Walking back to the house I see Mom at the door and she has her arms folded. "Eliza, there are a few things we should talk about."

Closing the door behind me. I turn towards her and say. "Like, what?"

She leads the way to the living room and I take a seat next to her. "I know it's none of my business, but I need to know. Are you being careful with, Austin?"

What does she mean by am I being careful?

A confused look crosses my face. "What are you talking about, Mom?"

"Protection, Eliza. Has Austin been wearing protection while you've been together?"

No, he hasn't. Not once has he wrapped up while we've been together.

While I've been quiet a disappointed look crosses her face and she pulls me against her. "Eliza, he could you leave you again and this time it won't be just you he has shattered. Make sure he wears a condom next time you're together like that."

We're always together like that and I don't want to stop being physical with him. It takes away all my worries and problems.

Mom pulls a pack of condoms out of her nightgown and gives it to me. "Put these in your bag and make sure he wears them, Eliza."

Taking them from her. "Thanks, Mom." Grabbing my bag from the table I put them inside it. Turning back to her I say. "Mom?"

She looks at me. "Yes, Eliza?"

"Ah, there are a few things that I need to tell you."

Dad grabs his keys off the table and looks between us. "What's going on?"

Mom takes his hand and says. "She needs to tell us something and it has me worried that she's going to something that we won't like."

"Eliza, you can tell us anything," Dad says.

I look around the living before making eye contact with my parents. "At the end of the month, I'm moving to the City with Austin. We're going to start our lives together."

Mom's mouth drops open and she tries to say something, but no words will come out.

Looks like I shocked her with that information.

Dad stands up and looks at the door. "I have to get to the bar. There's a lot of work that needs to be done." He kisses Mom and then says. "Give me a call after the appointment." Shaking his head, he looks at me and says. "I don't think this is a good idea, Liza. You're mother and I don't want to be like your siblings and make you do something you don't want. If anything happens we're here for you."

Standing up I move over to him. "Thanks, Dad." I hug him.

He wraps his arms around me. "I love you, Liza. I hope you know that and I'm also proud of the woman you've become."

A smile spreads across my face. "Thanks, Dad. I just hope this works out for us. Also, I hope that Beverley is on board with me dating her son again."

"That woman loves you like her own daughter. You have no problems with her approving of you." He lets go of me and walk over to the door. Opening he walks out the door.

Mom is still sitting in her seat. She clears her throat before saying. "I really don't know what to say about this, Liza. As long as you're happy that's what's important to me. Please, come home if anything happens. I don't want you alone in the City if something goes array."

Moving over to her. I say. "This is all I want from you. Thanks, for being the best Mom in the world." I look over at the clock and see she has an hour until her appointment at the hospital.
"We should get going, Mom. I want to grab a proper drink before heading to the hospital. I don't like the way they make hot drinks."

She laughs. "Okay," she stands up and grabs her stick from the back of the chair. Holding it she walks to the front door.

Grabbing my bag and the car keys off the hook by the front door I follow her out and lock the house behind me. I unlock the door and Mom climbs into the car.

When I get to the car she has her belt on and she's typing away on her phone. Looking at her I ask. "What are you doing?"

"Ordering our coffee and hot chocolate. That way we don't waste too much time in Starbucks. Is there anything you want to eat?"

"Can you get me a brownie? Tell them to cut it in half. That way you can share it me."

Mom types away on her phone again. "That's done. Coffee will be done by the time we get there."

Looking behind me I reverse the car out of the driveway and then head towards the hospital.

***

At Starbucks, the girl behind the counter smiles at me as I walk into the shop. "Hi, what can I get you today?"

"My mom ordered our drinks."

"Oh, the online order. That's coming up right now." Just then my order number is called and I walk over to the counter. There's a bag with Starbucks logo on it. Opening the bag I make sure that the brownie is cut.

When I see that it is I take the drinks and bag out to the car where Mom is sitting inside. She opens her car door and takes the things from me.

Climbing into the passenger seat I take my drink and drink it.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows. Yum.

I grab the bag from Mom and open it. Passing it to her I say. "You can have a bigger piece. I'm really not that hungry."

"Thanks," she takes a bite from it and then moans. "Dis is the best brownie." A little bit of the brownie comes out of her mouth and flies onto the floor in front of her.

Gross.

Looking at my phone I see a message from Kat.

Kat: Are you at the hospital yet?

Me: No, Mom and I stopped to get coffee. Why?

Kat: ...

Kat: I was thinking about Mom. Can you call us if there's bad news? I know you'll let us know.

Me: Mom, doesn't like it when I go into her appointment, but if it's bad I'll talk to the doctor myself. Mom isn't a good actress and I can tell if she's okay with the news she's being told.

Mom looks at the phone and asks. "Is that Austin?"

Shaking my head I say. "It's Kat. She wants to know if we've been to the hospital yet."

A smile spread across her face. "I'm glad it was Kat. She's always been so caring when it comes to us." she looks back at the phone and then back to me. "Can I ask you something, Eliza?"

"Sure, Mom. You know how I like the honest policy."

"Do you really love, Austin?"

That should be the easiest question in the world, but to be honest I have no idea how to answer it. Especially, to the woman I love and respect the most in the world.