"Mom," Kevin called out from the top of the stairs. "Do you have a clue what I did with the power cord for my laptop? I can't find it anywhere."
Coming to the bottom of the stairs, his mother shook her head in amusement. "Calm down and check in your carry bag."
"Oh…yeah. I didn't think about that. Sorry. I'm just…"
"Going in six directions at one time." She laughed. "Understandable, but you will get everything packed well before it's time to leave for your flight."
"I know." He came down the stairs to hug her. "I'm going to miss you."
"For a few days, maybe." She ruffled his short, dark brown hair. "Then you'll be too busy with classes and new friends to even think about me." She gave an exaggerated pout, which made him grin.
"Not even," he protested. "If it wasn't for your pushing and prodding me, I wouldn't be going off to college. I'd be flipping burgers at some fast-food joint instead."
"Bull. I just… Okay, so maybe I did push a little, but that's only because I want the best for you…and I'm getting maudlin. Go back upstairs and finish packing. We leave in two hours."
"Oh hell." Kevin sped back to his room after hugging her again.
Looking at the two large suitcases laid out on his bed, each still half empty, he set to work again, muttering, "Should have started this yesterday, like Mom said."
He began tossing in clothes and necessities willy-nilly, stopped, and started again, this time folding them properly. Finally, a little over an hour later, he carried the suitcases downstairs, placing them by the back door.
"You're sure you have everything you need?" his mother asked, adding with a straight face, "Maybe I should go up and check."
"Geesh, Mom, I'm eighteen. If I don't know what to take and what to leave behind, I need my head examined."
She laughed, then told him to sit down and eat, putting two plates with sandwiches and carrot sticks on the table.
As they ate, they talked about college, his getting settled into his new, if tiny, furnished apartment, and into his classes. Once again she apologized for not being able to go with him.
"Mom, it's okay. Honest. I know you can't miss work again after the time you took off to help me find the apartment. I'll be just fine."
"You'll call as soon as you're there?"
"No. I thought I'd just ignore you from the moment I get on the plane."
"Kev…" she grumbled.
"Mom…" he grumbled back before grinning. "Of course I'll call. Probably more than you want me to."
She smiled, patting his hand. "Uh-huh. That could never happen. Now finish up, because we should get moving. Time and planes wait for no one."
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