Kat was in the kitchen making pasta salad to go with all the other food for the cookout when she heard the doorbell ring. She knew it had to be Denise. They had asked her to come over earlier so they could sit down and talk before everyone else got there.

 Wiping her hands on a towel, she let Denise in and took her out to the back deck where AJ was setting up the tables and chairs.

 “Hi Ma.” AJ said kissing his mother on the cheek. “Thanks for coming over.”

 “How can I pass up an opportunity to see my son?”

 AJ grinned. “I was hoping we could talk to you before all the guys get here.”

 Denise sat down across from Kat and she looked from her son to her. Kat looked nervous and was fidgeting with her hands.

 “What’s going on?” Denise asked looking back at her son.

 AJ sat down at the table and reached for Kat’s hand.  She seemed grateful for the contact.

 AJ took a deep breath. “Kat and I are together now. We both love each other and we wanted you to be the first one to know.”

 Kat didn’t tell either one of them that she had already told Brenda. She needed her best friend’s support so she had called her while AJ was out picking up propane for the grill.

 Denise sat there stunned. She had to admit that Kat seemed like a nice girl and her son appeared to be happier around her but she felt like this was moving too fast.

 “I’m not really sure what to say.”

 Kat felt her heart sink into her stomach. She really wanted Denise to like her and to be happy for them. It didn’t seem as though that was going to happen.

 AJ saw Kat’s face. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. She got up, excused herself and went into the house. Grabbing her cell phone, she went upstairs to call Brenda.

 “What was all that about Ma?” he asked with a hurt look on his face. “You seemed to get along really well at the spa and you acted comfortable around her when you got back.”

 “Alex, I want to be happy for you both but I really think you’re going into this thing way too fast. You’ve known each other for about four months now and you’re already a couple and talking about love? Do you truly believe that this is the real thing?”

 “Why don’t you ever trust my judgment?” he asked getting defensive.

 Denise sighed. “I love you Alex but your judgment has gotten you into a lot of trouble in the past. And honestly, your taste in women hasn’t always been the best. Just look at Michelle.”

AJ knew his mother was right in what she said but he hated that she was always using that as an excuse not to see things from his perspective.

 “I know I fucked up in the past Ma but I’m really trying here. Kat is nothing like Michelle and I already told you how important she is to me. She likes you a lot and had fun with you and the girls at the spa.”

 “I didn’t say she wasn’t a nice girl or that I didn’t like her Alex. I’m just worried that she might turn out like Michelle or some of your past girlfriends.”

 “She isn’t like any girl I have ever dated. She doesn’t want anything from me. There is nothing about her that makes me feel like she’s going to screw me over like Michelle.” AJ paused. “She thanked me for loving her Ma.”

 Denise was shocked. In all of his past relationships, he had spent the better part of the time apologizing for his past and avoiding confrontation by doing whatever he could to make the girl happy. She heard him thank Michelle for loving him countless times but she’d never heard anyone thank him for anything.

 “We started out as friends not a hookup and we got to know each other. She didn’t have to talk to me at all after the way I treated her when we first met but she looked past all that. She became my friend, a real one, someone I could depend on. Kat’s always on my side even when I fuck up and she probably wants to give me a kick in the ass.”

 Denise had to laugh. She could picture Kat doing that.

 “You’re important to me but she is too. I want the two women in my life to get along and I really want you to give her a chance. Please get to know her more. It’s important to me. Please Ma.”

 Denise saw the sincerity in her son’s eyes. She told him she would give her the benefit of the doubt and that she was happy for him. The only thing she didn’t say to him was that she hoped it wasn’t the wrong thing to do.