and yet, she couldn't argue with the substance of what she'd said. He really was 'hot'.

"A hunk," she said to herself.

Lauren actually laughed when she thought of that word and wondered if anyone even said that about good looking guys anymore. Whether they did or didn't it wasn't any less true. Nor was the fact that he was way too old for her daughter, and also way too young for her. Still, he wasn't hard to look at, and were she still, say 25 or even 30, she might have flirted with him a little.

That, too, made her laugh. She'd never flirted with anyone since the day she met Carl. Each of the times she'd been asked out since she tentatively dipped her toe back in the dating pool, it had been via a friend setting her up and not because she'd flirted.

"Flirting," she said to herself. "And dating."

She shivered then said out loud, "Yuck!"

Her anger was now gone, and it was time to go talk to her daughter, but as she got up and thought about the 'D' word, she said again out loud, "Yuck!"

There were two weeks until the start of the school year, and after explaining why she was so upset, and why seeing any boy like that was wrong, Lauren let her daughter know she was grounded until the first day of school.

She'd no sooner said that than she realized the problem was no one would be there to ensure Makayla stayed home, and unless she gave her daughter her phone back, she'd have no way of verifying where she was. With the phone, she could at least call her and via video chat, see where she was.

Now not confident of her decision at all, Lauren decided to try something else.

"Honey? Can we talk? You know, like we used to?"

"I guess," Makayla said without looking at her mother.

"I really miss talking to you. I miss us doing things together. I miss..."

"Dad?"

"Yes, of course. Of course I miss your father. Every day."

"Me, too," Makayla said very quietly.

"Is that part of the reason for doing what you did?"

"What? No. Mom, I'm 13. I like boys. And even if Dad was still alive, I'd still like boys."

She finally looked at her mom then said, "Okay?"

"Okay. It just seems like our friendship is slipping away, and I have to tell you I don't like how that feels."

"Mom? Just because I want to do what I want to do doesn't mean I don't love you. You get that, right?"

Her mother forced a smile then said, "Yes. But that doesn't make it any easier."

"I'm growing up, okay? I can't be your little girl all my life. So if I want to do stuff with other people, it doesn't mean I don't care."

"Then don't sneak around behind my back, okay?" her mom countered.

"I don't want to do that, but when I know you're gonna tell me 'no', what other choice do I have?"

"You could try trusting me," Lauren said sweetly.

"Well maybe you could try trusting me," Makayla said, countering her.

"I do trust you, honey. It's boys I don't trust."

"Noah is a really nice guy, Mom! He's not like that."

Lauren moved closer then said, "I know you think that, and even if it's true, he's still a boy, and well, boys pretty much only have one thing on their mind."

"So?" her daughter said, surprising Lauren.

"What do you mean, 'so'? Do you understand what that means?"

"Duh! I'm not ten, Mom."

"Honey, there are just so many things girls your age aren't ready for. I know it's not fair to bring your dad into this, but he would agree with me 100% on this. Boys don't get pregnant. Boys don't..."

"Mom? Please! I get it, okay?"

Lauren sat up straight then said, "I really want to deal with you like an adult, KK."

She rarely used her daughter's childhood name anymore, but it just came out.

"But before that can happen, you have to act like one. You have to be responsible if you expect me to trust you. You need to be honest with me and stop this sneaking around."

"It was just this one time," her daughter insisted defensively.

"Well, that's one time too many for all the reasons we discussed."

Makayla wasn't looking at her, so Lauren made her final point.

"Against my better judgment, I'm not going to ground you, IF you'll promise me you won't contact Noah again or sneak around behind my back."

Makayla finally looked at her then said, "Does that mean I can have my phone back, too?"

Lauren sighed then said, "Yes. You may have your phone back. I'd be beside myself if I couldn't call you when I was at work."

They went downstairs together to get it, and when Lauren handed it to her daughter, Makayla suddenly lost the edge and looked right into her mother's eyes.

"Mom? I'm really sorry. I know you love me, and...I love you, too."

Makayla took the phone then set it down and surprised her mom by hugging her before she could even respond to her daughter's very welcome, reassuring comment.

"I love you, too, KK," Lauren told her as she hugged her daughter, her eyes welling up with tears, wishing Carl was still there to make their family complete.

But he wasn't and never would be again, and Makayla was all she had. Lauren wanted this moment to last forever but knew it couldn't. So she blinked several times then smiled when she pulled back.

"Can I go to Madeline's?" Makayla asked.

"Um...how about tomorrow?" her mom suggested rather than say something like 'you have to be 'blanking' kidding me!'

"Okay. That's fair. Is it okay if I go back up to my room now?"

"Of course it is," her mom said, with some kind of look on her face she didn't intend.

"What?" Makayla asked. "Wait. You think I'm going to be texting Noah, don't you?"

"No. No, I don't," her mom said very gently. "Because I trust you."

"Hold on. You...trust me?" her daughter asked, her eyes open wide in disbelief.

"It's just you and me, honey. And I'm hoping and praying this was a one-time event."

Her daughter didn't answer, so Lauren said, "What other choice do I have, right?"

She knew she had other choices, but she also knew that sometimes the 'stick' approach only alienated a child even more. Were there a next time, the hammer would fall in a big way. But for now, Lauren's gut told her this was the right path to take.

"You could ground me again or take my phone back," her daughter replied, not understanding her mom's question was rhetorical.

"Yes, I could. And in a couple of years you'll be excited about learning to drive. And like having a phone, that is also a privilege, and I can take away your keys. And I'll still be able to take away your phone. So just don't let there be a next time, okay?"

Makayla didn't say anything, so her mom added, "Because if I ever lost you, I'd..."

When her daughter saw the tears in her mother's eyes, she hugged her again.

"You won't lose me, Mom. Not in a car like...or because of some boy. I promise."

"I love you, KK," Lauren said again.

"I love you, too, Mom, but please don't EVER call me that in front of anyone else, okay?"

"I won't. I promise," her mom said, trying to smile even as she 'crossed her heart'.

Makayla smiled back then turned around and went upstairs.

True to her word, Lauren let her daughter go see her girlfriend on Sunday as she spent the day doing laundry and getting things ready for the next week at work. She also made a list of school supplies for Makayla, then realized it was nearly five o'clock and she hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast.

She started rummaging through the cupboards to find something when the doorbell rang.

Lauren had no idea who might be stopping by as she went to answer it. She looked through the peephole, and to her surprise, it was the young police officer she'd met at the fair. He wasn't in uniform, and Lauren was racking her brain to recall his name.

"Officer! Hi," she said as she opened the door and avoiding names altogether. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, sure. I'm sorry to bother you, Mrs. Holly, but Sergeant...Ross, to you, asked me to stop by and let you know we ended up calling the boy's parents."

"Oh. How did they react?"

"Somewhere between embarrassed and angry that their son would do something like that, and they mentioned wanting to apologize in person at some point," he told her.

Lauren hesitated then said, "Oh. I...I see," she replied before remembering her manners.

"Um...would you like to come in, Officer..."

"Jake is fine," he told her with a smile.

"Right. I just couldn't recall your last name," Lauren said, not wanting to admit she'd forgotten both names, "and I didn't want to use your first name without permission."

Jake laughed as he stepped inside then told her, "I actually have two first names. Jake and Anthony."

Lauren laughed and said, "Yes, of course. Officer Anthony. My mind was somewhere else yesterday when we first met. But you're more than welcome to come in."

"I don't want to intrude or interrupt your Sunday," he said politely.

"You're not," she said with a smile of her own. "In fact, I was just getting ready to make something to eat. I know it's early for dinner, but I skipped lunch, and I'm starving."

"Then I really don't want to bother you. Sunday dinner with family is a big deal."

Lauren stopped smiling and said, "Makayla went to a friend's house, so family dinner today is just me, myself, and I."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Holly. I wasn't thinking when I said that. Please forgive me."

"No. It's...it's fine," she told him in a way that led him to believe something wasn't fine, but it had nothing to do with what he assumed. In fact, it never crossed her mind he'd implied that 'family' included Carl until just then.

"Did you maybe want to talk about something?" Jake asked, his eyebrows raised high as his mind tried to sort out what it was he was feeling and why.

"Oh, I'm sure you have better things to do with your Sunday afternoon than sit and listen to me yammer away about my personal woes," she said, the smile back on her pretty face.

"I'm not one to ever sit around and do nothing, but I can assure you it wouldn't be a waste of my time. Sometimes getting to know someone or just being a sounding board can be its own reward, and I'd be happy to do either one. Or both."

"Well, if you're sure, you're more than welcome, but if you stay I insist on you letting me make enough for both of us. If you're hungry."

"You know what? I missed lunch myself, so if you don't mind, I might take you up on that."

"Great! Well, please have a seat and I'll get started if you don't mind me talking while I'm getting dinner ready," Lauren said as she showed him to the kitchen.

August was by far the warmest month of the year, and along with July, the only real month of summer they got.

It was warm outside, and Jake was wearing a light-green, short-sleeve shirt that was untucked along with a pair of white shorts and some comfortable-looking sandals, and in spite of his age, Lauren couldn't help but notice just how good looking he really was.

"Thank you," he said as he took a seat on a barstool at the kitchen counter. "Can I help with anything?"

"Oh, no. You just sit there and relax, and I'll take care of everything. And before I forget, would you like something to drink?"

"Maybe just some cold water?"

"Coming right up!" Lauren told him as she let the ice cube maker fill a glass before adding water to it.

Jake thanked her, took a sip, then waited for her to speak.

"So how long have you been on the force, Jake?" she asked as she started looking for something quick and easy to make.

Jake laughed then said, "Well, according to...Ross, about eleven minutes. Unless he's in a bad mood, in which case it's more like five seconds," before telling her the truth.

Lauren laughed and told him that was classic Ross.

"How do you like it so far?"

"I enjoy it," he told her. "I was a military police officer for four years, and this seemed like a good fit for me after I got out."

"So did you grow up here?" she asked.

"I did," he replied. "We moved here when I was five, so I did the whole K-12 thing in Enumclaw. I graduated four years ago this June, and came straight back here, went to the academy, and got hired a few months back."

"Are your parents still in town?" she asked.

"They are. They live over on Harding Street near Montgomery Park."

"Oh, okay. Sure. How about you? Do you have a place of your own yet?"

"I do. As of a week ago, that is," Jake told her with a smile. "I found an apartment over by Byron Kibler Elementary."

"In that new complex they just opened up?" she asked as she continued her search.

"Yes, ma'am. That's the one."

"Ma'am. Listen to you," Lauren said.

"Sorry. Force of habit."

"Let me guess. You were a Marine."

"How'd you know?" Jake asked.

"Just a hunch," she said with a smile.

"Are you sure I can't I help you with anything?" he asked. "I'm not a great cook or anything, but I do okay in the kitchen."

"You can cook?" she asked with genuine surprise.

"Nothing fancy, but sure. I can bake chicken, make lasagna, put together a decent salad, and my omelets are actually pretty good."

"Seriously?" Lauren said.

"Yes, ma..."

He stopped then said, "What would you like me to call you?"

"Lauren. What else?" she told him with another amazing smile.

Jake laughed then said, "Okay. Lauren it is. But yes, seriously. I can whip a couple of them up if you've got the eggs and cheese."

"Is mozzarella okay?" she asked.

"That's actually my favorite for an omelet."

"Then we're in business. Anything else?" she asked.

"If you have any fresh mushrooms, I always throw them in. Maybe some ham, too?"

"You know what? I do have some mushrooms, and I like them in an omelet, too," she told him. "Unfortunately, we're fresh out of ham."

"No worries. Looks like we're in business here," Jake said with a laugh as he moved around to the other side of the counter.

Lauren found a large, teflon skillet, some cooking spray, and then got out the eggs and other items then took his seat at the counter.

"The key is getting the pan to the perfect temperature. Too hot or not hot enough is a bad thing. A very...bad thing," Jake informed her with a tilt of the head and a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, mine always come out a little on the dark side," she said, as she found herself laughing again.

When he smiled she added, "The dark side. Like the one my daughter is getting much too close to these days."

As Jake whipped up the eggs, he asked her if she felt like talking about it. She was, and Lauren was still talking about it when he finished with the second omelet which was as perfectly golden-yellow as the first.

"These look amazing," Lauren said admiringly as he handed her a plate.

"Thanks," he said as they got ready to sit down.

"Oh, do you have any ketchup?" he asked.

Lauren gasped, her eyes open wide.

"No! Please do not tell me you put ketchup on your eggs!" she said in a sweet but you have-to-be-kidding-me kind of way.

"I...I kinda do," he said almost apologetically with a little wince.

"And I was really starting to like you, Officer Anthony," she said as she got up to get it for him.

"Here's your poison," she said playfully as she set it front of him, recoiling from the bottle as though it might be radioactive.

"A true purest, huh?" he said with a bright smile as he shook the bottle before squeezing out a thin ribbon of red all the down the length of the omelet.

"Hmmm. Maybe so," she said as thought about it. "I do drink my coffee black, so you may be onto something."

"Well, there you go. A purist indeed," he told her with another bright smile.

Lauren laughed then said, as she admired his handiwork, "This looks absolutely scrumptious, Jake."

He waited for her to take a bite, and within a second of the flavor hitting her taste buds, her eyes rolled up and she said, "Oh, my goodness! This is so good!"

"It'd be better with ketchup," he said very seriously as he cut off a large bite with his fork, the red paste spread on top of it.

"That's...that's...disgusting!" she said before laughing.

She looked at his red eggs then added, "That's un-American, even!"

"No, that would be putting cream or sugar in one's coffee," Jake corrected her as he shoved the large bite into his mouth and started chewing.

"Okay. No argument there!" Lauren said as she cut a second small bite. "And this really is delicious. Thank you so much!"

"My pleasure," he told her. "I don't often get the chance to eat dinner with a beaut..."

He stopped talking and immediately said, "Sorry. I think I..."

Lauren just sat there looking at him until she realized she was staring then quickly looked away.

"No. Don't apologize. I...I don't hear that very often anymore, so even if it was slip of the tongue, it was very nice to hear."

"It wasn't a slip of the tongue, Lauren. In fact, if anything, it was a Freudian slip where you say something you mean but know you shouldn't say."

He apologized again then said, "It was inappropriate for me to say that no matter the reason."

"Speaking of beautiful women, have you met anyone yet?" she asked, still not fully recovered from the unexpected compliment or why it made her feel the way she was feeling.

"Oh, no. I haven't really had time, you know? New job, moving into the new place. Trying to hit the pool or the gym every day I possibly can. So, no. Not really."

"You swim?" Lauren asked.

"Not well, but yes. I love swimming. I run or lift, mostly, but swimming is my overall favorite. It's sort of the perfect workout that seems to hit everything, you know?"

"I do. Or rather...I used to," she said with a wistful look.

"Do you swim?" Jake asked before taking a third, large bite.

"Well, as they say—back in the day. As in way back in the day. As in...high school back."

"It can't be that long ago," Jake told her just before shoving another big bite into his mouth. It wasn't flattery. His comment sounded more like a statement of fact.