Tiger's Moms (Working)

            Caitlin breathed deeply through her nose to keep from panicking.

            “You can’t make it tomorrow? What do you mean?”

            “Honey, I’m sorry. I have to be at this board meeting. You know that.” Rose hung her head, running a hand through her long dark hair. The other hand’s short, manicured nails tapped methodically on the dining-room table.

            Caitlin propped herself on the wall with her elbow, staring at the giant organising calendar and wondering how such a fiasco could have gone unnoticed. She tugged at her choppy, reddish-blond bangs before rubbing her hands through the spiky sides.

            “And Kenzie needs to be at the awards ceremony! What’re we going to do?”

            “Well...why don’t you go?”

            “Because you’re ‘her mom!’ Am I just supposed to show up and say, ‘Howdy, everyone. I’m Mackenzie Shea-Williams’s other mother. We’ve only been pretending Rose Williams was a single mother. She’s actually happily married and Mackenzie has never had a dad’?”

            “Caitlin, you’re blowing this way out—”

            “Come on, Rose. Really? We’re not in California.”

            Rose grimaced and stood up. Caitlin let the taller woman embrace her, resting her head on the crisp blazer. So different from Caitlin’s dark jean jacket and artfully ripped and faded jeans.

            “Mommy! Mommy!”

            “Hey, tiger!” Caitlin released her wife and caught the excited little redhead in mid-bound and swung her up into the air. “Kiss Mommy!” Kenzie pecked Rose on the nose. “Now the other one!” Caitlin spun Kenzie around to receive her own sticky kiss before giving the little girl kisses all over her flushed cheeks.

            “What’s up, tiger?” Rose asked as Caitlin slid their daughter to the ground.

            Kenzie grinned up at her mothers, one tiny finger venturing curiously towards her nostril. “What’s freak?” she asked as the finger explored the nostril quite thoroughly.

            Caitlin’s stomach lurched and she heard Rose’s sharp gasp. She knelt down to put herself at the girl’s eye level. “Kenzie, did someone say that to you?” She met Rose’s eyes briefly over the child’s downy mop.

            Blinking back and forth between her mothers, Kenzie shook her head slowly. The kid was too smart, Caitlin would swear it. She had to laugh a little at the curious, intelligent look in her daughter’s eyes.

            “It was on TV. Josh called Drake a freak.”

            Tears of relief pricked at the corners of Caitlin’s eyes, and when she stood up, Rose’s hand was a comforting weight on her lower back.

            “It’s okay, tiger,” Rose explained. “‘Freak’ means strange. It’s not a nice word to use to people, though. ‘Kay?”

            Kenzie nodded and Caitlin tousled her hair. “Go grab a book, mmkay? Mommy’ll be in there to read in a little bit.”

            “The Hungry Caterpillar!” she squealed and bounded away.

            Caitlin sighed in the wake of silence.

            “It’s gonna happen one day, Rose. She’s gonna be the freak with the two dykes—”

            “Don’t say that word. She might hear.”

            “Of course.” Caitlin twined her fingers into Rose’s and pulled her closer. “We don’t want her to learn it any sooner than she has to.” She could just imagine the innocent question...Mommy, what’s a dyke?

Rose’s solid shoulder muffled her sobs.

#

            The bed creaked softly, comfortingly, as Caitlin’s slight form dropped back onto it. Her a-shirt stuck to her back and she had changed from her flannel bottoms to a pair of blue-checked boxers. She blamed it on the warm night.

            Another sip of water from the glass she had placed on the night stand. She shoved the heavy down comforter onto Rose and stared at the ceiling, looking for shapes in it like she had when she was Kenzie’s age. Unlike the pebbled ceiling of her childhood, though, this one was smooth. The moonlight leaking through the window revealed not a blemish.

            “Sweetheart. Everything will be alright.”

            Caitlin started and stared doubtfully at the head poking out of the nest of blankets, its hair sticking up in wispy tufts and its honey-coloured eyes penetrating.

            “I mean it. Promise.”

            “How do you know?”

            “Just trust me, sweetheart.”

            Rose snuggled closer and nestled her head in the crook of Caitlin’s arm. Caitlin imagined she would be able to hear every nervous, rapid beat of her heart.

            “I don’t fit the part, babe.”

            “How do you mean?”

            “You’re the beautiful, successful, professional mom. I’m just a hairdresser.” Caitlin plucked forlornly at the blankets.

            “You are not just a hairdresser. You own half of the shop, Caitlin. You’re successful, occasionally professional, and very beautiful.”

            “My hair—”

            “Is a perfect example of what your clients can aspire to. And you are more than capable of pulling a suitable outfit together.”

            Caitlin smoothed down the dark hairs tickling her chin.

            “So you think I should just come out as her mom?”

            “Well, you could always go as her aunt.” She pinched Caitlin’s pale thigh.

            “Are you sure you can’t get out of this?”

            “Not a chance. I’m sorry.”

#

            “Kenzie’s too smart. I’m sure she knows we’re different by now. Kids see too much and care too little.” Caitlin wished she could see like that again. “What if we’re the freaks next, Rose?”

            “I, for one, do not think I am a freak.” Rose straightened the collar of Caitlin’s striped button-down before attending to the details of her immaculate pantsuit. “Kenzie ready?”

            “Yep.”

            “You know how to get there?”

            “Course.” Caitlin reached up to tug her fringe before remembering it wasn’t there. In an effort to look a little more business-like, she had cropped the rest of her hair uniformly. So thwarted, she satisfied herself with smoothing it down, instead.

            “Sweetheart, you’ll be fine. You’re stunning, and no one can deny your claim to our daughter.”

            The garage door closed and her fate was sealed.

#

            Caitlin led Kenzie by the hand through the gaggles of children and parents. Did Rose know any of these mothers? They’d never invited any friends over for obvious reasons.

            “Where’s your teacher, Kenzie?”

            “I see her! Follow me!” she piped. Caitlin let the little girl drag her around the gymnasium-turned-auditorium, her flat square-toed boots clicking on the fake wood.

            Even if this all goes down in flames, no one can say we don’t look good. It was a small consolation.

            “Hello, Mrs Mason?” The gray-haired woman looked up. She grinned when Kenzie escaped Caitlin’s grasp to deliver a crushing hug. She turned to Caitlin expectantly, her grin now a studious expression Caitlin couldn’t read.

            “I’m here with Mackenzie. I’m Caitlin Shea.”

            She realised her mistake, too late thinking of the name she shared with Kenzie, and fought to steady her hands’ shaking. “Her aunt,” she added quickly. She could feel the heat rising to her face and cursed herself for acting like a teenager in trouble.

            Their handshake was brief. Mrs Mason’s gaze took in both Caitlin and Kenzie, who had latched onto the belt loops of her mother’s dark jeans. Their matching red hair, unique brown eyes, and petit frames. Caitlin hoped the teacher would write it all away as a strong paternal resemblance.

            “Mackenzie is quite the charming young lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms Shea.” And with that, the older woman left to speak to another pair of parents.

            Caitlin closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief, clutching Kenzie’s little hand to her side as mothers called, “Michael!” “Tracy!” “Settle down. Now!” and everyone milled toward the rows of gray folding chairs. Their chairs scraped against the floor as Caitlin and Kenzie took their seats.

            “Are you sad, Mommy?”

            It took her daughters urging to realise a tear was sliding down her cheek. They see too much, Caitlin thought with a chuckle as she wiped it off.

            The mother next to them, with a son about Kenzie’s age, looked over, staring intently. She had probably seen Rose and knew her to be Kenzie’s mother. Caitlin mustered a tremulous smile. The woman smiled back and turned back to her own child.

            “Not sad, tiger. Not sad. We’re gonna live to fight another day, tiger.”

Author's Note

Potential story for my Fiction class. Does it hold your attention? Is it easy to follow?

Reviews

[D1218]

Why can't people be more accepting :/
Loved the story :)
Keep writing please

[perfectlymetiKulous]

Definitely holds my attention and is very easy to follow.
I really enjoyed it. I'd love to read more.