Meet the Parents
By Olivia James
I remember my mom once saying, “I never should have encouraged you girls to be so independent. I wanted to give you opportunities I never had, but I never thought that would mean all of you would move so far away.” The holidays can be a time when logistics become the most challenging. Kate is not exactly supportive of work/life balance; therefore, deadlines come before spending time with family for Christmas. So, the week after Christmas, Mom and Dad packed up their bags, along with a week’s worth of groceries, and descended upon Mountain Town. “Olivia, there are no fat people in Mountain Town,“ exclaimed Mom, as she walked up the stairs. “We should import all the people from the south to Mountain Town for a weight loss camp.” Mom was never the most politically correct in her opinions, and at 68 years old, I was not going to change her. It was also ironic that she was discussing weight management as she walked up the stairs with a least a pound of butter to prepare her southern classics for the big post-Christmas celebration. “Is that how you’re wearing your hair these days?” said Mom. I hesitated to respond because anyway you answered would be trap. “Come on in and get out of the cold!” I said, changing the subject.
Even though it had been over a year since Ryley saw Dad, he jumped into his lap, immediately falling into his role as a loyal companion. Ryley was dressed to the nines in his handsome new holiday sweater. Though Eva was not able to fly in for the celebration, she would not miss her chance to make sure he was styling. “How is my boy?” Dad said. “Want to go for a walk?“ Dad cannot sit still for very long. Before you know it, he will be on a first-name basis with most of the inhabitants of Mountain Town.
Knowing Dad’s need to be useful, I created a “to-do“ list, which included putting up some decorative ball lights on the deck. “Oh, I just need some nails and an extension cord,” said Dad, and a trip to Ace Hardware was not too far behind. One hour later, he returned with the nails, extension cord, a pink tool kit, and a cup of coffee. He also knew the entire life story of the man who owns the store and the college major of the girl behind the counter at Java Cow. In case you were wondering, she is graduating this May with a degree in environmental science. I will not be surprised if he sends me a graduation card in May, with a check enclosed, to bring to her.
Up the lights went, along with my anxiety while watching Dad navigate the ladder. He did a great job and finally took some time to relax and read his Kindle on the deck. “This is beautiful, Olivia! You can see the whole town from here,” exclaimed Dad, for the third time, as he looked up from his Kindle. I did get lucky with the location of my house. I have sweeping views of, not only Mountain Town, but also the peaks of the Wasatch Mountain Range behind the tilted mining cottages that surround me.
Mom immediately made herself at home in the kitchen. She had already reorganized the location of the pots, pans, and spices, prepping for her day of cooking. Phoebe planted herself right next to Mom, fascinated by her southern accent and culinary talents. “So, Ms. James, how did you become such an amazing chef?” she asked, mostly curious, but also drawn to her southern drawl. “Well, Phoebe,” she said, drawing out the “Phoeeee” in Phoebe. My mother cooked all the time. Her ancestors were from a region called Alsace-Lorraine, which oscillated between German and French heritage. This resulted in her cooking style capturing both cuisines. Being from New Awwwwlins (New Orleans), having access to spices and Creole cooking did not hurt, either. We were not raised consuming fast food and takeout, like many from younger generations. “Yep, I do love my Whole Foods-prepared food section because I can’t cook like you! I am blessed that Johnny knows how to cook so that he can food prep on the days I work late,” said Phoebe. “One time, Mr. James put leftovers, while still in the Styrofoam container, in the oven. What a mess! We try to avoid letting him in the kitchen,” Mom said, as she chuckled.
“I could talk to your mom all day!“ said Phoebe, as she sat across from me on the deck. Josh arrived about 10 minutes earlier and after being introduced to Mom and Dad, settled in next to Johnny. They started an intense conversation about the “powder” that hit Mountain Town earlier this week, the details of their gear, and the pros and cons of backcountry skiing. One of the cons is possibly getting caught in an avalanche, a thought that is not very comforting for Phoebe and me. Johnny and Josh have a bit of a bromance going on. This is fine most of the time, but often leads to them encouraging each other to take dangerous risks. Both are trained in avalanche safety, so we hold our breath and trust that they can handle whatever comes their way. Also, Josh’s experience as a firefighter gives him an advantage when it comes to crisis management.
Abby spent Christmas with her family and new boyfriend in Montana but made sure to get back in time for our get-together! She was not about to miss meeting Mom and Dad since she had heard so many of my stories. Charlie was always in the mood for a delicious meal and good company. This was also a welcome distraction from everything going on with Matt. He was finally answering her phone calls since his diagnosis. She knew he was not ready to talk about everything, but wanted him to know she would always be there for him, even if it meant being solely in the friend zone. They decided friendship would be the nature of their relationship, which Charlie clearly understood. I cannot imagine being told I have a terminal illness at any age, much less thirty-five years old.
As I was coming back from the restroom, I could see Mom cornering Josh. “Josh, do you belong to a church?” asked Mom. Oh, dear God, I never should have left him unattended. I watched from across the room, petrified of what she might say next. At least Dad was there to nudge her if she went too far. She handed Josh an apron and asked him to stir the red gravy. Josh tactfully found a way to navigate the conversation. One of the many things that he and I have in common, is that, as much as we both respect other people’s faith and choice in practicing it, we are more spiritual versus connecting to a particular religious group.
“Your Mom put me to work,” Josh said, as I approached the kitchen. “You look super sexy in that polka dot apron. You should wear that look more often,” I said. “At least she didn’t make you fold my dad’s underwear.” “What?” “Oh yeah. Mom used to push a laundry basket in front of my friends when they came to pick me up for a night out. They finally got wise, and simply blew the horn from the driveway. She thought this was incredibly rude,” I said, as I started laughing. “Looks like I got off lucky! Here, taste this. Is it ready?”
Dinner was served, and what a fabulous dinner it was! Mom pulled out all the stops with this meal. We began with Cajun barbequed shrimp and toasted French bread to dip in the buttery sauce. We then moved on to stuffed eggplant. This is my absolute favorite dish from my childhood. Shrimp, seasonings, eggplant, and of course, BUTTER, all are mixed and stuffed into an eggplant shell. Delish! Next was Mom’s homemade red gravy with meatballs. One side of my dad’s family is Italian and Mom studied every Italian meal, breaking down each ingredient purely by tastebud identification. She perfected this recipe, which was always a hit with family and friends, topped off with shaved Romano cheese! For dessert, we had bread pudding, a New Orleans specialty. I have tasted many variations of bread pudding over the years, but no one does it exactly like my mom, especially the sweet whiskey sauce on top. She had to improvise on this trip by using High West whiskey instead of the usual Wild Turkey. It was fantastic, if not better than usual!
The entire crew practically passed out after dinner, exhausted from eating. I took this opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with Mom and Dad outside on the deck. “Thank you so much for making dinner, Mom. Clearly, it was a hit!“ I said, as I waved my hand toward our comatose guests. “And, Dad, my deck looks very enchanting with the new lights! I am so happy ya’ll came for a visit.“ “Your little man is very handsome, Olivia!“ said Mom. It doesn’t matter how big or tall a person is that I date, he will always be a “little man” to my Mom.
“Oh yeah, nice guy, really nice guy,“ Dad said, “and successful too! Did you know that he has property all around Mountain Town?” “Yes, he did mention that,” I said, smiling at Dad. “If you are happy, we are happy,” Mom said. They both knew what a toll my marriage and divorce had taken on me. And they were relieved to see that I was thriving in my new life in the mountains.
Josh gave me a beautiful cashmere scarf, hat, and gloves for Christmas. They were so sophisticated, with winter white cabling adorning each piece. He nailed figuring out my style. Today, he was surprising me with an additional gift! He had been quite stealth in hiding it in the pile of wrapped presents for the girls, Mom, and Dad. “What is this? I feel so spoiled,“ I said, as Josh handed me the gift. “I wanted to save one present for when your parents arrived in town. I saw it and immediately thought of you!“ said Josh. I opened the box. It was the most beautiful sterling silver charm of a Border Collie attached to a silver bracelet. And, yes, it was perfect! Josh has spent so much time with me in the past few months that he knows wherever I go, Ryley goes, even places where he probably isn’t allowed. “
This is so thoughtful, Josh. I will treasure it. Thank you!” I said. Then I gave him a long kiss on the lips to let him know just how much I appreciated his gesture. “You are very welcome. Only the best for my Olivia.” “My Olivia!” I just melted at those words. We have truly enjoyed every minute we have spent together. It seems unreal, but it has been the most incredible three months of my life.
Mom and Dad escaped outside to the deck, partly to give Josh and me some privacy and partly to finish the High West whiskey left over from the bread pudding. “What a beautiful view!” my dad said for the fourth time. “Yes, it is,” said Mom. After being put to work from the minute they arrived, they were finally taking time to relax, while sipping whiskey and enjoying the approaching sunset. “All in all, it was a perfect day,” they said, as they toasted each other and the mountains!
Shop The Look Olivia’s Closet
Shop The Look Mom’s Closet
Shop The Look Dad’s Closet
Shop The Look Josh and Johnny’s Closet
Shop The Look Charlie and Abby’s Closet
Shop The Look Phoebe’s Closet