My Heart Bleeds

Backstory: Jack spent the weekend with his grandparents last month. They went to his favorite Mexican restaurant, as always, where Jack struck up a flirtation with the hostess.

“I think she wants to go on a date with me!” he told his grandmother excitedly.

“Really?” Maw maw Linda asked. “Because I think that boy she’s talking to is her boyfriend.”

“Whoa!” Jack grumbled. “That’s not good!” But reality didn’t get in the way of him referring to the hostess as his girlfriend by the time they headed home.

Fast forward three weeks. The whole family  was visiting the grandparents, and we chose the most kid-friendly lunch spot we could think of — Jack’s favorite Mexican restaurant. Midway through our meal, he leaned over to his grandmother and asked, “Isn’t that my girlfriend over there?”

“I think so,” Maw Maw Linda agreed.

“I’m gonna go talk to her,” Jack said as he slipped from his chair.

“No sir! You’re going to finish your quesedilla,” insisted Maw Maw Linda. Jack thumped back into his seat, his face a dark cloud of disappointment. Relenting, she added, “You can talk to her when we get up to pay the check.”

After our meal, I began gathering up the rest of my brood with the help of both grandparents while Jason and Jack made their way to the counter. As he handed over our ticket and cash, he realized Jack was clinging to the back of his legs, peeking shyly out at the hostess. Jason’s heart broke a little as he watched the scene unfold. “Don’t grow up yet, buddy!” he begged silently. Wanting nothing more than to pull him close and hold him like the baby we still know him to be, he could only look on as Jack screwed up his courage and stepped boldly forward. The hostess smiled at him inquiringly, clearly not quite able to place her swain from so many weeks before. Jack returned her smile, and said quietly, “It’s nice to see you again.”

“What’s that hon?” the hostess asked.

He leaned forward a bit and repeated the line he must have been rehearsing through much of our meal, “It’s nice to see you again.”

“It’s nice to see you again, too!” she replied, obviously flattered. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Pleased to have accomplished his goal, Jack simply grinned and waved goodbye as together we headed out into the bright heat of a July afternoon. But Jack, perhaps replaying his moment of triumph, marched a few paces ahead, a happy smile lighting up his already angelic face.

So we have a taste of our future, a brief glimpse of a day that I know must come. As I tearily write these words, I can’t help but be proud of my brave, loving, wonderful boy. He’ll make some lucky girl quite a catch…someday. And I’ll do all I can to ensure that someday doesn’t come a moment too soon.