Taking Chances Read Online Free PDF Page B

in a room with a bare light bulb and shackle me to a chair until I confess my intentions towards her daughter?”
     
    “Handcuffs, not shackles, and you’re not helping. I just want you to take this seriously and be prepared. She’s a handful.”
     
    “Like mother, like daughter,” I said, kissing Chloe on the forehead. “She already knows about us, right? So, the hard part is over.”
     
    “Yeah, I told her that—ouch!”
     
    “Oh, sorry,” I said, rolling off of her.
     
    “No, not that. Leg cramp. Anyway, I told her that we had gotten close without going into too much detail. I told her that you were an actor. Oh! She was very excited to hear about your audition on Monday. She loves Shining Moments, so you have that going for you, and I told her you were white.”
     
    “Was that important?”
     
    Chloe was lying on her side facing me with her head resting in her hand. “I don’t know, but it didn’t seem like I should leave it out. Don’t you think?” A funny look crossed her face. “Patrick, you did tell your parents that I’m black, didn’t you?”
     
    “No, I didn’t think it was important.”
     
    “What?” Chloe sat up suddenly. “You’re kidding me, right?”
     
    “No, I’m not kidding. I told them what you do, and that you’re great, and that we’re involved. And I told them that I’m happy. What else do they need to know?”
     
    “Don’t you think they may freak out a little bit? You already said you’ve never dated a black girl before and now you’re bringing one home.”
     
    “Why would they freak out? They’re not like that, Chloe.”
     
    “Well, how do you know? I mean—”
     
    “Hmmm, let’s see. I think I would remember family cross-burning barbecues.”
     
    Chloe slapped me on the arm. “Don’t be a smartass.”
     
    “Chloe, my family knows black people. My brother Liam’s best friend is black. My father worked with a few black firefighters.”
     
    “Patrick, knowing black people and working with them is not the same as having your son bring home a black girl for Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t believe you didn’t think my race was worth mentioning.”
     
    I wasn’t being completely honest with Chloe. The thought of telling my parents that she was black had crossed my mind and I’d decided not to. Of course I wondered how they’d react to Chloe being black, but it seemed to me that mentioning it beforehand would be like admitting there was something wrong with it.  I’d never heard either of my parents, or any of my siblings for that matter, utter a racist word my whole life. I trusted that my family was the family I knew them to be.
     
    “Chloe, just trust me. They’re going to love you no matter what color you are.”
    ***
    The next morning Chloe’s inner struggle was obvious. She was excited to see her mother, but nervous at us meeting for the first time. She’d burned the toast at breakfast twice and, when she wasn’t in the kitchen preparing dinner, she was in her bedroom double-checking that it was perfect since it’s where her mother would be sleeping.
     
    “I can’t believe you’re going to sleep on the sofa,” I said as I sliced yams at the kitchen counter.
     
    “We’ve been over this,” Chloe responded while rinsing off a green leafy vegetable in the sink. “I just don’t think it would be appropriate for us to sleep together while she’s here.”
     
    “You think she’s not going to know we’re sleeping together?”
     
    “She may, but she doesn’t have to know know, you know?”
     
    “No, but I’m sure that made sense somehow. Doesn’t matter though, she’s your Mom. You know her better than I do. Just remember this conversation when you wake up tomorrow with a pain in your neck.” I walked over to the sink and placed a quick kiss on the back of her neck.
     
    “Don’t start. We have so much to do before she gets here.”
     
    “Like what?” I asked, going back to my potato slicing duties.