Tiny Tim

“Of course I do, Darling.” she responded firmly, but then her voice turned apologetic. “I’m just ... I don’t know what to expect.”

“Something good, I think.” I reached for her hand and squeezed it, feeling her return the gesture as a small smile came upon her face.

That smile vanished another minute later, as she realized where we were going. The rest of the drive, she simply alternated between staring at me with big, hope filled eyes, and the scenery flying past us.

When we arrived at the house, I walked around the car to open the door for her, and she tentatively took my offered hand to get out of her seat as well. Then, she just stood there, wringing her hands, as the rest of the family took position.

“Tim? Can I leave you the honor?” John asked, with a big smirk on his face.

“Right.” I said ceremoniously, before taking Mom’s and Ava’s hands, and leading them into the house.

“No!” Mom called out upon seeing her old furniture where it had stood for so many years before. “But ... We sold the house! How!?”

John laughed at the astonished faces surrounding us while Danny clung to his arm with a bright smile on her face.

“Yes. You sold it to ‘T.B. Holding’, Mom. That’s me! Well, it’s eighty percent me and twenty percent Jo...”

That was how far I got before Mom threw her body into mine, wrapped her arms around my neck, and forcefully pulled me towards her for a very unmotherly kiss.

“Oh, my Darling Son!” she called out half laughing, half crying. “I can’t believe this! You saved our home! I love you so much, Baby!”

As she said that, she covered my face in dozens of little kisses. I knew this house meant a lot to her, but I really only understood how much it meant to her at that very moment. Soon I felt Ava’s arms wrap around my torso, as she, too, started thanking me profoundly for saving her childhood home.

“By the way, Mike.” Danny finally couldn’t contain herself any longer. “T.B. Holding is also the same company that bought your new house. And the condo for Ava and Maggie. John and I just acted as Tim’s intermediaries”

I saw Grandpa stare at her baffled, while Granny was simply glad to see her daughter and granddaughter so happy.

What followed was a tour through the house, so Mom and Ava could see the new furniture I bought, and how I furnished the rooms. When they realized that I retained the old room arrangements, and even placed everything in Ava’s room as I had remembered, it earned me another round of kisses and hugs. When we passed my old room, however, Mom stopped abruptly.

“What is it?” I asked, noticing her stare towards the room.

“Your old room ... It’s empty.” she responded quietly, like she was lost in thought.

“Yes. So?”

I had a suspicion regarding her statement. I wanted her to say it, though.

“What if...” she started tentatively before turning towards me. “What if I’d rather stay with you, Darling?”

“In my apartment?” I asked, and her eyes dropped to the floor.

“If ... that’s where you want to stay.” she hinted, and I could no longer suppress my grin.

I acted like I thought about it for a second, but couldn’t keep that up for long while looking at her desperate display.

“Well, now that you mention it ... My lease is only for a year.” I mused, and noticed the gleaming hope in Mom’s eyes when she suddenly looked up at me. “Since I was sixteen when I signed it, the conditions are pretty bad. So, the plan was for me to sign a new one, with the regular conditions, once I turned eighteen. I guess, if you want me to stay with you, I could...”

“YES!” she suddenly burst out. “Oh, Darling! Please! I have dreamed of having my Baby back home!”

“Alright.” I said, and, again, she threw herself against me, thanking me over and over again for that ‘gift’ I made her.

I decided against listing off all the facts that played into this decision at that very moment. After all, my apartment’s rent was paid up until the end of the lease now, so unless I could find someone to take it off my hands, it would remain readily available for me anyway. Also, living with my family rent free sounded a lot better than paying twelve-hundred dollars each month for a smaller place. But, at that moment, having my ecstatic mother clinging to me, for no other reason than my decision to live with her again, felt simply good.

The following weekend, everyone helped me move back into the house. Mom and Ava were absolutely delighted the whole time, even the taxing physical labor couldn’t dampen their mood. However, the move presented us with a significant logistical problem. My apartment was a lot bigger than my old room, had a lot more furniture than my old room, and we were reluctant to simply throw away all that furniture that was barely six months old.

“You know...” Mom started, after catching me alone. “I don’t want to seem pushy, Darling. But I’ve gotten used to sleeping next to you. So, how about we turn your old room into your new office? And in the evenings ... you just ... share my bed?”