i was a stepmom

I hung out with CB's youngest son, little T, tonight. All CB's sons were grown when I met them, but little T was 18 and still pretty sweet and sentimental and, of the three of them, he's the only one who actually saw me as something of a mom-figure. I couldn't believe it and still don't really believe it, but it's true. He would actually introduce me to friends as one of his moms. And that's the kind of thing that's so casually touching it brings tears to your eyes when you're not expecting it.

So, needless to say, I love that kid and I think we have a pretty good relationship. He can talk to me in a way he can't talk to CB or his dad, but also in a way he can't talk to his peers. I'm in some liminal space between parent and pal. Maybe I'm like a cool aunt or something. I don't know. I just know that he shares personal stuff with me that he might not share with anybody else and I use all my social worker skills to listen non-judgmentally and I try to never, ever treat him like a kid and... I don't know... it just works out. And I sometimes buy him stuff, loan him money and let him use my car. So... he's like the already grown up kid I never have to birth and raise. It's perfect.

It was really good to see him tonight. I picked him up from his work and we went to a Thai place on Belmont, ate some really good food, and I listened to all his trials and travails. He joked that it was his therapy session. Then we went down to the Pied Cow for some coffee because I was falling asleep, but the coffee didn't help and pretty soon we were ready to go, so I drove him home. Driving off, after watching to make sure he got in the house ok, I felt a little like I'd just had my weekly visitation or something. Life feels so strange sometimes.