Mother's Intuition

"Hey mom, can I borrow your credit card?"

"Heavens no!"

"...Can you give me some money then?"

She was using her sweet voice... I knew she was up to no good just by looking at the way her eyes blinked so much. What could it have been this time?

"Oh sure," I told her, taking out my wallet. I took out a single dollar bill and gave it to her. Even Veronica couldn't have committed so much trouble with just a dollar.

"Mom!" she exclaimed in her you're-ruining-my-life sort of voice. "I need a little more than this."

Staying calm, I asked her, "Whatever for?"

"Don't you get it?! I need a costume for Halloween!"

Halloween? What was a sixteen year old girl doing still trick or treating?

"You're going out to trick or treat?" I asked, slightly confused. Was this the new trend?

She groaned, frustrated. "Mom! We're in the 21st century!" -I hated when she told me that, it made me feel old- "I'm not going trick or treating, I'm going to a costume party!"

"A party?" I asked, smiling. Trying ever so hard to warm up to her, I added, "Will there be any 'cute' boys?"

She groaned, once against in utter frustration. "Just give me the money! Please!"

"Why don't we just make you a nice costume out of cardboard and-"

"MOM!"

---

As it turned out, Veronica needed a ride. Her father wasn't back home from work, so I had to drive her.

"Zip up your coat," I told her when we were walking to my car. "You'll catch a cold out here!"

"Mom, how the hell am I supposed to zip up my coat when my coat doesn't have a zipper? They're called buttons."

Keeping my patience as best as I could, I tried my best not to argue with her anymore. We both entered the car.

I spoke with her, but she seemed to be ignoring me. I found the source when I saw ear buds in her ears and when I heard her loud yet muffled music.

Her music very much upset my ears.

What was that?

Challenging my daughter, I turned the car radio on. My music was far better than her inappropriate music.

I put the music on loud enough to make her yet again groan in frustration.


When we got to the party store, Veronica very rudely told me, "Give me the money and stay in the parking lot."

"Veronica!" I scolded, demanding for her to at least ask politely.

"FINE," she told me with crossed arms. She began to use her sweet voice again.

"Please stay in the parking lot and give me money?"

"I have a better idea," I said, and I smiled.

She frowned as if she knew what was coming.

---

"Are those undergarments for your actual costume?" I asked politely, not very sure at all as I was staring at the very little clothes on the hanger she held.

"No, mom. This IS the costume."

I couldn't help but to gasp. "You're going naked!? No, Veronica, I won't allow-"

"Dude! This is not going naked! Its just a costume! God!"

"You'll be exposing your entire body! Look! That tiny shirt! Those tiny little pants-"

"They're shorts, mom."

"Isn't that fabric see through!? What are you even going as!?"

"Its a cat costume." She showed me a long tail and cat ears. "Duh."

"Cats look nothing like that! Look, I've picked out a few things for you while you were looking for that."

She gave me a sour, embarrassed look as I showed her a cute costume of a nice flower.

"Isn't this nice? See, Veronica, it even comes with green slippers and flower petals for your head!"

"Mom. Wtf. Those are striped bell bottom pants with a extra large long sleeved shirt. NO."

Getting slightly aggravated, but keeping my calm as always, I showed her the next costume I picked out for her.

"A unicorn? Do you hate me!?"

"Well why not!"

"Look," she told me after giving me a face palm. "I found this one other costume." She showed it to me hoping for my approval.

"NO," I told her with just one look at the leather super tight pants. Then, I looked at the shirt of the costume. What WAS that!? It was all torn up at the bottom like someone ran over it! Was she going as roadkill!?

"But I'd look like a really cool ninja!"

"How does that outfit depict a ninja!? You'll look like roadkill with that torn up shirt!"


She groaned, ONCE MORE, in frustration.

And for the first time that day, I did too.

---

We went around the store, searching for a sort of a compromise.

We found no costume we could both agree on.


None at all.

We sat back in the car, and Veronica immediately began to complain about...well, basically everything.

"I have no costume! How am I gonna go to the party without a costume? Everyone except me is gonna be there..."

"Now, Veronica," I said, attempting to calm her. "Instead of going to the party, why don't you just stay home?"

"And do WHAT?"

"We could watch a movie or build a jigsaw puzzle."

"YOU HATE ME!"

---

Veronica was quiet during the car ride. She seemed very upset about not getting a costume.

When we arrived home, she not once even complained about how I was "ruining her life" or how I "hated her". She, very silently and almost maturely, only went into her room.

Intuition began kicking in, and I just knew that Veronica had been upset about more than just a silly costume.

But what could it have possibly been? I considered everything. Her inappropriate clothing choices-why would a teenage girl dress like that?

It hit me.

Veronica had a little crush and was trying to impress him~



I dug into my closet trying to find a very last minute costume for my brokenhearted daughter.


I found my old wedding dress that I had kept so very well preserved. It was a beautiful dress, and I had only worn it once. I was sure Veronica would love it.

This time, I was sure.

I knocked on her bedroom door and invited myself in. "Veronica?" I asked, softly.

She looked away from her iPod and over to me.

"What is it?" she asked, and I saw her eyes light up when she caught notice of the large gown I held.

I told her she could wear it to her costume party so long as she didn't tear it up and turn it into roadkill in any way.

Delighted, she pulled me into a very awkward hug.

We hadn't hugged for what felt like years, and the hug only lasted for a few seconds.

"Thank you," she said quietly to my greatest of surprise. I had not expected her to thank me.

Then, she took the dress and shooed me out of the room so that she could try it on.


When she came out of the room, the dress made her look like a beautiful princess bride.

Smiling wearily, I told her, "You'd better be back before it gets dark."

"Yeah, that'll happen," she said sarcastically.

And just like that, our constant bickering and quarrels began all over again.

But for the few seconds we truly showed our love for each other and for moments like it...



Moments like those were what made me push everything else aside and made me p r o u d  to be Veronica's mother.
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