Love Bombed

5

Mandy spent the rest of her afternoon on autopilot as she took calls and sent messages back-and-forth to Kimberly.  Although they had never met in person, Kimberly was the closest thing Mandy had to a work bestie.  Kimberly, like Mandy, was single and had profiles on multiple dating sites.  However, unlike Mandy, Kimberly was in no hurry to settle down.  She used the dating apps like her own personal playground—scheduling multiple dates with different men and sometimes, even scheduling on the same night.  Kimberly was fun and the men she met clearly enjoyed that. “Why let the guys have all the fun??” Kimberly would say.  “Do you think they wouldn’t rush at the chance to date multiple girls if they have the option…Women need to get smarter.”  Mandy never knew how to respond when she would say things like this.  Her last relationship and hookup was Dane.  While she didn’t miss his assholery ways, she did miss having a d**k on call. Dane—for his part—had never seemed to mind Mandy’s weight when he was grabbing her ass or suckling her breasts.  However, that ship had sailed and there was no sense in reminiscing. 

At 5:00pm, Mandy shut down her computer and looked out at the view out from her window.  It was the evening rush hour and cars were bumper-to-bumper as they pulled out of the parking garages of their buildings and headed towards home.   She imagined many of them were heading towards the affluent neighborhoods like Belle Meade or Oak Hills. Reagan and James lived just south of the city in Forest Hills.  It had taken Reagan some time to get used to the seclusion—especially with the monster-in-law being so close by—but Reagan had adjusted.  Mandy loved to visit her in the evenings to just sit out on the deck and gossip while drinking wine.  Many times, she would end up sleeping in the guest room because James had forbidden her to drive while intoxicated.  Reagan had really found “a good one” as Mandy’s grandmother would say.  James took care of Reagan and because he knew how strong the bond was between Mandy and Reagan, he looked after her too. He always joked that Mandy needed to hurry up and find a husband because looking after two women was exhausting.  He had a younger brother who was single.  Reagan and James had hinted at setting Roger up with Mandy, but she was against it.  

Roger was a full-blown ladies’ man and the polar opposite of James.  While he was one of the most eligible bachelors in Nashville, Roger was reckless and drove his parents insane.  He had decided to venture into the family business, book publishing, but his position was nothing more than a ruse.  He did next to nothing, and everyone knew it.  His father, the esteemed Clayton Patterson, had threatened to terminate him several times over, but James would step in and take up for Roger. Many women had tried and failed to become the next Mrs. Patterson.  However, Roger was not interested in matrimony.  As soon as a woman he was seeing started asking too many questions or becoming too clingy.  He would ghost the poor girl!  Mandy had no intentions of being his latest victim, and she did not want to do anything to ruin her relationship with Reagan and James. 

Lost in her thoughts, Mandy had not noticed when the sun started to set.  It was almost 6:30pm.  She had been staring out of the window as if she didn’t have a care in the world.  She wondered what Reagan was doing.  She wanted to call her but decided against it.  Mandy never bothered her friend in the evening after James got home.  She wanted to give Reagan and her family their space.  Mandy picked up her cell phone and decided to call her grandmother.  The phone barely rang once before her grandmother picked up.  “It’s about time you decided to call this old woman,” Grandma Penny laughingly said. “Grandma, you are not old!” Mandy chastised.  “You have more energy than me!”  The older woman chuckled.  “Mandy Cotton Candy, what are you up to girl?!”  “Grandma, why do you insist on calling me that?? I’m 25 years old!” Mandy laughed.  “Oh, baby, you are such a sweet girl! My precious granddaughter.  You have always made me proud by doing the right thing.  Sweeter than the cotton candy you used to beg for when I’d take you to the store with me!”  Mandy smiled.  She loved talking to Grandma Penny.  Since she had always lived on the farm, Mandy was the closest to Grandma Penny.  They had made quite the duo when she was a little girl.  Grandma Penny was the babysitter.  “You’re not putting my sweet granddaughter in a daycare! Too many germs!  I can watch her right here!!”  

When Mandy was old enough to attend school, Grandma Penny always picked her up.  She would be the first in line at pickup and never missed a school performance.  Mandy’s mom would joke that Grandma Penny was the mother and she was just the one that gave birth to Mandy.  Mandy and her grandmother had remained close even after Mandy left her small town to attend college.  The older woman had even visited Mandy a few times. “Girl! You got me out in this big city! It’s too fast!” 

Lost in her memories, Mandy realized that she hadn’t been listening to the conversation.  “The ladies at the church keep asking about ya baby.  And Sheila’s grandson just moved back home.  She says he is there to help with the inn, but I know better…” the old lady rambled.  “Grandma, what do you know exactly,” Mandy laughed.  “I know that he didn’t bring that fiancée with him…Mandy, you need to come grab him before one of these other hussies sink their hooks into him!” Grandma Penny said with a laugh.  “A single man with a job don’t stand a chance in this town! Y’all young girls are so simple-minded.”  

Mandy braced herself for the lecture that she knew was coming.  The old woman continued, “You’re getting quiet cause you don’t wanna hear it but I’m serious.  It takes more than money to be happy.  I used to be like y’all.  Stars in my eyes and convinced that my p***y…” “GRANDMA!!” Mandy screamed.  “I can’t stand when you say words like that!” “Amanda! Hush! I need you to hear me!  You ain’t getting any younger! Millionaires marry millionaires and small-town folk like us marry what we know! Sheila’s grandson would make you happy.  I know he ain’t much to look at and he may not have all the money and influence of that Dane…” Grandma Penny practically choked on his name.  “Grandma, you never liked Dane!” Mandy laughed.  “Obviously, I was right! Boy acted like he had never seen dirt when you brought him home that time! Then he ran from a tiny snake!”  

“It was more than a tiny snake…it was a water moccasin!” Mandy laughed.  She always enjoyed her conversations with her grandmother.  However, she did not like to hear her musings about her love life.  Sheila’s grandson was no catch—at least not for her.  It was an open secret amongst all her high school friends that Ellis was gay, but he had never been honest with his family.  His parents were pastors at the local church, and they had all but shunned Ellis’ cousin when she announced that she was a lesbian.  It had been over a year since Mandy had talked to Ellis.  The move had kept her sovbusy.  She hadn’t even realized that they had grown apart.  “I should call him,” Mandy thought to herself.  I wonder why he’s really back home.   “Amanda, you need to call that boy.  You two used to be thick as thieves! He would make you happy!”  Mandy tried not to laugh at that last statement.  “You’re right Grandma! I will give him a call!” With this Mandy said her goodbyes, “It’s getting late.  I know you go to bed with the chickens.” “And I get up with the rooster!” Grandma Penny laughed, “I love you Mandy Cotton Candy. Grandma just wants you to be happy.” “I know,” said Mandy. “I love you Grandma.  I will talk to you soon.”