| Humor Fiction posted February 11, 2025 |
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When You Think You Know
Mom's Friend
by Begin Again
"Let me tell You about my day," Carol murmured. She sat in her favorite chair by the window, a steaming French Vanilla Cappuccino cradled in her hands. "Not that You don't already know. But some days, I just need to rehash it with You."
Before she could continue, the phone rang. With a small sigh, she set down her cup and answered. "Hello?" Then, without thinking, she added, "Sorry, this won't take long."
Corrie's tired voice came through the line. "It's 5:15 in the morning, Mom."
"And your point is?" Carol sighed. "You called me."
"I did. But — weren't you talking to someone? You literally said this won't take long."
Carol chuckled. "Yeah, our talks usually don't."
Corrie blinked, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "That's not the point! I can't help I'm always busy. Who were you talking to? Is someone there?"
"Yes. He's always here."
Corrie's stomach dropped. "He — he who?"
Carol smiled, sipping her cappuccino. "I can't talk right now, dear. I'm in the middle of an important conversation. Did you need something?"
Corrie hesitated, glancing at the road. "Not really. I had to take Gavin to work, so I figured you'd be up."
"Okay, dear, I'll talk to you later."
"But Mom, who's —"
Click.
Corrie frowned at her phone. That was weird. Mom wasn't the type to ignore a question, much less say something cryptic and hang up. She tapped speed dial three.
Carissa answered on the second ring, her voice groggy but alert. "Hello — kind of early for you, isn't it?"
"Normally, yes, but this couldn't wait."
A long pause. "What's wrong?"
"Have you talked to Nana lately?"
"A couple of days ago, I guess. Why?"
Corrie took a breath. "She couldn't talk to me this morning because she said she was in the middle of an important conversation — with a man."
Silence. Then Carissa laughed. "Wait. You mean she had a man on the phone — like a repairman."
"No, not on the phone. He was there with her."
"Girl, are you dreaming? You're trying to tell me that Nana had a man at her house this early in the morning?"
"That's what she said, I swear. She told me He's always there."
Carissa snorted. "Maybe it was the appliance guy. You know how her dishwasher and washing machine are always breaking down."
"Repair guys — they don't come to your house at five in the morning," Corrie snapped. "And she didn't say a guy. She said He — like capital H He."
Carissa snickered, "Nana met someone?"
Corrie groaned. "Oh, God. Do you think she did something dumb, like join one of those dating sites? Maybe she has some old man who thinks she's got money."
Carissa laughed out loud this time. "A sugar daddy at seventy-six? Go Nana!"
"This isn't funny," Corrie snapped. "Something's not right. She's always saying she's losing her mind. Maybe she is."
"No, you're always saying that she's senile. Nana's just fine."
"I can't believe you think this is a joke. How do I tell the kids that their Nana has a boyfriend?"
"Whoa! You're getting ahead of yourself. Have you asked Matt? He talks to her every day."
"That's a good idea. He talks to her more than I do." Corrie ended the call and immediately dialed her brother.
A groggy voice answered. "Hello?"
"Matt, who's the guy living with Mom?" Corrie screamed into the phone.
"Um — You need to go back to sleep. You're losing it."
"I'm not! She tells you everything — not me."
"Maybe if you called once in a while, she'd tell you, too."
Corrie gasped. "So, she does have a man living with her!"
Matt groaned and rolled over in his bed. "You get into Gavin's stash or what? Because you're talking crazy. Calling me at 5:30 to tell me Mom's got a guy living with her? Whatever gave you that idea?"
Corrie's voice rose again as she screeched, "You're not listening! I just talked to her. She said she couldn't talk because she was having an important conversation with some guy."
"That doesn't mean he's living with her," Matt groaned.
"She said he's always there."
Matt sighed. "Corrie, Mom barely lets the UPS guy step inside the house. Where exactly do you think she's hiding a man?"
"I don't know," Corrie admitted. "But I'm going to find out."
*****
She couldn't shake the conversation, so she brought it up to her coworker, Janine, while waiting for coffee at Starbucks.
"So, let me get this straight," Janine said. "Your seventy-six-year-old mother has a mystery man she won't tell you about?"
"Yes," Corrie said, exasperated. "And she's almost seventy-seven.
Janine took a sip of her latte. "Maybe she's dating and finally having some fun."
"She barely leaves the house." Corrie snarled.
Janine giggled. "Then maybe she's really having some fun."
Corrie scowled. "Stop that! This is my mother we are talking about."
"Did you ever think she might be lonely?"
"She has us."
"Really?" Janine arched an eyebrow. "When's the last time you actually sat down and took some time to talk or visit her?"
Corrie opened her mouth, then closed it. It registered in her thoughts that it had been months. Christmas, maybe? Or was it before that?
*****
Later that day, Corrie ran into Mrs. Lively at the grocery store. Usually, she'd dart out of sight, but not today. "Hi, Mrs. Lively."
"Oh, Corrie! I was talking to your mother the other day," the older woman beamed. "She's as sharp as ever."
"You haven't noticed anything — different about her?"
Mrs. Lively frowned. "Different? Like what? Oh dear, she didn't say anything was wrong."
Corrie hesitated. "She said she has an important man in her life."
Mrs. Lively chuckled. "Oh, you scared me for a minute."
Corrie leaned in, hoping to get the scoop, but terrified of what she'd hear. "So, you know about him?"
Mrs. Lively patted her arm. "Of course! She tells everyone she starts her day with the most important conversation."
Corrie blinked. "Most important conversation with who?"
Mrs. Lively tilted her head. "Well, with God, of course."
Corrie stiffened. "God?"
"Yes, dear." Mrs. Lively nodded. "She says He's always there, listening. He never says he's too busy."
Corrie exhaled, her mind racing. "Oh, my God! My mother thinks she can talk to God."
She said goodbye to Mrs. Lively and headed to her car, mumbling, "This is worse than I thought. I better start checking out a nursing home."
*****
Later that evening, Corrie called Carissa again. "I ran into Mrs. Lively today."
"Yeah?"
"She says Mom talks to him every morning."
Carissa yawned. "You mean her mystery boyfriend?"
"Yeah, she's telling her friends he's God."
"Oh."
"That's it? Oh? She's got this guy at her house and calls him God. She's losing it!"
Carissa sighed. "You're always too busy to listen, so what if she's got a boyfriend."
"She doesn't need a boyfriend, especially one she worships and calls him God."
"I think you're the one that's losing it. Why not just ask Nana if you want to know?"
*****
As the day ended, Carol sat in her chair, writing and feeling blessed. She had spent her morning talking to God, as she always did.
She thanked Him for the good years she'd had. She prayed for her children — Corrie, who never seemed to have any time; Carissa, who stretched herself thin; and Matt, who never forgot their daily call regardless of how busy he was.
She smiled, whispering, "They think I'm alone, Lord, but we know better, don't we? You're always with me. As a matter of fact, did I tell you what I wrote today?"
*****
That night, Corrie called her mother again. "Hi, Mom."
"Hello, dear. Two calls in one day? To what do I owe the honor?"
"Nothing! Can't I just call you and ask what you did today?"
"Of course, you can, but you don't. Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong — I hope." Corrie sighed.
"You hope? Something bothering you?"
"No — yes — what are you doing right now?"
"I just finished writing a story and was sitting down to talk."
Corrie jumped and almost yelled into the phone, "With who? The mystery guy from this morning?"
Carol grinned. "Oh, he's no mystery."
Trembling, Corrie swallowed and asked, "So, he's still there?"
"I told you, he's always here."
"Mom, you're losing it. You can't just have someone move in at seventy-six."
"He didn't just move in."
Corrie gulped, "How long has he been there?"
"He's always been by my side."
"Define always — did Dad know about this guy?"
"Yes, and he thought it was a great idea. He liked talking to him, too."
"Dad talked to the same man and didn't get upset?"
"Why would he be upset?"
"Because you had a boyfriend while married to Dad?!"
"A boyfriend?" Carol laughed softly. "He's not my boyfriend."
"Then what do you call it?"
"I call it talking to God. I'm tired, dear. Why don't you call me tomorrow? Goodnight."
Click.
Corrie sat in stunned silence. For the first time all day, she stopped. Her head had been spinning with crazy thoughts about her mom.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a real conversation with anyone - especially her mom.
She stared at her phone. Then, hesitantly, she whispered, "Okay, God. If you're really there, I hear you're friends with my mom — maybe we should talk."
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