I stayed in my room for most of the day while my step stepdad and mom were at work. I didn't really feel much like getting out of bed.
As the sun set, my mom knocked on the door, waking me up. "Charlotte, dinner is ready."
"Okay, I'll be right down," I replied groggily.
I forced myself out of bed and down the stairs. My mom was taking the meatloaf out of the oven as I sat down at the dinner table next to my step stepdad, Colby. My mom set the plate of meat down in the middle and sat down with us.
"How was your day, honey?" My mom asked my step stepdad.
He put some meatloaf on a plate and replied, "I quit my job."
My mom dropped her fork. "What! Did you get fired?"
Colby chuckled. "No, I quit."
My depression about Tom was already evaporating as I focused on the drama of the household.
My step stepdad and mom got married a few years back. Colby was one of those business-men types; always working and never home. He was handsome and well dressed and my mom liked that he brought home a lot of money. She also worked but just as a secretary so we couldn't live just off her salary.
"Why would you quit without consulting me?" she asked nervously. You could see the whole weight of the house falling on her shoulders.
A smile appeared across his face. His skin was perfect and his cheekbones might cut you if you got to close. "I quit my job because I got offered a better one."
My mom breathed a sigh of relief. "That's incredible. How much better?" The dollar signs were already appearing in her eyes.
"About fifty thousand more a year."
"Holy shit," I said.
My step stepdad laughed. "Holy shit is right. The new job doesn't start for a couple weeks so I'll be able to relax a little at home for once."
My mom started to eat her food again. "Thats incredible news, honey. Congratulations! Should we go out and celebrate?"
"How about tomorrow night. We can go to that new expensive Japanese restaurant."
My head was already nodding before he even finished the sentence.
"So how was your day, Charlotte?" my mom asked.
I didn't even try to hide it. "Tom and I broke up I guess."
"Oh no! What happened?"
I couldn't tell them what I thought was the truth. That Tom left me because I wouldn't give it up. "I'm not sure. We had a little fight at the movie theater and now he won't return my calls."
"I'm sorry. Guys can be pieces of shits some time," Colby said, rubbing my shoulder.
"Don't worry, Charlotte, the perfect man is out there for you. Just wait and see," my mom said.
Little did I or my mom know, that man was sitting at the dinner table with us.
–
The next couple weeks were a little interesting to say the least. Colby was home all the time which was the opposite of before. He usually worked late nights and I barely saw him since my mom married him.
I was supposed to be looking for a job but I wanted to experience one last summer as a kid before going out into the real world. My mom didn't understand it but Colby did. We had fallen into a routine since he was home all the time.
I woke up to pancakes and bacon every morning which were always delicious. Then after that we would sit on the couch in our pajamas and watch the morning game shows like the Price is Right. We would get really into it, yelling and screaming at the TV for the contestant to choose the right answer. It was a lot of fun and Colby and I were really bonding.
"So Charlotte, what game show are we watching this morning? Temple Run or Family Fight?"
I rubbed my chin. "I think I'm in the mood for Temple Run."
Colby clicked the channel over and spread a blanket over both of us. I felt so safe and comfortable when I was around him. That morning, I barely watched any TV. I just sat and stared at Colby. His perfect face, his perfect hair, and I couldn't forget about his perfect body. The way his muscles bulged out of his shirt made me swoon. I didn't even really realize I was staring until Colby made eye contact with me and pointed at the Television.
I snapped back to reality and watched Temple Run. The contestants had to answer trivia questions as they traversed a wacky obstacle course. The team that made it to the end first won the grand prize of ten thousand dollars.
After the show was over, I went up to my room and lay in bed. Maybe Colby was the perfect man for me. The one my mom was talking about. But how could he be? He was married to my mom. It was forbidden. Taboo...