When your son shows up with a new girl.
By Lee Ann “Sunny” Brown
I got the text when I was on my way to pick up my son from the airport. It said: “I have a bit of a surprise with me.” (Actually, there was no punctuation.) Immediately I felt that feeling in the pit of the stomach, that feeling that means “Uh-Oh”! (Actually, I said “Oh, shit!”. Out loud.) What, or who, could this mean? I would soon find out. And, it looks like we’ll be making room for one more at Thanksgiving this year.
I got to the airport, bracing for…what? I wasn’t sure, but as I pulled up to the curb I saw them standing there looking so happy together already that I decided to just put on my biggest most welcoming smile, keep an open mind, and find out the details and intentions later.
In the car on the drive back home I found out that they met in Dallas. It seems that she saw him first when he walked into the lobby of his hotel. She was actually with two other girls and they all came over to say hello, but she was “the one” for him, and he was “the one” for her, too. According to my son it all happened so fast: It was late, she came up to his hotel room, and she stayed the night. More than we wanted to know, I know. And, this all just happened the night before! Apparently they’re inseparable. What was supposed to be just a one night stand in a hotel turned into flying home to meet the family! It must be serious because he took her shopping and bought her plane ticket!!
What do I think of her? Well, for one thing, she seems young, but at the same time she actually has quite a bit of gray hair so I’m not really sure of her age and I can’t really ask. In fact, she has a lot of hair, and to be blunt about it, she even has a fairly hairy face. She could stand to gain a little weight, as well.
I wondered what my husband would have to say about this. I decided to text him: “Be Aware: He has brought home a friend who has more hair on her face than he does.”
He immediately responded: “He brought home a circus lady?”
Sometimes I just don’t understand my husband’s thinking.
Anyway, after we got home and my son and I had a chance to talk, he mentioned that he was going to have to be traveling a bit and was wondering if his “friend” could stay with us for a while?! He said that she really didn’t have any family and that she didn’t really have any place to be or to go.
I was just completely surprised at how my son had fallen for her and so quickly. I never expected this in a million years. He had never brought a girl home to meet us before. I guess this was definitely a case of puppy love. None of us knew anything about her, and, now, here she was going to be staying with us for a while! I did found out that she has a few dietary concerns and, also, that she likes to get up early in the mornings. This was going to be a problem. I’m glad my husband is a morning person.
Our son had to fly back out, and it’s been a couple of weeks since she’s been with just my husband and me. I have to say that it didn’t take long for her to grow on us. She is really sweet. She really just sort of got used to us and our schedule and joined in, and she gets along with everybody. Including our pet tortoise, Yoshi. We found out that she is very smart, a fast learner, and a lot of fun to have around. She has completely won us over.
This was going to be the first holiday season without our beloved golden retriever, Sadie. We were definitely feeling that there was a family member missing this year and a hole in the festivities, although we were not planning on adding to our family. But sometimes things come up when you least expect them and you just go with the flow. I’m just glad it was a puppy and not a human baby that he showed up with!
Family. It’s always changing. We remember the ones who have come, and gone, t are no longer with us and how much we miss them, and then we make room for the new members who find their way into our lives. It looks like I will be making room for the newest member of our family at Thanksgiving this year. It’s gonna be doggone fun! •
