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Language:
English
Series:
Part 7 of Bisexual People Exist , Part 7 of Responding Promptly
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You could’ve stayed
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Published:
2023-10-03
Words:
1,000
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
30
Kudos:
75
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6
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818

Grown

Summary:

Nick has a conversation with his mum about what it means to be an adult

Notes:

The prompt for this one was to use the line of dialogue: "You could've - could've stayed."

I decided to try and make it fluffy, and then Sarah and Nick decided they needed to have a deeper conversation about what it means to be an adult.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

"You could've - could've stayed," said Nick, nervously chewing his lip as he held the phone against his ear.

To his surprise, the response was a musical chuckle. "Oh my dear Nicky, do you think I'm blind? No one wants their old mum lingering after dinner when their partner is giving them that look," said Sarah.

Nick could feel his cheeks getting hot. She wasn't wrong about what he and Charlie had gotten up to shortly after she had left for her hotel room. "Still, I'm supposed to be all grown up and hosting you properly," said Nick. The new flat even had a guest room that doubled as an office, but despite the excursion to IKEA, they hadn't actually built the bed that would go in the space.

"Oh love, you just moved into your place. I hardly expected you to have a guest room fully set up. Besides, I know how thin the walls can be in those old row houses. When I first married your father, the neighbor's baby would wake us up crying at all hours in that old place. Not to mention all the noises that led to the baby in the first place. Even if you and Charlie were going to be quiet for a night, Nora and I…"

"Mum! I don't need details!" Nick's embarrassment took on a new dimension of burning.

Sarah cackled. Nick didn't know his mother was capable of cackling like that, but in the months since she and Nora had officially started dating, Nick had watched his mother blossom into a far more confident person.

"I am happy that she makes you happy," said Nick. "Even if it's weird to have these conversations with you. It was one thing for you to break out pamphlets when I was a teenager, but it's weird to think about you being in a relationship."

"That's one of the parts of growing up they never warn about. You start to realize your parents are just people who happened to raise you. And I know you already have learned we aren't perfect people, but it's still easy to only see the one side. I know it hasn't been easy for me as Nan and Gramps have gotten older to see them as people who need my help instead of the people I go to for help."

"When do you really start to feel like a grownup?" asked Nick. "I mean, I live with my fiance and we're starting our lives together, but I guess I still feel like I'm just a kid."

"Well, there's a part of you that will always feel like that. Even now, sometimes I look around a room and wonder where the adult is and realize that I'm the adult in that situation. But I guess for me, it was probably when you boys were little and your father was traveling yet again and I realized that I was actually doing everything by myself, and that you were happy and healthy. Sure, there was a certain amount of chaos with two small boys, and maybe the house wasn't spotless, but dinner was on the table, and you were both tucked into bed on time, and I had done that."

"I can't even get myself into bed on time," said Nick.

"Oh baby, I know it feels like you're supposed to have everything figured out already, but you're still so young," said Sarah.

"I'm going to be a teacher! There are going to be thirty little faces looking at me like I'm supposed to know everything. But what do I know? I had to call you to fix the toilet last week."

"And I had to hand the phone over to Nora because I had no idea what to do. Being an adult doesn't mean knowing everything. I mean, look at me. I didn't know I was bi until I met her."

"Grown up just sounds like I'm supposed to be finished. Like there's some sort of final state where I'm all done," sighed Nick.

"That sounds awfully dull!"

Charlie came up behind Nick, resting his chin on Nick's shoulder. "So have you two figured out where we're going for brunch?"

"Charlie! Dear! Sorry, love, Nicky and I got totally sidetracked talking about what it means to be an adult," said Sarah.

"He's definitely been having a crisis about that, but if we don't feed this one soon, he's going to turn into a big grumpy bear," said Charlie, ruffling Nick's hair.

"Oi! Sorry if I'm not so confident about being an adult as my perfect fiance," said Nick.

"You do remember what a mess I was right before my twentieth birthday, right? I just got my crisis out of the way earlier. So food?" said Charlie.

Nick beamed at Charlie, marveling in how confident he had become. He truly loves this man. A nibble on his earlobe derailed Nick's train of thought. "I'm hungry, dear," said Charlie.

Sarah laughed again. "Shall we meet at Bonnie's in twenty minutes?"

Nick groaned as Charlie pressed his lips against Nick's neck.

Sarah laughed. "I'll give you two some time. Let's make it an hour."

Charlie snaked his hand around Nick's front teasingly. "I think we can make that work, Sarah," he said into Nick's phone.

"I'd say something about the joys of youth, but there's a reason I didn't call earlier," said Sarah.

"Mum!" protested Nick.

In the background of the call, he could hear Nora yell, "Stop traumatizing your son and get back over here."

"Ok, ok," said Sarah. "We'll see you there in an hour. Ish."

"Love you, mum."

"Love you too, Nicky."

Nick hung up his phone, turning to face Charlie. "You are an absolute menace, Mr. Spring. Whatever will I do with you?"

Charlie grinned. "I have a few ideas. But we've only got an hour."

"Ish," laughed Nick.

In the end, they all arrived at the restaurant an hour and a half later, but no one seemed to mind.

Notes:

If you're confused who Nora is, go to the beginning of this series and read about Sarah's late in life bi awakening.