To okaie, who inspired me to consider Phil and Keely's future

Disclaimer: Searching the phone book under "T": Television Repair ... Tennysons, Mr. & Mrs. ... Teslow, Mandy & Keely. "Hi Mrs. Teslow. No, no, it's not about a house – no, not the colonial on Jashley Circle. Would you stop by the Disney Channel offices and treat them like they just drove over your lawn ornaments – all of them. REALLY? Thanks, Mrs. T! Now I don't feel so bad about not owning Phil of the Future, just the people who do.

More Serious

Ch2 -- Does Mother Know Best?

Two Hours Earlier: ...tick-tock, tick-tock, ... Via would have understood about Phil coming over, but no, I now have an Erin. I think that she must be a P.E. major the way she jumps to conclusions.

"So, I'm going out with my old high school gang for dinner and laughs later. Want to join us, Roomie?

"Thanks, but Phil is coming by later and --"

"And you'd like to be alone. I understand. Sure, just keep it on your side, will ya?"

"We're not like that! We're good --"

"Good at respecting other people's personal space. Great. Say, you've been going together for like forever, so you're going to owe me so big for this: I have Astronomy 101 Lecture from 6 to 10 Wednesday nights, then Astronomy Lab from 10 to 2am immediately after that. Think that will give you two enough time to wear yourselves out in here?"

"We're not going to --"

"Hey, I've gotta come in to sleep sometime, at least some nights. Tell you what, I'll jiggle the key in the lock and that'll be our signal. Just remember to do the same for me; okay?"

"Erin, Phil and I are going to be too busy studying to --"

"Oh, that's so cute. I haven't heard it called 'studying' for ages! Okay, gotta go. Remember, key jigging; right? 'Studying!' Pick-furd must be a real backwater. 'Studying.' Ha-ha. Have a great time studying, Roomie. Bye-bye."

Oh, Via. Tia even. At this point, I'm even entertaining the idea of Pim. I wouldn't go through with it, of course, but the thought is bouncing around in the "How low will I go?" category of my brain.

Back On My Bed: This is driving me crazy. How can I enjoy Phil being here, doing this with me, when I'm feeling so anxious about when he's going to make his move. I feel cheated, too. Mr. Diffy's tongue is making progress. Nowhere I haven't let him go before, but he's doing gymnastics in my cavernous mouth with my mouth's muscle that would make my dentist, Dr. Mentorman, blush. I know I am.

Why do people think that Phil and I are going to, you know, outside of Pickford?

A Week Earlier: "Cinnamon Buns, stop packing for a moment and come sit down with me."

"Sorry, Mom, I'm just so electrified. College."

"Yes, you're growing up, having to make your own choices, picking directions for living your life. You're going to meet new people, make new friends, some are going to pressure you to ... do things."

"Don't worry, Mom. Phil's going to be there. He'll --"

"I'mTalkingAboutPhil." (deep breath) "Cheesy Cheeks, I like Phil; I really do, but Keely, he's a boy who --"

"He's not a boy anymore, Mom. Anyway, he's not just any boy, Phil's Phil. He's my best friend."

"I know this, Sugar Lumps, and it's exactly what worries me. He's a man now and he has ... desires."

"I trust Phil."

"You don't see the way he sometimes looks at you when you're not looking. There's something decidedly not platonic in his eyes, Sweet Bread. Sometimes, there's a different tone in his voice when he speaks to you, and he touches you when he doesn't have to."

"Mom, we're just frien – you're right, Mom. We're more than friends. We have been for quite a while now, since we decided to become a couple. Really, even before that. Phil's my boyfriend; he's supposed to look at me that way; I'd be concerned if he didn't. But Mom, have you ever noticed how I sometimes look at him? I'm not a little girl anymore and Phil's not the only one with urges. I touch him, too."

"That doesn't make me feel any better about your going away to college by yourself, with Him."

I thought about what she said. There was some truth, and some honest concern, but there was a piece missing and left unsaid. "Mommy, I'm growing up. This is how growing up is supposed to be, my standing on my own two feet, making my own decisions about how to live my life --"

"I know, but --"

"I love Phil."

"I know, but --"

"And Phil loves me. We love each other."

"Sweetness, I'm only looking out for your --"

"And can you imagine man who would ever look out and care for me more? Love me more than Phil does?

Mom actually took her time to chew on what I asked, then finally gave me an honest answer, "No. No, I can't."

"Mom, can you picture Phil ever forcing his way upon me or hurting me on purpose or --"

"He loves you."

"He loves me. He always has. Long before I let him touch me, long before our first kiss, Phil loved me. Not my body, not my shape, but Keely Teslow inside it. He loves Me. He sees Me. He knows Me. How special is that?" Mom doesn't even know the half of it. Phil's different than any other boy.

Crying now, my mom was crying. She knew. She knew that I was right, that Phil and I are right. I held her hand and gave her a big old one-armed hug, sharing a few tears with her, and some laughter.

Mom leaves my bedroom smiling, so I'm thinking that everything is settled now, and go back to packing, more worn out than I was five minutes earlier, but relieved. Mom walks in, marches really, and hands me a box of condoms. My mouth dropped open. I pushed them back at her, finally finding the words to say that I didn't need those, we weren't ready for that, but Mom kept pushing them back at me.

When I arrived and started to unpack, there they were. Sneaky Mom had slipped the box into the bag with my blouses before I left. She always has to get her way.

Back In Phil's Embrace: Mom, now Erin. Everyone seems to jump to the same conclusion about me and Phil. I frown even as I reach under the pillow to see if it's still there.

2008.May.08