June opened the passenger door for him, and Bill stooped to load in the leftovers. Rising, he brushed his hands off and grabbed the corner of the door to close it.
"Bill, do you know what you're doin'?"
Bill paused, then glanced at the food he just set down and jerked a thumb over his shoulder.
"Want me t'put it in the trunk, instead?"
"Bill."
Bill tried to hold onto his smile, but June wasn't returning it and finally his slipped off.
"Mom... "
"She seems like a nice girl," June said, looking up at Bill as he fiddled with the weather stripping on the door. "But, how much do you really know about her?"
Bill held up his hand, gesturing at the house. "A lot. I mean, quite a bit at least. She's been livin' here a month, it ain't like we haven't been talkin' an' gettin' to know each other."
June shook her head gently and lifted her hand, resting it on his chest to quiet him as she heard the defensive notes raising his voice.
"Okay, y'talked, an' you been livin' together. I'm not gonna ask about any of the rest." She'd give him his privacy there, but she wasn't stupid. "I just want t'make sure you aren't rushin' into anything."
"'Course not. I-- "
"Bill, just-- just lemme finish." June gave him a firm look, and he reluctantly closed his mouth.
"I'm not speakin' against you two, or tryin' t'change your mind," she continued. "But Bill, you've had your heart broke half a hundred times already, an' this last time with Starla just happened."
Bill's eyes cut away, and June reached up to stroke his cheek, turning him to face her again.
"I'm sorry, Bill. I'm sorry y'had that happen to you. It shouldnt've. That woman has no idea what she's passin' up. But I know you're still hurtin' from that, an' I worry that this might just be your way of tryin' to cover that."
Bill frowned at that, brow furrowing as he looked down at her.
"Y'think I'm just... usin' her?"
"Or, maybe it's her takin' advantage of you."
Bill's jaw tightened, but June didn't waver, keeping her composure calm, and tone even.
"Or, maybe this is what you want it t'be. I hope for that, Bill, I really do. But if it's not, one of you is gonna get hurt, an' it won't be fair at all to the other."
Bill looked towards the house, the weight of his mother's words settling. Stepping way from the car, he closed the door. June stepped closer to hug him, and he kept his eyes down as he returned it.
"I just want you t'be careful, that's all."
"Okay." He nodded, and she broke off and was soon driving away.
Heading back up to the house, Bill closed and locked the door and headed for the kitchen.
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"Bill, do you know what you're doin'?"
Bill paused, then glanced at the food he just set down and jerked a thumb over his shoulder.
"Want me t'put it in the trunk, instead?"
"Bill."
Bill tried to hold onto his smile, but June wasn't returning it and finally his slipped off.
"Mom... "
"She seems like a nice girl," June said, looking up at Bill as he fiddled with the weather stripping on the door. "But, how much do you really know about her?"
Bill held up his hand, gesturing at the house. "A lot. I mean, quite a bit at least. She's been livin' here a month, it ain't like we haven't been talkin' an' gettin' to know each other."
June shook her head gently and lifted her hand, resting it on his chest to quiet him as she heard the defensive notes raising his voice.
"Okay, y'talked, an' you been livin' together. I'm not gonna ask about any of the rest." She'd give him his privacy there, but she wasn't stupid. "I just want t'make sure you aren't rushin' into anything."
"'Course not. I-- "
"Bill, just-- just lemme finish." June gave him a firm look, and he reluctantly closed his mouth.
"I'm not speakin' against you two, or tryin' t'change your mind," she continued. "But Bill, you've had your heart broke half a hundred times already, an' this last time with Starla just happened."
Bill's eyes cut away, and June reached up to stroke his cheek, turning him to face her again.
"I'm sorry, Bill. I'm sorry y'had that happen to you. It shouldnt've. That woman has no idea what she's passin' up. But I know you're still hurtin' from that, an' I worry that this might just be your way of tryin' to cover that."
Bill frowned at that, brow furrowing as he looked down at her.
"Y'think I'm just... usin' her?"
"Or, maybe it's her takin' advantage of you."
Bill's jaw tightened, but June didn't waver, keeping her composure calm, and tone even.
"Or, maybe this is what you want it t'be. I hope for that, Bill, I really do. But if it's not, one of you is gonna get hurt, an' it won't be fair at all to the other."
Bill looked towards the house, the weight of his mother's words settling. Stepping way from the car, he closed the door. June stepped closer to hug him, and he kept his eyes down as he returned it.
"I just want you t'be careful, that's all."
"Okay." He nodded, and she broke off and was soon driving away.
Heading back up to the house, Bill closed and locked the door and headed for the kitchen.
"Y'need any help?" he asked, glancing around.