I Just Want Some Coffee

Morning came. Stacy was awoken by the noise coming from some activity in the kitchen, which was only a few steps from the table where she had inadvertently fallen asleep during the night.

The last thing she remembers is that she and Steven started some sort of game where the first person to fall asleep loses. Of course, her intention was not a playful one as she wanted to get him to sleep in the bedroom so it could cause a misunderstanding with her mom. Evidently, she dozed off before she could, so she thought her plan was foiled again.

But, she noticed through the window that it was still dark outside. Also, within her line of sight, she could see Steven fast asleep at the same table she was just sleeping on. She thought maybe there is still time to execute her plot. However, that hope is quickly dashed by one realization.

If Steven is sleeping, then who is behind me manning the stove? Stacy thought to herself as the sound of food frying fills the room.

Her query was quickly answered when the person in question noticed she was awake.

“Good morning”, Stacy is greeted from behind. She did not need to look to know who it was. She recognized the voice instantly. At that point, she realized it was already too late to do anything with regards to Steven.

Stacy shifted her body while remaining seated so she could face the person who greeted her. “Good morning”, she greeted back.

The person was her mom who was cooking breakfast, standing near the kitchen counter facing Stacy while wearing a wide grin on her face.

“Really now, if you were going to bring a boy home, you could at least message me about it”, she said, scolding her daughter, albeit playfully.

Stacy was not sure if she should be nervous that she was caught home alone with a boy, or that she should be surprised that her mom was teasing her about it. For all her life up until that point, she had believed, thanks to stories from her friends and television, that any decent parent would not condone their kids to enter an illicit relationship. She was even prepared for an argument, but seeing her mom so flippant was throwing her off that she was not in the mood to go on the defensive.

Her mom was not waiting for Stacy to snap out of her bewilderment though, as she continued the banter. “If you had told me, I could have stayed out until after the time you usually wake up.”

Stacy still had no retort as her embarrassment over the things her mom was saying grew.

“You could have used the bedroom, too, as long as you clean up.”

Stacy wanted to say something at this point as she could not hold it in anymore. She was about to say her relationship with Steven was not as her mom was imagining. But, she was also of the realization her mom had the impression that the boy sleeping on the table, Steven, was her boyfriend. The mood of the confrontation is different than expected, but it was something she had wanted to happen from her failed plot. Clearing up the misunderstanding so the teasing would stop would be counterintuitive against her cause. So, despite being half-asleep, she had the brilliant idea (if she may say so herself) of stamping the impression further by playing off on to her mom’s banter.

“B-b-but w-what if w-w-we g-go at it uh-until s-s-s-sunrise?” Stacy stutteringly jabbed back, unable to keep a straight face as her face twitched from the embarrassing line she just gave. She was uncomfortable talking to her mom about the topic of sex. She still struggled even with telling a joke about it.

“You should tell me that, too”, her mom replied as she flipped the eggs she was cooking. “I can wait until you go out for school.”

“But what if we wanted to continue the next day?” This time Stacy delivered the quip clearly.

“My, good job getting a boyfriend with such stamina”, her mom said, sounding impressed without looking away from the stove.

Stacy was not sure if that was a joke or not as she was not able to see her mom’s expression. Either way, she was not sure whether to be conflicted by being praised for a lie, or the fact that her mom thought it was praiseworthy in the first place.

“But, you shouldn’t skip school so you could fool around”, her mom continued, this time with a serious tone. It was a bona fide warning.

Stacy realized this and sulkingly replied, “Oh and now you act like a parent.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I don’t understand why you scold me for trying to skip school but not when I’m-”

Stacy stopped there because she realized what she was about to say, and she could not let it out as it was embarrassing for her to speak the word.

“Hmm?” her mom reacted, waiting for Stacy to continue. As she did, she took out the eggs that were cooking as they were ready, and cracked open another two onto the frying pan.

“I’m-”

“What is it?”

“You know…”

“No, I don’t.”

“When I’m…” then she mumbled the words.

“What? Say it clearly.”

“W-when I’m doing something immoral!”

“What is?”

“Huh?”

“What is that immoral thing?”

Seriously? Stacy thought. “You know, doing that.”

“Doing what?” Her mom seemed to not get what she was going on about.

Stacy realized, for the conversation to continue, she had to say the word she wanted to say straight.

“S-”

“Su?”

“Sex! Why don’t you scold me when I’m not supposed to be doing it?!”

Her mom looked away from the stove to face Stacy. She seemed to be confused about something before asking “I don’t recall; when did I forbid you from doing it?”

Stacy’s jaw dropped. This was really the first time that she and her mom had a real conversation about sex, so she had not been warned about it. But, while she had not been explicitly banned from doing it, she had assumed ever since she became aware of it that it was forbidden.

“Wait, does that mean all this time it’s okay for me to do it?” Stacy asked her mom.

“Sure”, her mom replied as she returned her attention to the food she was cooking.

“Aren’t you going to get mad that I would be doing something immoral?”

“Who says it’s immoral?”

“The teachers say it is…”

“It’s an expression of love!” Stacy’s mom chirpily stated. “Something like that shouldn’t be considered immoral, and I don’t believe it is.”

“Aren’t you afraid that I might be making a mistake?”

“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, I know you do”, her mom confidently stated. “The fact you’re thinking that means you know what you should do to prevent mistakes.”

“That's not what I mean! Aren’t you afraid that I might make the mistake you did?”

“What mistake would that be?”

Stacy bit her lip as she hesitated on answering the question. It was an awkward topic after all, but she felt the need to push on. “That you had me when you were in high school.”

As soon as those words parted Stacy’s lips, her mom stopped what she was doing. Immediately after turning the stove off so the eggs would not burn, she went to Stacy and gave her a hug.

“That’s not true”, she said tenderly to assure Stacy. “Having you was not a mistake.”

“Really?”

“Really. If there’s any mistake I’ve made, it’s choosing that good-for-nothing to have you with”, she jokingly said, although that is how she really felt. “But, giving birth to you was a choice that I gladly made.”

“Then, you don’t regret the life you have right now?” Stacy asked as the side of her head rested on her mother’s chest.

“No”, her mom replied. “It was hard at first, but it’s all fine now.”

“Even when you’re working two jobs and barely have time for yourself anymore?”

“I do it because I love you.”

“You know, I could take up a part-time job to help so you don’t have to do two jobs.”

Her mom pulled out from the hug, surprised by the sudden turn in the conversation. “Is that what all this is about?”

“Maybe”, Stacy cheekily said. While she was happy to hear the things that her mother had said, she was already getting too embarrassed from the talk, so she went to move to a less serious topic.

“I told you plenty of times before, you don’t need to work right now and just concentrate on your studies.”

“But, your main job at the bar should be enough for the two of us. You said so yourself.”

“That’s because I’m saving up for your college fund.”

“Then, if it’s for my college, shouldn’t I try earning it for myself?”

Somehow, the conversation turned into an argument. An argument which Stacy knew she would not win, but she tries to have anyway in case her mom has a change of heart. They were not able to finish it though, as they noticed Steven was awoken by their bickering, in which her mom immediately switched to a cheerful facade to greet him.

“Good morning, mister boyfriend. I was just cooking breakfast, how do you like your eggs?”

Steven, visibly not fully awake, was unable to comprehend what was said to him and simply said “Coffee please” before laying his head back on top of the table and returning to sleep.

Stacy and her mom looked at each other and shared some muffled laughter. The two of them found the interaction with Steven funny.

When Stacy had her fill, she excused herself to the bathroom so she could wash her face to greet the new day. But, before she opened the door, without facing her mom, she said to her “I’m glad we had this talk.”

Stacy was unable to see it, but her mom was softly smiling at her. Then, she stated in a worried voice “I know I told you you’re allowed to have sex, but don’t go doing it every night. Everything in moderation, you hear?”

“Geez, mom, I was trying to end our conversation on a good note, and you just had to ruin it!” Stacy reflexively retorted.