First Dates

He stood in the hallway nervously trying to decide what to wear.

"How about this shirt?"

He held up the same t-shirt that he wore every Wednesday to school.

"I think it's fine honey," I answered.

"How much money do you think I'll need?"

He was trying hard not to smile, not wanting to appear to excited about preparing for his first official date with the girl he'd been smitten with for the last six months, but he was doing a really poor job of it. His hand quickly came to his face to cover the broad grin and he desperately tried to fake a yawn.

"Go with $50, that should give you plenty of money in case you decide to stop to get something to eat."

"This could get expensive," he mumbled, "but it's worth it."

My heart grew large in my chest as I watched the young man in front of me. Only yesterday he had been a little boy playing with action figures in the bay window, now he was playing his first round at being Casanova. It was one of those moments that makes a mother proud, and sad, all at the same time.

"Just have a good time," I reached out and touched his cheek. No longer was it smooth and sleek as it had been when he was a child, instead it was the artificial smoothness of a man who had just finished shaving.

He smiled back at me, his large brown eyes full of hope and excitement, and I realized that the good man I had hoped to raise was now standing right in front of me.

She's a very lucky girl to have him.