"Mom. I don't think she'll care what way the pillows are arranged on the couch." I said, rolling my eyes as my mom continuously rearranged the pillows to find what way they looked best.
"Details Liv. Details" She said for the billionth time in the last hour.
Callie would be here any minute, and my mom was going insane.
"Why are you so nervous? I'm pretty cool. I think she'll like me." I laughed at my own joke. Though, I was rather confident Callie would like me.
My mom looked at me and smiled at little. "I'm not worried about her liking you. I'm worried about you liking her."
"You think I won't?" I tilted my head.
Mom sat down on the couch and sighed. "I hope you will. But, it's still nerve wracking. I just want it to go good."
"I'm sure it will!" I encouraged. "Stop worrying about the stupid pillows though. You're scaring me."
"I can't help it!" She stood back up, giving me a quick hug. "Thank you." She whispered.
She had been saying that a lot. I didn't know what specifically about. For accepting her? For wanting to meet Callie? For talking to her? I didn't want to ask. So, I just simply nodded and hugged her back. I would never turn down a hug. Especially from my mom.
Knock on the door.
"She's here! Oh god." My mom rushed off.
I looked after her, but didn't follow. What do you do when you're meeting the girl your mom is talking to? Am I supposed to greet her at the door? Who knows.
Something in me came up with some sort of answer, because once I heard the door close, I walked to the doorway.
"Olive come here!!" My mom pulled me into her embrace as Callie took off her shoes. "Callie, this is Olivia. Olivia, this is Callie."
"Hey." I smiled and waved, just kind of scanning her. This was the closest I had ever been to her- I had watched her pick up mom from the window for every date, but this was way different.
She smiled, her cheeks growing and her eyes shining, "Olivia! It's so nice to finally meet you, your mom has told me so much about you!" She stood up to her full height. Tall. At least a few inches taller than my mom- way taller than me.
I smiled back, feeling mom twisting a chunk of my hair. "It's nice to meet you too. My mom also talks about you all the time." I laughed a little.
My mom placed a hand on my shoulder, "Come on in, we can go sit on the couch. I figured we could order dinner, Olivia suggested pizza. Does that sound good to you?"
I led the way to the living room, sitting down. Mom sat right next to me. Maybe because she was nervous, or because she thought I was nervous.
"Pizza sounds great!" Callie exclaimed, sitting down on the couch as well, turning to face us. Her eyes were so sparkly. Bright and happy. Good first impression. And she liked pizza, another plus.
"My mom said you're a surgeon." I tried to start some sort of conversation.
"That would be right." Callie nodded. "I actually send a lot of my patients to where your mom works. Funny coincidence."
I nodded, "That's pretty cool."
My mom excused herself- she was going to order pizza.
If I'm being honest, it was a little awkward with just Callie. I didn't really know what to say. I resorted to looking around the room, shifting uncomfortably.
Callie was watching me. Not in a weird way- I don't think. Kind of just like she expected me to say something.
She finally said something, "Your mom was telling me that you draw a lot..." She kind of just threw it out there, probably praying it started some sort of conversation.
I nodded, allowing our eyes to meet, "Yeah. Mom's more dramatic. It's not like I'm some crazy talented bound-to-be in the history books artist." I laughed. "It's just a hobby."
"I would love to see some of your drawings some time!" Callie smiled.
"Sure..." I smiled back.
"Okay. 30 minutes for the delivery. And, Olivia, you will probably be in the history books." My mom said when she walked back in the room. She had so much faith in me. It was nice, but sometimes a little crazy.
I just rolled my eyes, and Callie laughed.
"I'm so serious! She drew this eye the other day, but... instead of just a plain eye color it was this whole ocean beach type thing. It was outstanding." Mom spoke exaggeratedly, her eyes lighting up.
"Mom." I looked at her. Sometimes she needed a gentle reminder that everything isn't simply an opportunity to brag about Olivia.
"Ok ok." My mom laughed. "Oh! Calliope, tell her about your surgery today," She turned to me, "It's actually pretty crazy."
I nodded my approval, causing Callie to smile more.
Calliope. I would assume that is her full name. Callie must be a nickname. Calliope is pretty.
"Ooh, it was insane." She laughed. "I had a patient in the ER, and their hand got stuck in a meat grinder."
I winced at the thought. Gross.
"Yeah." Callie nodded at my reaction. "Like... up to their elbow almost. It was probably one of the craziest surgeries I've been in."
"What happened to them? Did you have to like... amputate it?" I asked.
Callie shook her head, "It wasn't as bad as you would think. Don't get me wrong, it was horrible. But, salvageable. It doesn't look perfect, but whatever works works." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Can you imagine? How does that even happen?" My mom cut in.
"Crazy." Callie agreed.
"Do you get crazy patients like that a lot?" I asked, just curious.
"No, not really." She laughed. "I'm sure if I was always in the ER I would, but that's some next level stuff."
I laughed at that. "I mean, it's kinda cool though."
Callie got more excited when I said that. "It definitely was cool. Once in a lifetime experience."
I nodded, smiling a little. Callie seemed cool. Easy to talk to. Eager to talk to me. For some reason I really thought it would be like in those movies where the new boyfriend or girlfriend hates the kid and tries to get them in trouble.
Silly, I know.
I think I can see Callie growing on me. In the future. Of course, if there is a future.
For my mom's sake, I hope there is. I can tell she really likes Callie. I hope Callie really likes her back.
My mom doesn't deserve another heartbreak.