when a surprise is a little more surprising than you expect…

 With the house and garage now cleaned up and Nick’s things removed I felt soundly kicked out of my old comfort zone. And now I had a vehicle. I find a road trip is always the best way to clear my mind.

At dark-o-thirty Sunday morning I packed a bag and decided to take the cross-country drive to surprise my daughter at college. And by “surprise” I mean I didn’t inform her I was coming.

Well…the surprise was on me.

After driving around the campus for half an hour, I finally found her new apartment.

In my excitement to see her I must have pushed the doorbell a little too hard because it rang twice.

“Baby, did you forget your key again?” a man with a thick Southern accent chortled. The door opened wide and there he stood; young, wet, chiseled, half naked wearing just a towel and a big smile. 

“Oh sorry. I thought you were my girl,” he smiled again. “Can I help you?”

Embarrassed I replied, “I’m so sorry to have bothered you. I must have the wrong apartment.” I turned to pick up my bag.

“Who are you looking for, ma’am? Maybe I can direct you?”

“I’m looking for Ashlee Hawthorne. Maybe you know her?” I asked.

He laughed, “I sure hope so! She’s my girlfriend!”

I stood there for a moment like a deer in headlights. Ashlee NEVER told me she had a boyfriend.

SURPRISE!

I just blurted it out. “I’m her mother.”

“Oh shit! Oh sorry! Pardon my language. Please…please come on in, ma’am. She went to the store. She’ll be back in a bit.” Now HE looked embarrassed. He grabbed the handle of my bag and quickly brought it inside. “Let me go put some clothes on.” Rushing out of the room, he disappeared for a couple of minutes.

I stood in the entry hall until he returned. He invited me into the kitchen for a glass of iced tea. Before I had a chance to ask his name or anything about himself, keys were jingling in the front door handle.

“I hope you’re still naked! I’m counting on it!” Ashlee shouted then giggled as she shut the door.

You can’t see her kitchen from the front door so you can imagine her absolute astonishment at seeing me standing in the kitchen with her boyfriend.

She dropped the contents of the grocery bags. “MOM?!”

“Hi, honey!” I replied with a big grin on my face. “I’m so glad to see your new apartment comes with everything a girl could want!”