Operation Get Rid of Mom's New Boyfriend

by E. N. Joy

  “Good,” Bo said, as he relaxed in his chair and looked at her with his hazel eyes. “I noticed that on all of our other dates, that’s what you ordered. So I took the liberty. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all,” Sammi smiled.

  Just then, the waitress came over to the table with their drink orders.

  “Here you are, sir.” The waitress sat Bo’s Coke down in front of him. “And for your wife, the Shirley Temple.”

  “Oh, I’m not his wife.” Sammi smiled as she accepted her glass from the waitress.

  The waitress looked down at Sammi’s wedding finger only to notice the sparkling wedding ring. She then looked over to Bo’s wedding finger, which remained ringless. “Oh,” she said, giving them both a disapproving look. With a slight attitude she told them, “I’ll be back to take your orders in a little bit,” and then walked away with her nose so far up in the air, it’s a wonder how she managed not to run into something.

  Sammi and Bo waded in a pool of uncomfortable silence for a moment. It was obvious Bo was a little uncomfortable by the way he first rubbed his hands over his bald head, then played around with his perfectly trimmed goat-tee.

  Sammi finally broke the silence. “What was her problem?” Sammi asked, knowing darn well what the problem was. She was wearing a wedding ring and her date wasn’t. On the outside looking in, it appeared as though somebody was a cheat; her being that somebody.

  Bo sighed, and then placed his hand on top of Sammi’s hand, the one with the wedding ring on it. “Sammi, sweetheart, I was thinking; maybe we should uh, you know, take our relationship to the next level,” Bo told her.

  Sammi slid her hand from underneath Bo’s and instantly began twisting her wedding ring around. “The next level?” Sammi asked with a huge gulp. “What do you mean by that?”

  She figured that since he’d told the hostess that she was his girlfriend, then that’s probably what he meant by the next level. He wanted to make it official. He wanted to ask Sammi to be his girlfriend.

  Bo paused as if he had some nervousness of his own to tend to and then he said, “We’ve been out on several dates. We’ve talked on the phone at night until the wee hours in the morning; just like teenagers. We write each other cute little letters…and neither of us thinks it’s corny.” He chuckled nervously.

  Sammi chuckled as well, thinking about all the letters the two had written each other. They were like kids in a classroom who couldn’t wait until after class to talk, so they wrote letters and passed them behind the teacher’s back.

  “I haven’t really dated since my ex-wife and I divorced three years ago,” Bo stated. “And I know you said that you haven’t dated since your husband passed. Maybe we just never dated because we never met that person that truly interests us; that soul mate.” He paused. “I can only speak for myself, but I feel all that has changed. It changed that day in the deli when I smashed my Tuna sandwich all over your blouse.” Bo let out another nervous laugh as he held onto the courage to continue speaking.

  Sammi’s heart melted inside with Bo’s kind and sincere words.

  “So, like I said, I feel it’s time for us to go to the next level.”

  “The next level?” is all Sammi could reply as she tried to force a smile on her face to hide her own nervousness.

  “Yes,” Bo said, staring into Sammi’s eyes and then taking both her hands into his. “Sammi Soul, I think you are a very special woman. You are someone I could see myself enjoying all of my days with. I only hope you are getting as serious about me as I am about you. And with that being said…” Bo exhaled and then finally said it. “I think it’s time I meet your daughters.”

  Chapter Eight

  Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

  “Turn back!” Joy shouted. She had been in the den sitting on the couch watching television peacefully; that was until Kennedy entered the room.

  Kennedy had just picked up the remote and turned the channel as if no one else was even in the room.

  “Nobody wants to watch Sponge Bob,” Kennedy said, flopping down on the love seat while she continued to flick the channels. She stopped at an old re-run of That’s So Raven. “Now that’s more like it,” she grinned.

  Just as Kennedy had smirked with victory and relaxed back onto the love seat, Daryn entered the room with a notebook and pencil in hand. She positioned her glasses on the brim of her nose. She walked over to the television set and turned to the History Channel. She then sat down on the chair and prepared to begin taking notes.

  “Hey!” Kennedy said, sitting straight up with the remote still in hand, scrunching her eyebrows. “I was watching That’s So Raven.”

  Joy quickly snatched the remote out of Kennedy’s hand. “And I was watching Sponge Bob,” Joy added, turning back to the channel she was originally watching.

  “Then I guess it’s rightfully my turn to watch what I want to watch,” Daryn said, walking back over to the television and turning back to the History Channel. She adjusted her glasses once again and then took her place in the chair. “Besides, I’m taking notes for my eighth grade History project,” she informed them, slightly tooting her nose in the air.

  Kennedy and Joy each shot one another puzzled looks.

  “Eighth grade History project?” Kennedy questioned.

  “But you’re only in seventh grade,” reminded Daryn.

  “Yeah, but I’m so caught up on my regular school work, matter of fact, ahead of my seventh grade work and projects, that I might as well start with my eighth grade work.” Daryn was known to request a syllabus from her teachers. A syllabus is a list of all school assignments and projects that the teacher has lined up for the class. Having the syllabus allowed Daryn to work ahead of schedule if she chose to. She always chose to.

  “Girl,” Kennedy said, sucking her teeth and rolling her eyes, “you workin’ on a project that isn’t even due until next year…? You better turn back to my girl Raven Symone!”

  Kennedy snatched the remote from an unsuspecting Joy. She then flicked the channel back to That’s So Raven. “If you wanna be a nerd and spend your life watching the History Channel, go watch the little television on the kitchen counter.”

  “I don’t want to watch it in the kitchen. That little television doesn‘t even have all the cable channels,” Daryn told her. “I want to watch it in this room; on the big screen TV.” Daryn sighed, got up, then politely walked over to the television and turned back to the History Channel.

  Kennedy waited all the way until Daryn got good and comfortable back in her chair and then turned back to the station she‘d been watching. Once again, Daryn got up and went and turned back to her channel. Just like clockwork, as soon as she returned to her chair, Kennedy changed the channel. The next time, before Daryn could get back up and change it, Joy made her way to the television first and turned the station back to Sponge Bob. No sooner than she had sat back down, Kennedy had turned again.

  “I’m telling Mommy,” Joy threatened, right before she made good on her threat. “MOMMY!”

  Meanwhile, in the kitchen preparing dinner, the next thing Sammi knew, she heard what sounded like a riot going on in the den. She removed the last piece of chicken she had been frying from the hot oil and laid it down on a plate full of chicken. Next, she wiped her hands down her apron and then went to see what all the commotion was about.

  “Girls!” she yelled out as she entered the den, only to see Kennedy and Joy playing tug-o-war with the remote. Daryn was blocking the television with her body so that whoever did end up with the remote wouldn’t be able to turn the station anyway.

  The girls were so caught up in their battle that they didn’t even notice their mother enter the room, nor did they hear her call out to them. But when Sammi took her index finger and her thumb, placed them each in the corners of her mouth and let out a huge, loud, ear-piercing whistle, they each froze.

  “Girls!” Sammi huffed. “What is going on in here?”

  “Well…and…she
…turned…I…was watching…first…” They all began pleading their case at once.

  “Wait, wait, wait,” Sammi said, putting her hands up. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter because it’s time to eat anyway, so the television goes off. Get cleaned up for dinner,” she said as she turned to exit the den and head back to the kitchen, removing her apron along the way.

  “I hate you,” Daryn whispered to Kennedy as they followed several paces behind their mother.

  “I hate you too,” Kennedy spat back.

  “I hate you both,” Joy added, sticking out her tongue.

  Kennedy pushed Joy, who stumbled slightly. Joy opened her mouth and began to yell, “Mo-”

  Kennedy cut her off by balling a tight fist and raising it at Joy, letting her know that if she opened her mouth wide enough to yell, she’d be having fist for supper instead of fried chicken.

  Sammi stopped in her tracks and turned toward the girls, throwing her hands on her hips. “What is it, Joy?” she said in a frustrated tone.

  Kennedy eased her way next to her mother and discreetly balled her hand into a fist. Gazing at Kennedy’s fist, Joy decided not to drop the dime on Kennedy by telling their mother that she had pushed her.

  “Uh, I was, uh just going to say that…,” Joy stuttered.

  “Dinner smells great,” Daryn swooped in with a save. Not because she wanted to save her sister from a beat down, but because she loved showing off how quickly she could think on her feet.

  “Oh, well, thank you, sweetie,” Sammi said as she continued her trek into the kitchen.

  While Sammi prepared the dinner plates, the girls stood at the kitchen sink bumping and fighting each other while washing their hands.

  “There are other sinks in the house you know, girls?” Sammi advised. “Just like there are other televisions in the house.”

  The girls weren’t even trying to hear all that though. They moved onto fighting over the dishtowel that hung on the refrigerator door. Sammi just shook her head and raised her hands to the heavens. “I dream of the day my daughters will just get along long enough to agree on one thing.”

  Finally, the girls joined Sammi at the table where they all joined hands, bowed their heads and closed their eyes while Sammi blessed the food.

  “Dear Lord,” Sammi started, “I just first thank you for getting us through this here day, not to mention all those before it. And I just thank you for my wonderful, beautiful daughters who I love so much and trust that they know how much I love them. Father, I thank you for letting them know that they are the most important things in my life and nothing and no one could ever replace them. Let them know that I’ll always be their mother no matter what. And let them know that no matter who enters our lives, their well-being will always be first. Lord, touch my daughters’ heart so that…”

  By this time, Kennedy had slightly lifted her head and opened one eye as she watched her mother pray. Her mother was praying all right, but not the type of prayer she usually said over the food.

  “And Heavenly Father,” Sammi continued, squeezing Kennedy’s and Joy’s hands; who sat on each side of her. “I just thank you for giving my daughters an understanding heart and wisdom beyond their years to know that no man could ever take away all of the love I have for them…”

  Now both Joy and Daryn followed suit of their older sister, slightly lifting their heads and opening one eye to gaze over at their mother.

  Sammi continued praying, unaware she had a viewing audience. “And, God, I can’t thank you enough for the people you do put into my life. They all have a special place…their own special place…and it doesn’t take away from any other person who has a place in my life. So, God, I just thank you for all of these things. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”

  Sammi opened her eyes to find all three of her daughters staring at her. “What?” she shrugged unknowingly, releasing the girls hands before she dug into her meal.

  The girls just sat there looking at each other puzzled. With a forkful of mashed potatoes, Sammi finally realized that the girls weren’t eating. “Well, come on, dig in,” Sammi told them. “It’s your favorite meal.”

  Sammi was right, it was their favorite meal. It was the second time in a matter of weeks she’d prepared their favorite meal. The quiet before the storm is what the girls knew the meal was. Something was up…big time!

  “Mother,” Daryn said, “You didn’t bless the food.”

  “Yeah, Mommy,” Joy agreed. “I mean, you prayed, but you forgot to bless the food.”

  Kennedy put her two cents in. “Yeah, what if we choke or something on it since it’s not blessed?”

  “Or get salmonellae or something?” Daryn added.

  “Or food poisoning?” Joy threw in.

  “Or-” Kennedy started.

  “All right-already. I get it,” Sammi said in defeat as she signaled for the girls to grab hands again. She then proceeded to bless the food. “And Lord, please bless this food we are about to receive to nourish our bodies. Amen.” Sammi smiled, dropped their hands and continued to bury her face in her plate.

  The girls looked from one to the other as their mother ate. She was eating as if she’d never eaten in her life. When she finally came up for air, she put on a half-fake smile and then began twisting her wedding ring.

  Kennedy dropped her fork down on her plate, which made a loud clinking sound. This got the attention of everyone. Now all eyes were on her. “Mom, is there something you’d like to tell us? I mean, something that you didn‘t already tell God in that long winded prayer you just said?” Daryn and Joy chuckled at Kennedy’s sarcasm. “Or that you didn’t already tell Miss Rachel?”

  There was stale silence. The girls hadn’t brought up their conversation with Miss Rachel after their so-called “girl time.” They were waiting to hear the details from the horse’s mouth. They each had silently prayed that since Sammi never said anything about having a new boyfriend or anything, that whatever she did once have going on with this mystery man was now over. No harm done.

  After hearing how not-so-well Rachel’s talk had gone with her daughters, Sammi decided not to touch the subject until the girls brought it up themselves. But seeing how it was that they never brought it up and Bo was determined to meet them, Sammi knew she had to mention the new man in her life.

  Sammi swallowed the food that was in her mouth in one loud, big gulp. Kennedy had opened the door for her to tell the girls what was on her mind. Now she had to walk through it.

  “As a matter of fact, girls…” She put her fork down and then wiped her mouth. “There is something I need to talk with you three about.”

  Sammi proceeded to tell her daughters about all of those plans she’d had in the past months and who she’d had them with.

  “And where did you meet this…Bo Hart?” Kennedy asked with disgust, as if just saying his name was poison on her tongue.

  Sammi told the girls about the day she met Bo at the deli. How he’d ruined her blouse and how Rachel came up with the idea of how he could pay her back.

  “So you mean all of this is Miss Rachel’s fault?” Daryn asked her mother. “Miss Rachel is the one who set you up on a date with this man in the first place?” Instant betrayal covered Daryn’s face.

  “We thought she liked Daddy,” Joy said sadly. “Why would she try to help replace him?” Tears formed in her eyes.

  “Honey…” Sammi said as she reached out to comfort Joy by grabbing her hand. Joy pulled away.

  Sammi tried to hide how much Joy’s action had hurt her.

  “Miss Rachel’s got some nerve,” Kennedy said through clinched teeth. “Taking us out to eat and to the movies and coming over here giving us that pitiful story over a bowl of Jell-O.”

  Joy shook her head. “And that pitiful Bill Cosby imitation.”

  Kennedy continued. “And all the while she was behind this whole thing. The entire time she was out helping you to replace our father.” Tears formed in Kennedy’s eyes as well, but hers were tears o
f anger. She wanted to just spit right about now.

  “Hold up,” Sammi said sternly. “Nobody is trying to replace your father.” She looked at each of the girls. “Nobody can ever replace him. If I’ve told you girls once, I’ve told you a thousand times; Daddy is always going to be with us right here in our hearts.” She pointed to her chest.

  As heartfelt as their mother’s words sounded, the girls were not picking up what she was putting down. They just weren’t buying it.

  “Well, it looks like you’ve gone out and got yourself another heart…literally,” Kennedy contested.

  “Yeah, Bo Hart,” Daryn agreed.

  “So if that’s not replacing Daddy, then I don’t know what is,” Joy huffed.

  “Does he have any kids?” Kennedy asked without waiting on an answer, “because the next thing you know,” she directed her words to her sisters, “she’ll be replacing us too.”

  “Enough!” Sammi said, raising her voice. “I will not sit here and listen to you girls talk this way!” The seriousness of her tone stunned the girls. She had never sounded so angry and disappointed in her life. “Now I let you girls get away with a whole lot of mess. I don’t know why. Maybe I thought it was a way of you all expressing yourselves as a result of missing your father; or just plain ol’ sibling rivalry. But enough is enough!”

  The room was dead silent. Sammi could hear her voice echo through the quiet house. She decided to bring it down a notch. She cleared her throat, gathered her composure and then continued to speak. “Now, I’ve met someone, and not just anyone…and no, not a replacement for your father. But I’ve met a man who is loving, kind and caring. He treats me wonderfully. So I hate to say it, girls, but for once, this is not about you. It’s about me and what I want. And what I want is for you girls to act like you’ve got some sense when Bo comes and has dinner with us.” Sammi dropped that bomb nice and smooth…but it still exploded nonetheless.

  “Dinner!” she heard ring out from her daughters.

  “You’re bringing some jive turkey up in Daddy’s house?” Kennedy shouted.