Just when you think it is over

Just when you think it is over

      Lynda was enjoying the first minutes of the  morning lying quietly awake  in her big king sized bed from .  She had invisioned the day and figured she had a good hour on her daughter Samantha.  she was very happy today as to day was Samantha's birthday; 16 years old.  Lynda thought of how she was just about done raising this beautiful carbon copy of herself, how soon she would be off to college and then marriage and maybe a grandkid or two.  Yup , that was how it was...........no more responsibiltity, no husband to tie her down, nothing. 

    Lynda's husband had died in a car wreck when Sam was just a baby.  It had taken Lynda years to get over it but when she did she flourished, blossomed, became a whole new person.  She doted on Samantha who became her best friend.    Lynda and Sam were unstoppable, they did everything together.  If there was somewhere Sam wasn't welcome you can darn well bet that Lynda would not set foot there.  Now Lynda was getting prepared for Sam's inevetable leave from the nest.  She figured that if she started now that in two years when Samantha went off to college it wouldn't be such a devastating event.  Heck, she thought, I am still young myself.  Lots of things I can still do.  Lynda was even looking forward to it.  She took in a deep cleansing breath and sighed it heavily out and got even more relaxed.

    "Mom!"  Lynda was startled from her thoughts by her "best friend" standing in the doorway doing the mom I need to talk to you stare. 
"Well if it isn't the birthday girl.  Good morning angel."  "Umm mom I need to talk to you."
"oooo sounds important.  Tell you what, gimme time to brush the fuzz of my teeth and I will meet you down stairs for a big 16 year old birthday breakfast. How's that?"  "No mom , I  need to talk to you now."  Ohh come on now give ole mom a chance to wake up.  It can't be that bad." She said as she shuffled Sam out of the door and finished her response through the 2 inch oak door.  " I' right behind you.....promise.   

  Lynda did a quickie brush and rinse of her teeth, brushed her long brown hair , and took the stairs 2 at a time breezing past Sam to the frige grabbing the juice and eggs out and putting them on the counter.  "Now what is so important that you needed me  now I mean gosh shouldn't we be planning our mom and daughter celebration for tonight before we have everyone over for the real bash and...........  "MOM I'M PREGNANT!!'    Lynda froze. Every muscle in her body locked up inclulding the hand holding the glass full of orange juice towards Samantha.  It froze though in a knee jerk fashion and the glass went crashing to the floor.    "What?"  Lynda meekly and quietly asked as if saying it any louder would make it all too true and make her daughter's belly grow instantaneously.    "I'm pregnant." Sam repeated this time, with a quieter , what do I do now tone in her voice.  Lynda shook her head and bent over to pick up the broken glass that was amidst the orange juice puddle on the floor.  "Mom?"    "I heard you..............I just, I , what in heaven's gate is this?  Is this some kind of joke..........a birthday joke on me;?I mean because you have it backwards it is your birthday.  Not mine and shouldn't there be like a camera or something ?
  I mean is this because you overheard me talking to Nanna about how I wished I could've had more babies with your dad?  Because I have a sense of humor you know...........I can laugh with the best of them?  But come on! Times up.........time for the punch line........gag's up."  "No mom, it's not a joke. I'm going to have a baby."  "But , your an A student, on the debating team, you went to junior missions at church!  You don't even have a boyfriend!"  Lynda annouced with revaltion in her voice like she was Sherlock Holmes and it was all elementary my dear Watson.  Because her daughter couldn't possilbly be pregnant if she didn't have a boyfriend .........no way. 
"Mom why do you have to be rediculous now.........don't turn into nanna now of all times! "
Sam said with distaste as she ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room slamming the door.  Lynda stood there for several minutes trying to regroup the little voices in the insane asylum of her head, (the loudest of which was her mother's voice) so she could go and talk calmly to her ............her baby.


    Lynda stood outside Samantha's bedroom door and tried the knob.  No good, it was locked.
She knocked softly,  'Samantha?  Sam?  Sammy Jammy?  Sammmyyyyyy Jammmyyyy?"
She heard the lock on the door turn and slowly it opened. Samantha stood there looking at Lynda like a little lost sheep .  " Momma." she said as she started to cry and leaned into Lynda's body, wrapping her arms around her.  "Awww Sammy, I'm sorry.  I guess you turn into your mother no matter what you do to try and avoid it it just happens and usually at the worst possible time."
I was just hoping I could save it for your wedding or seniltiy."  With that they both laughed through the tears.  "It'll all be ok.  We will work it all out. I'm here baby, i'm here.  But swear one thing for me Sam."  Do not let this kid call me nanna."  With that they both laughed so hard they cried again. " 
It was then that Lynda realized that parenting is never really over, it just changes and evolves.  So what if things hadn't gone as she had planned.  What fun is the stuff you expect?  It is the little surprises that make life fun and weren't they going to have fun the three of them together.  The world was their oyster.............and baby makes three.  Even if not in the traditional sense.  Yes, her parenting wasn't over, it was just beginning