I smiled. "Hi mom."

The biggest smile plastered her face, showing her smile lines and crows feet.

"Oh Trevor..." she smiled, pulling me in for a hug.

She pulled away after a very tight hug, holding me at arms length.

"I missed you! You need to come over more often and-" she stopped. Looking over at Jay. "Who's this?"

I smiled. "Mom, this is Jaylynn. My boyfriend. Jay, say hi..." I cooed in his ear, trying to coax him out of his newly formed shell.

"H-hi..." he looked at her from behind me, still peaking from behind my back and around my shoulder.

"Trevor, if you stole this poor kid, I swear to god-" she made an angry face at me, I put my hands up in defense.

"Geez mom! No! He's just... really nervous right now." I grabbed Jays hand, he gripped it tight, holding onto my back.

"Hmm... alright. Come in then!" Her mood immediately shifted back to the happy one she was in before.

"Come on baby..." he let go of my back slowly.

"Daddy up?" He pouted, looking back and forth from my mom with her back turned, and back to me.

I smiled, picking him up and setting him on my hip. He clung to me like his life depended on in, and I just leaned my head against his, smiling.

"You both want anything to eat? Drink?" She turned around, looking at Jay who was on my hip, and probably wearing something out of the ordinary for my mom.

She looked back up at me with a confused look across her face, looking like she wanted to say something. I shook my head, letting her know that now wasn't the time. She nodded her head slowly, avoiding that subject for the time being.

"Jay sweetie, you want anything?" My mom smiled, reaching her hand out to Jay.

Jay looked hesitantly at her hand, looking back into her eyes. I looked at her as well, and saw nothing but love. I knew she'd be her usual self no matter what.

"Juice?" He looked back up and me and I nodded.

"Juice it is. Trevor, you want anything?" I shook my head, smiling as she grabbed out a Caprisun from the fridge, handing it to Jay with the straw inserted.

Jay slowly grabbed it from my moms hand, slowly sucking down the juice, leaning his head on my shoulder.

"So how've you been? You never call me." She pouted.

"Sorry Ma, it's just been hectic lately. But I'm great." I smiled, kissing Jays forehead as he giggled.

"That's good to hear baby." She smiled, folding her arms across her chest. She'd gestured her head towards the couch and I followed her to the living room.

She sat down in the loveseat across from the couch, and I sat with Jay straddling my lap. Slowly rubbing my hand up and down his back.

"So tell me, what's new? Well, besides Jay." She smiled.

"Well... since the last time I called... geez, I got promoted, stopped drinking as much, stopped sulking, and got Jay. Oh, I made some friends as well." I smiled. She looked as happy as me.

"That's great baby. I'm so happy for you." She looked at her hands for a moment, smiling contently.

"Daddy... I's hungry..." Jay whispered to me, but not very quietly. My mom gave me a confused look, seeing if she heard him right. I just ignored her stare and focused on Jay.

"Go to the fridge baby and grab something."

"Otay..." he got out of my lap, swiftly running to the kitchen. "No running!" I heard his footsteps die down, pacing himself. I smiled, looking back at my mom, my smile dropped and I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I don't even know what to ask..." my mom looked at her hands, fiddling with her thumbs.

"He's a little mom. He's 19, but sometimes he slips into this space where he acts and talks like a child. When he's in that space, I'm like his caregiver... I know this might not make sense, believe me, I'm still new to this, but I'm hoping you'll accept it, whether or not you understand it..." she looked up at me, and unreadable expression on her face.

"Of course baby... whatever makes you both happy." She smiled lightly.

"And one more thing... he may or may not call you Grandma Ina..." she glared at me.

"I'm not old enough to be a grandma!" She sassed, I just laughed.

"Whatever Ma." She chuckled.

Jay walked in the living room with a small cookie in hand. "Daddy, can I has cookie?" He held up the small store bought sugar cookie.

"Sure baby, just sit on the floor, please don't make a mess." He smiled, quickly walking in front of me, plopping on the floor, and nibbling at the cookie. My mom smiled as she watched him contently.

"You'll be a good dad one day..." she smiled looking at Jay. Tears peaked at my eyes as I smiled.

"Thanks mom..." I looked down at Jay who was happily eating. Slowly. But happily.

She nodded her head, watching Jay eat.

"You guys want Lunch?" She looked at Jay as he stared back. I nodded my head, Jay nodding as well.

"Alright. Mac and Cheese?" She stood up, clapping her hands together once.

"CHEESE!!" Jay said happily.

My mom giggled. "He likes cheese." I said looking at my mom. We both laughed a bit together before she walked off into the kitchen.

I smiled down at Jay as he looked up at me. I patted my lap and he smiled widely. Happily getting up to straddle me.

I caressed his face, he leaned into my hand, grabbing my hand with his. Keeping my hand in place.

He looked at me with his big brown eyes. I saw a flicker within them, knowing I was talking to Jay and not his little side.

"Well hi princess." I cooed in his ear and he smiled.

"Hi..." he kissed my temple.

"You doin alright princess?" He tilted his head, smiling slightly.

"For the circumstances, I'm doing great." He smiled, leaning into my face, placing gentle kisses on my lips.

He grabbed my face, pulling me closer to him. I smiled against his light kisses, he just giggled. His laughs sending butterfly's to my stomach.

"Eh! No sex in my living room!" Jay jumped a bit, straightening up. I just laughed as I heard my moms chuckle from the kitchen.

"She's just picking on you gorgeous. It's how we show our love in this family." He side eyed me, trying to tell me it wasn't funny. I just laughed. "You'll get used to it." He smiled, seeming brighter than it should have for my comment. I wonder what he's thinking...

"I think I should properly meet your mom... I think she'd want some questions answered anyway..." Jay rubbed the back of his neck, looking at me through his over grown bangs.

"Sure princess... you want me to come, or no?" He shook his head.

"I think I should talk to her alone." I smiled.

"Just holler if you need me." He smiled, kissing my nose before getting up and walking towards the kitchen.

He said I'll get used to it... either I'm reading to much into it, or he's insinuating that he wants me around for longer. Long enough to know I'll be used to his family customs.

I smiled as I walked to the kitchen, pulling at the sleeves of my dress.

"Hey sweetheart, you want to-" his mom turned around, realizing it was me and not her son.

"Hi ma'am..." I smiled, giving a small wave. She tilted her head slightly, trying to read me.

"You need somethin' sugar?" Her midwestern accent poked through her smile, giving a comforting motherly love that I don't think I ever got in the way I needed.

"Oh, um... yeah, I wanted to talk to you." She hummed, stirring the Mac and cheese in the pot (I made this joke before it was relevant XD) before turning back to me, crossing her arms.

"What's up?" She smiled with one corner of her mouth.

"Well um... I'm sure you have questions, and I just want to make things clear... no miss understandings. Ask me anything." She nodded her head slowly.

"Well... I don't want to be rude. I can tell this is who you are, and I don't want to be the one to question that." I smiled, looking at the ground.

"That's sweet ma'am, but I'd rather you ask questions so you understand. It takes a lot to offend me, I promise." She nodded her head, collecting her thoughts.

"Okay then sweetheart... alright... pronouns? I don't know these days... it's hard to keep up with the generations." I chuckled a bit.

"I agree. But he him. I'm a guy, I just like girly things. They make me feel more... me." She nodded her head, smiling.

"Alright... okay. So, you're not Transgender, or non-bi- oh geez, what's the word. Non-binary! Okay okay... hmm... so... what's a, what did he call it..." she paused for a moment. "That... space thing..." she snapped her fingers trying to collect her thoughts.

"Little space?" I tilted my head.

"That!" She snapped, pointing at me, smiling.

"Well... it's like a comfort zone in my head. Typically I like to go there when something bad is going on around me and don't feel safe. It's my safe place. But sometimes I don't have control over it, so that was one of the ones I didn't realize I was in."

"Alright... so it's like your happy place. Like I go to the beach when I want to hit someone with a spoon!" She chuckled.

"I guess you could put it that way." I smiled. She turned back to the pot, stirring.

"My sons not doing anything bad is he? Hurting you, mental abuse, etc." she looked at me with just her eyes, still facing the pot. And for the first time, I realize Trevor has her eyes. Honey brown. They'll suck you in.

"Oh geez, no no no... he's so sweet and respectful... you raised him well..." I smiled, holding my own hand in my lap.

"Good. I may love him, but if he starts doing that, I won't hesitate to beat the shit out of his ass with my spoon." I chuckled. She reminds me of Nana. They'd get along...

"Thank you Ma'am..." I smiled.

"Okay. First off. Call me Regina. Second, why are you thanking me child?" Her motherly love poked through in that simple sentence.

"O-okay... well this is the first time that I've felt this much care from a person that wasn't Trevor or my Nana. So thank you... for caring."

"Oh sweetie, bless your heart..." she pulled me into a hug. Her being taller than me, made my face fit into the crook of her neck. She must have been around 5'7.

I pulled her back into the hug, burying my face into her neck.

"Alright child, lets fatten you up." She pulled away, pinching my cheeks. I smiled.

She turned off the stove and stirred it one last time.

She grabbed the bowls from a cabinet above. Handing me one

"Wanna know my secret to good Mac and cheese?" I nodded my head. "More cheese." She winked.

I smiled as she fished me up. "Cover your ears baby." I set my bowl down, covering my ears.

"TREVOR ALLEN BRYANT!!! LUNCH IS READY!" I chuckled at the use of his middle name. She made it sound like he was in trouble.

"Yes ma. I heard you." He chuckled, kissing her on the cheek before grabbing his bowl. "Thank you ma." She smiled.

"You're welcome. Now it my job to fatten this kid up while he's here." She tapped his head with a wooden spoon as he tried to serve himself.

"Okay Ma okay!" He chuckled, using his free hand to block from the spoon.

"Good! Now, go eat kids." She smiled, serving herself the last of the Mac and cheese.

Me and Trevor gathered at the table, sitting next to each other. Each eating. I didn't want to be rude and not eat, but sometimes it's hard. But I ate anyway, knowing that such a sweet woman did something sweet for me.

"How's Georgia?" His mom sat down across from us with a big smile plastered on her face.

"It's great Ma. I like it there. I think it's still a little small for my taste, but it was a good place to start new." Trevor smiled as he went back to eating.

"What about you sweetheart?" She smiled at me.

"I like it there... but I've lived there my whole life... I need a change when it comes time." When my mom is safe... along with Freddy...

I half smiled down at my bowl. She looked at me, trying to psychoanalyze me. She hummed, nodding. I guess trying not to push it.

We sat in a comfortable silence till we all finished, including me. She happily stood up, grabbing our bowls from us.

"Still hungry?" She looked at us as she walked in the opposite direction, only turning her head to face us.

"I'm okay Ma, Jay?"

"No I'm fine. Thank you though!" She smiled, walking towards the sink.

Once she was out of ear range, Trevor turned to me, grabbing my hand. "Everything go well?"

"Oh yeah! I like her... she reminds me of Nana." I chuckled.

"That's how I felt when I met Nana. Felt like a shorter, Latina version of my mom." I chuckled. Knowing fully well it was true.

"Y'all talkin about me?" She poked her head around the kitchen.

"All good things Regina... all good things." I smiled. She gave a cheeky grin, walking back further into the kitchen.

"She's letting you call her Regina?" I nodded my head. "Wow... she must like you then." He kissed the top of my head. I smiled, feeling special.

I'm happy that she likes me. It made the weight lift off my shoulders.

Trevor held my hand under the table, making circles with his thumb.

"Alright! Who wants to make cookies?!" She walked out of the kitchen with an electric whisk in hand.

I smiled, "I'll help!" I quickly got out of my seat, walking to he kitchen.

This is the mother bonding I feel like I missed out on. At least it's with her... I feel a whole new relationship forming, and I felt ready for it.

XXX

😂