The Doctor Is Out

(Wounds build character. How? Find out on this week's Jared's Inkwell! -JMG)

Story Sent in by Joanna:

On my third date with Malcolm, he asked me if I was "ready."

"Ready for what?" I asked.

"Ready to meet my mother."

His father lived a few hundred miles away, but other than that tidbit, I knew absolutely nothing about his parents. He had barely mentioned them. I told him, "Really? I'd love to meet her."

He gave me a grim look, prompting me to ask, "What's wrong?"

"You'll see," he said, and clammed up to any further investigation.

A few days later, he invited me to his mother's house and we took separate cars there. We all sat down together and she seemed... normal. Very nice and sweet and motherly. She was a nurse. Being a medical doctor, myself, we had a lot to talk about. Malcolm, actually, came across as brusque and rude. He made grand sighs and rolled his eyes and was generally a little asshat.

We talked a bit about our jobs, then focused on me a bit, then we talked about Malcolm.

At one point, Malcolm's mother said, "Did he tell you he was his high school valedictorian?"

Malcolm had not in fact mentioned that. I was about to playfully scold him about it when he stood up and yelled at his mother, "STOP KEEPING ME A PRISONER! I AM NOT YOUR DOLLY-MOLLY!" and then he ran out to his car and drove away.

A little confused and a lot worried, I asked his mother, "Something we said?"

She shrugged and replied, "That's just Malcolm."

She offered me tea and biscotti, and I've never been one to turn down tea and biscotti. After chatting (a little awkwardly) for another few minutes, I politely left and drove home. For a little bit, I wasn't sure what to do next. Ultimately, I decided that I'd wait for Malcolm to contact me and I'd play it by ear.

A day later, he texted me, "Hi."

Since I required a bit more explanation than that, I waited for him to write me more before responding.

Still waiting. Only not really.