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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Comedy / Humor
- Published: 06/29/2023
Spin the Bottle
Born 1980, F, from Eagan, MN, United StatesJill unlocked the front door and stepped inside the kitchen. She went to the cupboard, took out a glass and filled it with cold water. She was pleased to see that her daughter, Rowan, had loaded the dishwasher as she’d asked earlier that day. As she took a few sips of the water she heard Rowan laughing. Then she heard, “I know! Wasn’t that the best game of Spin the Bottle ever?”
Jill stood absolutely still. “Spin the Bottle?!” Had she heard correctly? Rowan was twelve years old. She had no business kissing boys. Jill carefully set the glass down.
Rowan, who was apparently on the phone, continued to gush, oblivious to the fact that her mother could hear her. “Yes! They were all so cute! I wanted to kiss them all! Especially Fynn. We are definitely playing that again the next time I come to your house.”
That was enough for Jill. She stormed into the living room and said, “Phone away. Right now.”
“Mom?” Rowan looked surprised. “What’s wrong? I loaded the dishwasher.”
“This has nothing to do with dishes. Hang up. I want to talk to you.”
“Umm, okay. Gia, I have to go. I’ll call back later.” There was a slight pause before she said, “Okay. Bye!” Setting the phone down, she said, “Mom, what’s wrong? I did what you said.”
Jill sat on the couch across from Rowan. “I walked inside the house, and I heard you talking about playing a kissing game! When were you playing a kissing game? You know I wouldn’t allow that!”
“What? Oh!” Rowan started to giggle, and she put both hands over her mouth.
“This isn’t funny, Rowan.” Said Jill sternly.
“No, no, Mom, hold on! Just hold on! Rowan was still in a fit of giggles. She managed to compose herself before she said, “Mom, Gia’s cat had kittens a few weeks ago. Last night at her house we were just sitting there looking at them. I finished my Sprite, and we thought it would be funny to make a little circle with the kittens and take turns spinning the bottle. Then we kissed whichever kitten the bottle pointed to.”
Jill kept her eyes on her daughter’s face as she said, “So if I call Gia’s mom, she’ll say that her cat just had kittens if I ask her?"
Rowan answered quickly and confidently. “Yes. I promise. In fact, this is so funny that you should call her!”
“And have you ever played any kissing game with boys?” asked Jill.
“What? No. Gross. Come on, Mom. I want a kiss with a boy…” here she had to pause because of her mom’s expression. She continued, “SOMEDAY, Mom, any kiss with a boy in some far-off DISTANT future, to mean something. I’m not interested in kissing games, unless I get to kiss an adorable little kitten. Or puppy. Or _”
“Okay, okay. That’s enough,” interrupted Jill with a laugh. “I am glad that you were not kissing boys last night.”
“Do you want to see the pics we took of the kittens?” Rowan asked.
Jill moved to the couch that Rowan was sitting on. She leaned against her daughter’s shoulder. “Absolutely,” she said, feeling relieved and content and more than ready to sit with her daughter and look at photos of kittens.
Spin the Bottle(Marla)
Jill unlocked the front door and stepped inside the kitchen. She went to the cupboard, took out a glass and filled it with cold water. She was pleased to see that her daughter, Rowan, had loaded the dishwasher as she’d asked earlier that day. As she took a few sips of the water she heard Rowan laughing. Then she heard, “I know! Wasn’t that the best game of Spin the Bottle ever?”
Jill stood absolutely still. “Spin the Bottle?!” Had she heard correctly? Rowan was twelve years old. She had no business kissing boys. Jill carefully set the glass down.
Rowan, who was apparently on the phone, continued to gush, oblivious to the fact that her mother could hear her. “Yes! They were all so cute! I wanted to kiss them all! Especially Fynn. We are definitely playing that again the next time I come to your house.”
That was enough for Jill. She stormed into the living room and said, “Phone away. Right now.”
“Mom?” Rowan looked surprised. “What’s wrong? I loaded the dishwasher.”
“This has nothing to do with dishes. Hang up. I want to talk to you.”
“Umm, okay. Gia, I have to go. I’ll call back later.” There was a slight pause before she said, “Okay. Bye!” Setting the phone down, she said, “Mom, what’s wrong? I did what you said.”
Jill sat on the couch across from Rowan. “I walked inside the house, and I heard you talking about playing a kissing game! When were you playing a kissing game? You know I wouldn’t allow that!”
“What? Oh!” Rowan started to giggle, and she put both hands over her mouth.
“This isn’t funny, Rowan.” Said Jill sternly.
“No, no, Mom, hold on! Just hold on! Rowan was still in a fit of giggles. She managed to compose herself before she said, “Mom, Gia’s cat had kittens a few weeks ago. Last night at her house we were just sitting there looking at them. I finished my Sprite, and we thought it would be funny to make a little circle with the kittens and take turns spinning the bottle. Then we kissed whichever kitten the bottle pointed to.”
Jill kept her eyes on her daughter’s face as she said, “So if I call Gia’s mom, she’ll say that her cat just had kittens if I ask her?"
Rowan answered quickly and confidently. “Yes. I promise. In fact, this is so funny that you should call her!”
“And have you ever played any kissing game with boys?” asked Jill.
“What? No. Gross. Come on, Mom. I want a kiss with a boy…” here she had to pause because of her mom’s expression. She continued, “SOMEDAY, Mom, any kiss with a boy in some far-off DISTANT future, to mean something. I’m not interested in kissing games, unless I get to kiss an adorable little kitten. Or puppy. Or _”
“Okay, okay. That’s enough,” interrupted Jill with a laugh. “I am glad that you were not kissing boys last night.”
“Do you want to see the pics we took of the kittens?” Rowan asked.
Jill moved to the couch that Rowan was sitting on. She leaned against her daughter’s shoulder. “Absolutely,” she said, feeling relieved and content and more than ready to sit with her daughter and look at photos of kittens.
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Valerie Allen
09/15/2023Shame on Mom! Always thinking the worst about our little darlings. I've raised six kids, so I am also guilty of having a few doubts about "just what is going on here?" Cute story and so true ~
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
10/26/2023Thanks, Valerie!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Lillian Kazmierczak
09/15/2023Marla, this certainly proved perception is everything! What a fun story filled with wisdom. Everyday life with tweens is joyful! A perceprive short story star of the day!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
09/15/2023Thanks, Lillian!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
09/15/2023What a cute story. Really enjoyed this. I had something like this when I was a teenager. I was counting on a calender. My Mom got the wrong idea. I was really mad at my Mom for this one. Now it's hilarious. Congratulations for Short Story Star of the Day!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
09/15/2023Lol! Shirley, you should write about that and share it here! I would love to read it.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
09/15/2023Thanks!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Marla
07/08/2023Thank you, Shelly!
COMMENTS (7)