Isaac moved the last of his boxes into his new apartment, and slowly but surely unpacked each one. He was a man on his own now, with a good job, school well underway, and Carissa.
He sat on the couch he was renting to own from the local furniture store, and thought about the future. He was going to be a doctor one day. He’d be able to support himself well. It wouldn’t always be rental furniture and his old beat-up Volvo. One day soon, he’d be providing a good life for himself. He hoped to make enough to give his mother a little something, and he knew for sure the future he dreamed of wasn’t the same if Carissa wasn’t part of it. He hadn’t seen her in days, and he missed her like crazy. Isaac couldn’t imagine not having her in his life. She was his everything. They had been dating only a few months, but man, that girl got him all stupid when he thought of her. It was late, but he had to text her.
“Hey, babe, what’s going on?” he sent.
She didn’t take long to respond. “Hey, you, how’s the new place? Loving that independence yet?”
“It’s good! Missing you, though. All this work and school is making me nuts, not being able to see you.”
“I miss you, too. It’ll all be worth it soon enough, though, Dr. Carter.”
“That has a good ring to it, you know. Dr. Carter,” he replied.
“It really does,” Carissa texted back.
They ended the conversation with text love and kisses, and Isaac dreamed of the day he wouldn’t have to say goodbye to her anymore.
He made one more phone call before he went to bed.
“Ma, everything okay? Do you need anything? Your nurse is there?”
“I’m fine, Isaac,” Betty said. “Just got in from celebrating with the girls that your stinky butt is out of my house!” She laughed, and he enjoyed the sound, missing being home for a moment.
“Okay, Ma, if you say so. I’ll leave my phone by my bed all night. Call me if you need anything, and I’ll be right there. The nurse has my number, too. Tell her not to hesitate to call. I love you!”
“I love you, too, son, and I’ll call if I need anything. Right now, all I need is sleep, and you do, too! And hey, I’m the mother. You call if you need anything, boy,” Betty told him.
“All right, you’re the mom,” he agreed. “I’ll call you if I need anything.”
“Good boy. Tell Carissa I said ‘hello.’ I know she’s over there.”
“She’s actually not, Ma,” Isaac said. “I’ve decided we’ll see each other at her parents’ house for now. I don’t want to bring her over here. Things might get… well, you know. You raised me better than that. I respect her. Not until we’re married.”
“Isaac, I’m so proud of the man you’ve become,” Betty told him, pride ringing in her voice, “and I have to say, that can’t all be my raisin’. Most of that is God’s hand. I can’t take credit.”
“Well, you and God did a good enough job that I know better than to take from that girl what isn’t mine yet and, if that means we stay at her parents’ house, then that’s what we’ll do. I love you, Ma. Goodnight.”
With that, Isaac was alone with his thoughts again. There wasn’t much left to do, except end the day in the bed he had brought with him from his mother’s house.