Just for kicks, I decided to do something a little different. Here's Maggie's point of view.
Chapter 11 (Maggie)
When Dana did not come home with Missy, I panicked a bit, but Missy quickly assured me that she had gone over to a friend's house to work on some project. I nodded. Though some parents might be suspicious upon hearing this story, I knew Dana. She would never do anything to disappoint me.
Of course, I could not help but be slightly suspicious when Dana showed up almost three ours later with a boy who looked to be about three or four years older than her. Missy had not mentioned the gender of Dana's friend, but I doubted that it was this boy, for he looked to be college-aged. And there was something about them that told me they were more than friends. They stood a couple feet apart, not touching, but the air between them was charged with something that I could not describe. I could tell they were close; a few simple observations told me that Dana was more comfortable with this mysterious boy than she had ever been with anyone else in her life. It scared me a bit. Actually, it scared me a lot. I did not want to see my baby grow up. In my mind, she was still collecting bugs in the old jam jars that I gave her (a habit which created all sorts of hassles since the caterpillars of which she was so fond tended to turn into moths in her room).
When they first walked into the kitchen, I was still putting the finishing touches on dinner. I called to Dana to set the table before realizing that she was not alone, and she told me that she had someone she wanted me to meet. She introduced him as her boyfriend, Fox Mulder, instructing me to call him Mulder. There was no way that was going to happen; it simply was not polite to address someone by his or her surname. I would have to speak with Dana about manners later.
Fox, however, seemed to need no lessons in manners. As soon as Dana introduced him, he held out a hand and politely told me how pleased he was to meet me. He then offered to help with the setting of the table, but I dismissed this offer with a casual wave of my hand. Guests did not have to do chores in my house. Even after my refusal, he offered again, but it was Dana who denied him this time. "I think Charlie's in the living room, Mulder. I'll introduce you two, and you can hang out with him until dinner is ready." They shared a glance as she said this, and I sensed that they were engaged in some sort of private debate, and I was not privy to the details. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the looks they shared were worth countless more. Their silent communication amazed me. How long had Dana known this boy?
Once she had settled Mulder in the living room with Charlie, she returned to the kitchen, and I asked her that very question. "So, where did you two meet?" I questioned, attempting to remain casual. I was not one of those mothers who believed it was best to be my daughter's friend rather than her parent, but I still did not want to antagonize her. Dana had always been fairly open with me.
"At Harvard this summer. He was doing research there, too."
"Oh, he goes to Harvard?"
"No, he's a sophomore at Oxford."
"A sophomore? How old is he?"
"Nineteen."
"That's too old for you, Dana."
"Missy's dated guys much older than that."
"Missy's Missy."
"She's still your daughter, Mom, as am I. You shouldn't treat us differently."
I sighed. She was right, as usual. Being blessed with a bright daughter did have its downfalls. Sure, I would not trade Dana for anything, but her intelligence often left me feeling as if our roles were reversed. "You're right, Dana, and I'm sorry. I just want you to be careful. I don't want you to get in over your head. You're still young."
"I know, Mom. But Mulder's a good guy." She started to place the silverware around the table, and I watched her for a moment, wishing my little girl did not have to grow up so fast.
Five minutes later, I called everyone into the kitchen for dinner. Charlie and Mulder entered first, engaged in an animated discussion about basketball. I sighed; it seemed like many days, Charlie could talk about nothing else. He followed basketball religiously—both the pros and college teams. He even knew the stats for a couple of the local high school teams. On top of that, it seemed that he wanted to do nothing with his free time except play. I suppose I should be happy that he did not spend all his time in front of a television like some kids, that he was at least active, but I often wondered if he realized there was more to life than the sport.
"Mom, did you know Mulder plays for Oxford?" Charlie inquired as he took his customary seat at the table.
"Really?" I looked to Mulder for confirmation of this fact, and he shrugged modestly.
"Yeah, really. He told me that if you said it was okay, he could give me a few tips after dinner. Please, Mom!"
"I don't want to impose on him. I'm sure he has other things to do," I said hesitantly. In truth, I was simply searching for an excuse to prevent the two from playing. No matter what Dana said, I was not entirely sure that I trusted Fox.
"Actually, I'm okay with it if you are. I'm on break right now, so I have time."
"See, Mom, it's okay. Can I go?"
"Have you finished your homework?"
"Uh huh."
I sighed. It seems I would not be winning this one. "Fine. But only for an hour."
"All right! Thanks, Mom." At that moment, Missy entered the room. When she saw Fox, her eyebrows shot up, and she regarded him with a slight smile.
"Mulder, right?" she inquired. Fox nodded. I wondered briefly where the two had met, but before I had time to inquire, the oven timer went off, and I had to retrieve the food before it burnt. Again, Fox offered to help, and again, I refused. He shared another incomprehensible look with Dana before sitting down at the table next to Charlie at my son's insistence. It seems that Dana was not the only member of my family who was taken with Fox Mulder. And if I was not mistaken, I noticed a glint of attraction in Missy's eyes, also.
We sat down to dinner, and Charlie started the conversation by telling me about the fight in his gym class that day. All his life, Charlie had been a friendly, loquacious boy. I never had to ask him about his day at school when he arrived home; he readily volunteered this information without my prompting. I hoped he would remain this way through his teenage years. It would be nice to have a teenager who I could talk to. Missy and Bill would always fight with me and though Dana was always an angel, she never truly told me anything. Actually, she never told anybody anything. Her father probably knew more about her than anyone, and even he was often kept in the dark. Dana did not like discussing her emotions. She preferred to keep them bottled up inside her. I knew this preference was not healthy for her, and I urged her to talk to me on more than one occasion, but she only responded with her sweet smile and an assurance that she was fine.
When Charlie had finished his story, I turned to Fox who was eating steadily; half the food on his plate had already disappeared. As he ate, I noticed that he would periodically glance at Dana, and their looks spoke volumes. It seemed unlikely that they had only known each other for a few months as Dana had claimed. If I did not know any better, I would say the two had known each other for a lifetime. "So, Fox, what are you studying at Oxford?" I questioned.
He finished chewing and swallowed before answering. I hoped Charlie would take a lesson from him in table manners. "Psychology," he said finally.
"Really? And do you like that?"
"It has its ups and downs."
"So are you going to open your own practice once you graduate then?"
"I might. I have to go to grad school first though."
"Dana's going to medical school." I smiled proudly at my daughter.
"I know." They shared a private smile. I wished I knew the meaning of it.
"So, how are you doing in school?"
"Mom, is the third degree really necessary?" Dana asked.
"I'm just trying to make small talk."
"You're interrogating him."
"She's your mother. It's her right," Mulder said placatingly. I had to hand it to the boy—he sure knew how to suck up to parents. Turning back to me, he answered my question. "I'm top of my class. Mostly A's, but a B here and there."
"Do you drink?"
"Not often."
"Smoke?"
"No."
"Drugs?"
"No."
"There's got to be something wrong with you."
"Trust me, there's plenty wrong with me." The infuriating knowing smile struck again. I really wish I knew what they were saying to each other.
"Like what?"
"Mom, that's enough now. Mulder's been kind enough to give you all the information you've asked for so far, and I think he deserves a break."
Reluctantly, I relented. "Okay." The conversation turned to Missy and Dana's days at school, and I allowed my children to carry most of the conversation so that I could observe Fox. He seemed relatively at ease, teasing Dana more than her brother did. I noticed, however, that when Fox teased her, her eyes did not take on the same mutinous glint that they did when her brother teased her. Sure, she retaliated; my Dana was never one to sit back and take the punches. But the smile never slid off her face. I did not remember the last time I had seen her laugh like she did that night. All her life, she had been serious, sometimes too serious. Yet Mulder brought out a different side of her, allowed her to relax and lighten up. I do not know how he accomplished this amazing feat when no one else could, but I was grateful that he had such a positive effect on my baby girl.
All in all, I was feeling much less hostile toward Mulder after dinner, especially when he insisted on helping Dana with the dishes (it was her night to do them). As they disappeared into the kitchen to complete their task, I stood at the doorway, observing them. I knew I should not do so, but I could not help myself. The first thing I noticed was that they worked seamlessly as a team. Fox was washing, leaving Dana to dry and put away the dishes. Often, Dana did not even have to glance at him to know if he was done with a particular dish. She would simply reach out her hand, and he would have the clean dish ready to place on her palm.
They were arguing about something; I could tell from the low timbre of their voices. However, I did not think it was anything serious, for their eyes still danced with a glimmer that was all too familiar. It was the same glimmer that I knew was present in my eyes when I looked at Bill. My baby was in love; I did not doubt that. I had had my suspicions when she first introduced me to Fox, and now I knew. I could not help but think that it was too early for her to be in love. But then again, Dana did everything else before everyone else. I guess it was only natural that she also be precocious when it came to love.
As I continued watching, I saw Dana turn away to put away the plates, and Fox picked up the sprayer. I knew what was coming, and a small smile formed on my face as Dana turned around to be met with a steady stream of water to her chest. She sputtered for a moment, and Fox's lips spread into a devilish grin. Without warning, she reached out and wrenched the sprayer from his grasp, sending another cascade of water down over the floor. I supposed I should interrupt before they flooded my kitchen, but I stayed rooted to the spot. Dana now turned the sprayer on Fox, managing to thoroughly soak his t-shirt. "It's on," I heard him remark, splashing some of the soapy water from the sink onto her. She shrieked, and he laughed, but his chuckles ended in a cough as the next stream of water hit him square in the face.
His eyes took on a glint that I knew well, for I had seen it many times in the eyes of my children. I watched, wondering how he would next retaliate. What he did, however, surprised me. Stepping forward, he took Dana's face between his hands, bringing his lips to hers while simultaneously crushing the sprayer between them, effectively ending the water fight. It fell to the sink as Dana dropped it, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck to pull him closer. I felt my jaw drop as I watched them. The kiss seemed much too heated for a fifteen-year-old and her boyfriend. Under any other circumstances, I would have stepped in and stopped the kiss immediately, reminding the kids that actions had consequences and that they were much too young to deal with the consequences. Even Bill and I did not kiss like that. We loved each other deeply, but the kiss I was seeing transcended love. It seemed to embody everything good in a relationship—passion, desire, trust, companionship, and love. It was not the kiss of two teenagers. It was the kiss of two people who shared an entire world between the two of them, who had a connection so deep that nothing could break it. I had never seen anything like it before.
And so I could not stop the kiss; I simply watched, enthralled, as Fox's hands came to rest on my daughter's hips, his thumbs slowly circling the bone. They moved closer together, their bodies pressed right up against each other, making it impossible for me to tell where one began and the other ended. "Mom, what are you-whoa!" Missy had come up behind me and suddenly noticed what I was seeing. Fox and Dana appeared not to hear her, for they remained locked together. "Why aren't you going in there to break them up?" Missy questioned. "Every time you caught me with a guy, you would always come in and break it up, and then I'd get to hear about the consequences of premarital sex. If there's anyone who needs to hear that talk, it's those two." She gestured to the couple still entwined in my kitchen.
"Why?"
"Why? Are you kidding me?" Missy scoffed. "They're obviously having sex, Mom."
I turned fully to my older daughter now. No matter how much she loved this guy, I would not condone Dana having sex at fifteen. "How do you know?"
"Look at them." I glanced at them before turning back to Missy, still not saying a word. "See, you know, too. Now go in there and do the mom thing." She pushed me toward the kitchen, and I had no choice but to stumble in, clearing my throat loudly.
The effect was immediate. Both jumped away as if they had been burned, and Fox immediately began promising to clean up the mess while Dana tried to explain away the position I had found them in. "Save it, Dana," I told her.
"Nothing happened, Mom."
"You know my feelings about premarital sex, Dana."
"I know, Mom."
"And you understand the consequences."
A silent question and answer flowed between them. "Yes, Mom," Dana sighed.
"I'm just trying to protect you."
"I know, Mom, and I'm grateful, but in this particular instance, I don't need protection."
"You're fifteen, Dana. That's too young."
"It depends on your perspective."
"Dana, are you having sex with this boy?"
I saw her flinch, and I knew in that moment that Missy was correct. She paused for a moment, and I wondered if she was going to lie to me. But I should have known better. Dana was a stickler for the truth. "Yes, Mom," she answered.
"I thought you knew better, Dana," I said. I had expected this with Missy but Dana?
"There's nothing to know better, Mom. I love Mulder. We're getting married."
I saw him flinch at this. Obviously, he had not expected the news to reach me so soon. Still, I had to give the boy credit; after a brief moment, his face regained its neutral expression, and he moved his hand to Dana's shoulder, silently giving her support. "What?" I inquired. "Why? Are you pregnant?"
"That's not the reason. He bought the ring before he knew." At this, Fox turned his eyes to the ceiling. I saw Dana bite her lip as she realized what she had revealed.
"So you are pregnant?" My world was slowly collapsing around me. The universe had seemed to turn upside down, and I knew no way to right it again. "Who are you and what have you done with Dana?"
"She's right here, Mom. Always has been."
"I can't believe this, Dana."
"Well, believe it, Mom."
"You are not the daughter I raised." I was angry now; did Dana even stop to think about how her actions would affect the rest of her life? She could not raise a baby and go to medical school. And Fox would probably turn and run as soon as he could, leaving her stranded with a kid. I had seen it happen to countless girls before. Girls who had bright futures ahead of them. I did not want that to be my Dana.
"I'm tired of listening to this. I'm out of here." And with that, she left the house, letting the back door slam behind her. I had forgotten about the formidable Scully temper. She came by her red hair honestly.
"I'm not going to leave her. Or the baby. Ever," Fox told me quietly before following her out the door. There was such conviction in his words that I instantly believed him. Still, he was a teenage boy. By nature, they were flighty. How had my little girl managed to mess up her life so badly?