Jamie whispered, "Come on, you can't be serious. You, married and a mom? That's a stretch!"
Mia sighed, another day, another truth no one believed.
Denny shuffled some notes and handed them over, "Alright, you two, enough chit-chat. Exams are around the corner. Mia, you’ve got a solid foundation. Even though you started late, your mock scores are beating Jamie's. But don't get too confident; you're both still below the national threshold."
After a morning of intense study, they were itching for a break. Luckily, Mia's mood was brightened by her little troublemaker of a son.
She turned to Denny, "Hey, how about I set you up with someone?"
Jamie got nervous, "Mia, we're supposed to be focusing on grad school exams. Zach said no dating until after we pass."
Mia eyed her anxious friend and jokingly nudged both of them, "Think it over. Spending loads on prep courses when you could pass without them is a waste. Wouldn't it be better to find a girlfriend in those classes?"
Denny and Jamie caught on quickly.
Denny said, "I'm sticking with my studies, not interested in grad school."
Jamie nodded, "I'm with Denny on this."
Mia teased, "Oh Jamie, even my niece is sharper than you."
"What's up with your niece?" Jamie asked, curious.
Mia settled back in her seat, "When my niece found someone she liked, and heard we wanted to help her, she was all smiles and sweet talk, calling us 'auntie' all the time. She made sure to keep the guy she liked close, calling him 'Chad,' and never missed a chance to show her affection. Meanwhile, you're here, saying no to love and missing out."
Jamie asked, "So, what's your niece doing now? Still chasing him?"
"You're out of the loop. She's officially his girlfriend now, and both families are in the know. She waits for him after school every day. Her persistence paid off, and now he's head over heels for her."
Jamie was impressed, "Can you get her to give me some tips?"
Mia chuckled, "Jamie, weren't you the one saying no dating during exam prep?"
Jamie was speechless.
"Anyway, Zach's a good catch, dependable, smart, and genuinely kind. Not one of those lukewarm types. You could learn a bit from my niece; it's worth holding onto someone good."
Jamie then asked, "What about you and your boyfriend?"
"We're way past that; we're stuck together for life."
"Why's that?"
Mia grinned, "We've 'bloomed and borne fruit,' you could say." Their 'fruit' was their little bundle of trouble, Henry.
Jamie remembered, "Oh right, you two are getting serious."
During lunch, unable to nap, Mia stepped out to call her husband.
As expected, but still surprising, her call was greeted by the familiar sound of crying. She wondered what happened this time.
"Hey, hon? What's going on?"
Andre took a deep breath, explaining how Henry had knocked over a bowl of oatmeal, nearly burning himself.
"I had to scold him," Andre admitted.
After a brief pause, Mia asked, "What now?"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Sweet Mischief's Rollercoaster Romance