Does Mom know? 

By J.P. Nix

   Like most households, things can get extremely hectic, and life at 171 Mishap Place is no different.  Always rushing here and there, doing the necessary things to enjoy a comfortable life.  Between working, going to school, having a family, etc, well I’m sure you know how it can be sometimes. 

            Such as things are with our busy schedules, dinner sometimes can come down to a frozen entrées from our local grocery store when we are in a real rush.  We go in the habit of buying this one particular frozen lasagna that we would have every week.

            One day I was at the store standing in line, browsing the magazines when I came across the store’s own magazine that had several recipes in it.  One of the recipes called Vegetable Lasagna looked interesting, I thought, and begin to read the directions.  It seemed simple enough to make, so I bought the magazine.  That night I told my wife Nancy of my plans to make homemade lasagna.  She said she thought it would be a great idea, and she advised me to make sure I had everything I needed before I started. 

            With my magazine in hand the next day, I went to my local grocery store to buy the ingredients.  One of the employees who had seen us often saw me shopping alone.

            “Where’s your wife?” she asked.  “Y’all always come together.”

            “Oh she’s at work today, and I’m making dinner tonight.  I needed a few things to complete it.”

            “What are ya making?” she asked.       

            “I thought I would try making the vegetable lasagna I found in the store magazine this month,” I said flipping to the recipe page to show her.

            “Oh that ought to be good, “she said after she read the ingredient list.

            Not being one that knows his way around the grocery store, she assisted me in selecting the items I needed.

            “Don’t forget flowers for the table Mr. Nix.  Since you’re making dinner, flowers would be an added feature I sure your wife would appreciate.”

            “Great idea, thanks for the suggested.”

            After selecting a boutique of sorted flowers from the florist section, I made the journey home.  After unloading the items from the car to the house and putting the flowers in a vase, I began making dinner.  I tried to time everything perfect so as soon as Nancy walked in the door, I would be taking dinner out of the oven.

            My stepson Dorsey came home first. 

            “What’s for dinner?”

            “Lasagna,” I smiled.

            “Oh,” he droned.

            I let him think I had made the frozen entrée like before.  Little was he aware that dear ole Step Dad had a trick up his sleeve.

            I set the table, put the flowers in the center, and took the lasagna out of the oven.  I set the dish it was in on a plate to protect the table from the heat of the glass cookware.  A basket of rolls warmed quickly in the microwave, a crisp salad in bowls, tea and Diet Coke waiting to be poured, and the table was set. 

            I watched as Nancy’s car turned in the driveway. 

            “Dorsey!” I yelled.  “Your Mom’s home, time for dinner.”

            He slowly came up the stairs making the sound of clop, clop, and clop with each stair.  He took one look at the dish on the table, and then at the clock on the wall.  “You made homemade lasagna?”

            “Yeah, I wanted to try a hand at making it.”

            The front doorknob started turning when he looked back at me. 

            “Does Mom know?” his tone lowered almost to a whisper as if I had done something wrong and he was going to help me conceal it.

            “Yes Mom knows”, I smiled.  “I told her I was going to make it.”

                                             THE END