And her name is Elaina…
There’s another woman in my son’s life. Her name is Elaina. She’s petite with lovely dark hair and brown eyes.
It all started a month or so ago when my 10-year-old boy came home with a slim yarn bracelet around his wrist.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Oh, um – a girl gave it to me,” he replies, eyes diverted.
“Really? Who?” I say with a great attempt to seem disinterested when in reality my ears prick straight up like Scooby Doo.
“Elaina. I don’t want to talk about it, Mom, okay?” he states, punctuated by his attempt to put me in a headlock, which must mean he really, really does not want to discuss it further. “Don’t tell Dad.”
So I keep Elaina on the down low. We don’t talk about it, but I check her out on his classroom photo. “My first competition,” my heart says faintly. “Don’t be ridiculous,” my intelligent brain answers. “Does she make his breakfast? Does she put out his baseball gear? Does she perform all manner of personal valet services? Not a chance.” And yet, the Elaina seed is planted.
Just when I think we are beyond Elaina and my boy is back to being his regular “girls are yucky” self, he drops the bomb on me. As I tuck him in like I’ve done every day of his life, he mumbles with his face stuffed in the pillow, “Mom, I have to tell you something. Elaina is my girlfriend.”
Not the G word? Not yet. My mind races ahead and sees Elaina taking my place as #1 Superhero Enforcer of all that is Awesome in my son’s life. A tiny pit opens up in my heart.
“What does it mean to have a girlfriend?” I ask cautiously.
That’s when my boy turns to me and with a bewildered expression says, “I haven’t a clue.”
Inside I sigh with relief and I know we have time. His tiny boy heart still belongs to mommy.
Lisa Birrell is a wife, mom to one 10-year old boy, and works in marketing. She loves fashion, vegetarian cooking and combat sports (yep, makes no sense). She also digs exercising at 5 a.m. and, most of all, hanging out with her family. One day she will attend a Star Wars convention as demanded by her son, preferably dressed as Chewbacca. Lisa wrote a piece for The Full Moxie titled “Smackdown!” in February, and one titled “Go bold with spring’s new brights” in March.
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