Infinite.

Mother Knows Best.

"Emmy, I put the box in your room. You should read the letter it was beautiful!" My mother said as she poured our coffee.

My mother had been waking me up at six every morning for breakfast. I appreciated her letting me stay here but the lack of proper sleep was starting to get to me.

"You read the letter? What the hell mom, I said to throw it out." I groaned as bit into my toast. I wasn't mad but my lack of sleep made me irritable.

Theres nothing more humbling than moving back in with your mother. There's was absolutely no privacy in this small house and although I was approaching twenty four I found myself involuntarily enforced by a curfew. Every time I went out my mother would fall asleep waiting for me in the living room. Out of sheer guilt I made sure I was back home by ten at the latest.

"Yes I read it. You should call her Emmy I'm your mother. You're not getting any younger. By the time I was your age I was already married." My mother sipped her tea as she spoke. "She's a nice girl, that's all I'm saying."

Not wanting to disappoint her further, I finished my breakfast in silence. We took turns washing and drying the dishes before I went in the living room to relax.

"She lied to me mom. Really lied to me, not just about something small." I called to her.

"Everyone lies honey." My mother pulled a clean laundry basket in the living room with her so she could fold while she continued to talk to me. "Your father thought I was 19 when we got married. He didn't find out I was his age until we lost my birth certificate ten years ago."

My mother started laughing as she recalled their argument, her eyes lit up with happiness. "But you get over it sweetheart. You move on because you love each other."

"She was dared to date me mom. It's not like she lied about what her favorite color is." My eyes started filling with tears. I felt myself growing emotional.

"Do you love her?" My mother asked bluntly.

"Yes," I sighed. "A lot."

"Emma honey, there's a big difference between being in love and loving someone." My mother stopped folding and looked at me.

I tilted my head in confusion and stared into the eyes of the woman who raised me. Was there a difference?

Quickly, my mother caught on to the fact that I was confused and kept talking. "When you're in love life is amazing. Flowers seem more colorful, birds chirping make you smile and everything is perfect. When you love someone, that's a commitment. When you love someone you're saying I want this person, everything good about them and everything bad; I want it. One day you'll get married and you'll realize that. If you're lucky you'll find someone that you love and you're in love with. That's that best kind of love Emmy. That's the kind of love you forgive for. That's the kind of love you hold on to."

Her words echoed in my mind. I knew I was in love with Audrey but did I love her the way my mother described?

"I don't know mom." I admitted. "I just know that I'm hurt."

"There's no room for pride when it comes to matters of the heart." My mother stood and hugged me. I welcomed it and I embraced her.

"I'm going to stay at Tina's tonight after work. I'll be back home tomorrow mom. I have my phone if you need me."

"Think about what I said Emmy." She called after me as I walked to my bedroom to prepare for my day.

___________________________

Work was uneventful and Tina and I had decided to go out for the evening. We took an Uber to a near by bar knowing we were going to be drinking entirely too much to drive home.