Hit and Run

"Does that mean we can see him sometimes?" the hopeful young boy asked.

"I don't want to promise you, but I think maybe he might...."

"Could he come over tonight?" her son nearly begged.

"Oh, I...I don't think so. It's already getting late, and...."

"Please, Mom? It's not even five o'clock," Todd reminded her just as they pulled into their driveway.

She was preparing to tell him that people needed advanced notice and that she barely knew him, but the sad look had returned to his face, and so did the hurt she'd been feeling.

"I suppose I could call him," Suzanne said rather timidly, but within a second after getting the last word out, Todd threw his arms around her and told her she was awesome.

Now between a rock and a hard place, also of her own making, she reached for her phone.

"Maybe you can say 'hi' to him, okay? If he's not too busy."

"Okay!" came the immediate and enthusiastic response.

Suzanne held her breath as the phone rang, and when she heard his voice, it not only made a smile, it sent a tingle through her body.

"Jeff. Hi. It's...me. Suzanne. Rivers."

She saw the puzzled look on Todd's face then said, "Odd."

She heard Jeff chuckle as he said, "I remember you. You're the beautiful woman with the awesome son."

The phone wasn't on speaker, but Todd heard it, and that same smile that was now a beam, was back.

"He...we...wanted to call and maybe see if you...."

"Can he come over, Mom? Please?"

"I heard that," Jeff said with another laugh. "Can I...Mom?"

"Oh. We...I...haven't even started dinner and...."

"I'll bring it. Just tell me what you like."

"Can we have KFC?" Todd asked, again nearly begging.

"I heard that, too. Is that okay with you, Mom?" Jeff asked, using the 'mom' card again.

"Um...sure. But you don't have to...."

"I'm happy to, and is an hour enough time?" he asked before she could finish.

Todd heard all of that, too, and did a huge fist pump and said, "Yes!" which Jeff also heard and that made him smile.

"That sounds perfect," Suzanne told her as her smiling son looked up at her in a way that made her so happy she forgot how uncomfortable she'd felt calling this younger man she'd nearly run over.

"Okay. I'll shower, change, and stop by the KFC on the way. I just need an address."

Suzanne hesitated because their place was somewhere between modest and rundown, but she was now committed and gave him the information.

"I'll be there before six," Jeff promised before saying, "see you soon, buddy!"

Suzanne turned the phone Todd's way as he called back, "See you soon, Jeff!"

He hung up before she could say anything else, but Todd was outside and running around celebrating, and as well...odd...as that phone call had been, it was more that worth it to see her son so happy.

She told him to go inside and straighten his room up, and rather than getting the standard response of, "Do I have to?" he cheerfully told her 'okay' and headed to his room which was all of about 10 feet away in their little, dumpy, two-bedroom rental house.

Suzanne nearly cried when she heard her son in his room putting things away and doing something she hadn't heard in quite awhile. He was singing, and as she choked up, she quietly sang along, too, before going to her room to decide what to wear.

While she was trying to make up her mind Todd finished cleaning his room and was back in the living room when his mom's phone rang. He looked and saw the name Jeff and answered without asking.

"Jeff!" he said as he raised the phone to his ear.

"Hey, buddy. Is Coke okay?"

"Um...my mom doesn't let me drink regular soda. Diet would be better."

Suzanne popped her head out just in time to hear the last sentence, and that made her smile.

"Diet it is. How about cinnamon sticks?"

Todd turned and saw his mom and gave her a sheepish smile.

She nodded and smiled back. With the 'okay' in hand, Todd told Jeff that was fine.

"All right, my man. I'm on my way."

"See you soon!" the boy said again, now so excited he couldn't stand it.

Still watching, Suzanne felt guilty again. She loved seeing her boy happy, but Todd had to be told this was just a one-time get together and not to get too attached to Jeff. But now wasn't the time, and she had no intention of ruining the best day he'd had in months.

She returned to the task at hand which shouldn't have even been an issue because what she was wearing was just fine. So why then was she fretting over what to wear for a one-time....

She laughed quietly when the word 'date' came to mind. But as she made her decision, she couldn't help but think--and maybe even hope--that there might be a second...get together with the very attractive, younger man.

"Wow! You look really pretty, Mom!" Todd said when he saw his mom.

"Oh. Thank you, honey. I thought it would be nice to, you know, look...."

"Beautiful?" her son suggested, the big smile still on his face.

"Well, I don't know about that, but thank you, anyway, kind sir!"

She had a teal blue top she hadn't worn in at least two months, and she loved the way it hugged her figure, accenting her tight waist and ample breasts. It was ribbed and had a mock turtleneck and looked great with the black pants she was wearing. Todd didn't notice details, but his mom had also put on a silver necklace and some matching earrings and hoped that maybe the other....

Again, a word popped into her head, but this one didn't make her smile. She was thinking 'boy' but as young as Jeff was, he was definitely not a boy. Regardless, she knew some jewelry would neither make nor change his opinion of her, but she wanted to look as nice as she could without being too obvious by putting on her best dress.

Todd's voice snapped her out of her mental daydreams as he proudly asked her if she wanted to come check out his room.

"Of course!"

She took a quick look around and smiled then put her hands on her son's chest as he stood in front of her.

"Wow! You nailed it!," she told him as she bent down and looked at him.

"Thanks, Mom!" he said before asking how long it would be before Jeff arrived.

It was only 5:40, so she got ready to say it would be about 20 more minutes when she heard a knock on their door.

"I'll get it!" Todd said as he spun around, dodged his mom, and tore off for the door.

Suzanne moved in the same direction and was maybe 10 feet behind her son when he flung the door open.

"Jeff!" Todd said the moment he saw him.

"Todd! Hey, buddy. Can you take some of this for me?"

Both of Jeff's arms were full of stuff, and although Suzanne noticed, she was more interested in how her son was reacting and how amazing Jeff looked in something other than running gear--and he'd looked very sexy in shorts and a tee shirt.

He smiled at her and said 'hello' as Todd grabbed the bucket of KFC. The smile turned to a laugh when both of them said, "Wow! Look at you!" at the same time.

"Jinx?" Jeff said with a laugh as he stepped inside and Suzanne closed the door.

"Right!" she told him with a chuckle before telling him he looked quite handsome.

"Oh, gosh. Thanks, but it's you who looks amazing."

She saw him quickly give her body a very fast once-over and loved the way it made her feel. She was a modest woman who tried to also be honest. She knew she was still attractive, but wasn't vain enough to think someone as handsome--and young--as Jeff would think she was beautiful. Still, the compliment was very welcome and made her feel happy, something that was as rare for her these days as it was for her son.

"I've never seen you in anything but running clothes," she told him with a smile as she took the other bags from him. "And something smells heavenly!"

"That would be the KFC. And I don't get dressed up for just anyone."

The way he smiled at her made her tummy do a flip flop.

"Well, you look very nice," she assured him as she admired the blue, pin-striped shirt under a gray sweater and a pair of jeans that fit just right.

"You do, too," he told her as she asked if he was ready to eat yet.

"I am!" Todd hollered out, causing his mother to give him a gentle look.

"Sorry," the boy said as he looked up at Jeff.

"I think someone's as hungry as I am," he said, as he mussed Todd's hair.

"Jeff? Do you wanna sit by me?"

Suzanne smiled when she saw Jeff look at her. They had a tiny dinner table, and all three of them would be sitting next to each other.

"Of course. You're my favorite new friend," the older man told him.

Todd beamed as he said, "Come on. I'll show where we eat."

Suzanne gave Jeff another look, but this one was more apologetic.

"It's uh, it's pretty small," she said, continue the apology theme.

"It's home, right?" Jeff replied enthusiastically, another smile on his very handsome face.

"Yes. Yes, it is," the older woman who had another case of butterflies said. "You guys go sit down, and I'll bring everything over."

"I'm happy to help," Jeff told her as Todd tugged at his arm.

He saw the way she looked at her son and understood.

"Then again, my best buddy and I could just take a seat."

A couple of minutes later, all three plates were filled with chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, along with coleslaw. The diet Coke and cinnamon sticks were within reach, and everyone was ready to get down to business.

"Can we eat now?" Todd asked as though he was on the brink of starvation.

"Oh. Sure. Of course. Dig in!" she said as she glanced at Jeff.

Before he could pick up his plastic spork, Todd was gnawing on a juicy piece of chicken breast.

"This is SO good!" he said, his mouth full of food.

He got another small look, but his mom didn't say anything as she took a small bite of the slaw.

"Mmmm. This is better than I remembered."

"I haven't had KFC in...years," Jeff told her as he took a larger bite of the mashed potatoes.

"We haven't had it in forever!" Todd announced before taking a second, equally large bite.

"Slow down, buddy!" his mom said with a little laugh. "The chicken isn't going anywhere."

"Sorry! It's just so good!"

The three of them chewed in silence for a few seconds before Suzanne said, "Thank you so much for all of this."

"Oh my goodness. You're more than welcome, and it was my pleasure."

"And thank you again for coming to...."

Todd didn't know about the arrest nor did his mother want him to find out.

"I was happy to," he told her, picking up on what was going on.

"And while I'm apologizing and thanking you, I am so very sorry for the um...hit and run incident today."

Jeff laughed before reminding her she didn't run.

"Well, someone evidently thought I did," she replied, hoping Todd wouldn't notice. He was so absorbed by the flavor of the chicken coating he didn't even hear her.

To her relief, Jeff changed the subject by asking her how she liked the new job.

"It's...fine. I'm really just happy to be working."

"And you made a friend."

Jeff kind of raised his eyebrows and Suzanne tried not to laugh.

"She's actually very sweet."

"All that matters is that she's your friend. I really am happy for you."

The sincerity of his words touched and gave her the courage to say, "I'm also very happy to have another new friend."

Her look told him who she meant, and Jeff said with a little smile, "Yeah, same here."

"May I ask what you do--if it isn't too personal?"

Suzanne had been curious but didn't really care. Unless he was some kind of...drug dealer...what he did wasn't important to her, but she couldn't help but wonder.

"I uh, I'm kind of between jobs right now," Jeff told her truthfully.

"Oh. Well, I'm sure you'll find something soon."

Not sure how his current employment status made her feel, Jeff explained.

"I got out of the Navy a few months ago."

"Oh. That's...that's wonderful. Thank you for your service."

"My pleasure. I'd have stayed in, but my dad's not doing well, and since my mom passed five years ago...."

"Jeff, I'm so sorry."

Suzanne felt bad for having asked and worse for finding out about his parents.

"I'm sure he's happy to have you home."

"He was diagnosed with MS a couple of years ago, but he was doing fine until six months back or so. Since then he's had a whole lot of problems, and I knew he'd be needing a lot of help, so I put in my resignation."

"Wait. Resignation?"

"Yes. I was a Navy officer. A lieutenant. I'd just finished my five-year obligation after the Academy, so I was able to resign and come home."

"Ah, okay. So you went to the Naval Academy. Wow. Now I'm really impressed," she told him as she saw him in a whole new light. "Dare I ask what you did while in the Navy."

"I uh, I was a SEAL," Jeff said quietly.

Todd's head swiveled to his left so fast it startled his mom.

"You were a SEAL?" the boy asked, now wide eyed and slack jawed.

"I was. For four years."

"Mom. Jeff was a Navy SEAL! They're awesome!"

She loved the enthusiasm and agreed with her son.

"Yes, they are. I respect all of our men and women in uniform."

"Me, too, but SEALs are the most awesomenest of all the awesome!"

She laughed and didn't tell her boy that wasn't a word. She only told him again that she agreed.

"That really is amazing," Suzanne told their guest.

"I enjoyed it. I'd have stayed for a career if Dad hadn't gotten so much worse, but as they say, 'It is what it is', right?"

Jeff hated the saying, but there were times when it fit, and this was one of them.

"Yes. Yes, I suppose it is," Suzanne agreed before asking him if he needed anything else.

"No. I kind of have everything I want...right here."

He looked at the food, then at Todd, then right at her before saying that, and for the third time, her insides went flipitty flop.

"So are you staying with your father?" she asked, hoping he didn't see that as a money question.

"Yes. Well, he's actually going to be staying with me, but for now, anyway, yes, I am staying with him."

If he wasn't currently employed, Suzanne wasn't sure how that would work, but she had no intention of probing into his personal life any deeper.

Todd was reaching for a third piece of chicken and had barely slowed down.

"You gettin' full yet?" Jeff asked with a smile.

"Not yet!" the boy replied as he chomped away. "I love KFC!"

"I can tell," Jeff teased before asking if he wanted another piece.

"Maybe you could eat something else on your plate first?" his mom said politely but in a way that told him it was time to put down the chicken.

He wolfed down half the potatoes and gravy and two bites of coleslaw then looked at his mom.

"I have no idea where he puts it," she said as she shook her head and nodded at the bucket of chicken.

"Another breast! Yes!" he said as he pulled it out, causing both grownups to laugh.

"It's been pretty...sparse...around here. But payday is coming, so...."

"Mom says we're like Old Mother Hubbard," Todd informed Jeff as he sunk his teeth into the juicy, white meat.

"Your cupboards are bare?" Jeff replied, but not in a way that would hurt Suzanne if they really were.

"Well, we have a little bit of cereal, some bread, and...three cans of soup."

Suzanne saw the concerned look and said, "We're fine. It's not really that bad," even though it was.

He was going to have a second piece himself, but knew it would be just as tasty the next day to a hungry young boy--or his mom--so he finished what was on his plate and left the chicken. Instead he picked up a piece of cinnamon bread, tore it in half, then looked at Suzanne.

"Um...sure. I'm not big on sweets, but that looks really good."

"They're my favorite!" Todd said, forgetting about the chicken. "I can eat like ten of them!"

Jeff chuckled as Suzanne shook her head and shrugged.

They finished the sweet bread and took a sip of the diet soda before Suzanne said, "I'd offer you a glass of wine, but we're kind of...out."

She smiled bravely, and Jeff didn't let on that he could tell she was embarrassed.

"I'm not much of a drinker anyway, but thank you."

"Me, either," the beautiful, older woman said. "But I do have some coffee if you'd like a cup."

"Yes. That'd be fantastic--if you're having one, too."

They made small talk as the coffee brewed then went and sat down as Todd continued eating.

"I think he must have a tapeworm," Suzanne said quietly with a little laugh.

Jeff chuckled and told her, "He is thin. But when I was his age I was pretty skinny, too."

The mention of age made her want to ask Jeff his but bit her tongue.

"You're not thin anymore," she told him as she now gave his body the once over look. "You uh, you look...quite nice."

He was a runner, but he didn't have the classic runner's body. He was lean yet very nicely muscled making her think he had to be in a gym several times a week but didn't ask about that, either.

Jeff smiled then said, "I was trying to find a way to tell you you look amazing, and you stole my thunder."

Suzanne felt wonderful and laughed again.

"Mom? Can I have another cinnamon stick?"

As she said 'yes' Jeff mouthed 'tapeworm', and that made her laugh even harder. What he said next created an even deeper stir than before.

"You're even more beautiful when you smile."

"When you tell me that, I can almost believe it."

"Hey. Are you questioning my integrity?" Jeff asked, pretending to be insulted.

"What? No! Heavens no. I just meant...."

He took her hand in his then told her he was kidding.

Suzanne looked down at her hand in his then apologized yet again.

"I'm not used to hearing things like that."

"If you stick around me for any length of time, you'll have to get used to it."

He leaned closer causing her heart to race just as Todd got up and ran over to her.

"Can I have the rest of your diet Coke, Mom?" she heard as Jeff slowly moved his hand away. She could tell he hadn't notice that she'd almost been kissed and felt well, oddly relieved.

"Sure. But then go brush your teeth, okay?"

"Okay!" he said as he went back to the table.

"Todd really is great," Jeff told her.

"He really likes you. I haven't seen him like this is a long time."

"Well, I really like him, too."

He moved closer again then whispered, "And...I really like his mom."

Suzanne's confidence waned, and she pulled back a bit.

"Why?" she asked out of the blue, starting this unwanted conversation again.

"What?"

"Why do you like me?"

"I don't understand," Jeff said, wondering how things went off the rails so quickly.

"I'm...I'm...you know. Older. And I'm guessing a lot older. There are a ton of beautiful women your age, and you're very handsome, so I...I don't understand why...you like me."

"Ah. Okay. I understand now," Jeff said, the smile back on his face.

"That makes one of us," Suzanne replied as she tried to smile back.

"You're a little...embarrassed."

Now it was her turn to be surprised.

"What? Embarrassed? Why would you say that?"

"Because you're thinking that when people see us together they'll think you have some kind of...issue."

"I...no. That's not...I only meant...."

Jeff leaned over again and this time he didn't stop. It was only slightly more than a peck, but it was still very nice.

"If it does bother you, I can't help you with that. You'll have to decide whether you can deal with it. All I can say is I love spending time with you...and Todd...and I'm honestly hoping we can spend a lot more of it together."

His reply so stunned her that she didn't tell him she had the same concern only about him being embarrassed to be seen with her. Rather than say it she just sat there staring at him and tried to convince herself that maybe he really did like her.

Her stare ended when Todd came back and announced that his teeth were clean just as Jeff and his mom sat down on the couch.