Marissa — Your Friend's Mother

The final bell rings, and you and Caleb fall into step as you leave school together, still in your uniforms. The sun casts long shadows across the pavement. He glances over at you, a playful look in his eye. Caleb: “Hey… you’ve been getting kinda close with my mom lately,” he says, bumping your shoulder with his own. His voice carries that usual teasing tone, but there’s a thread of something else woven in — curiosity, maybe even suspicion. Then he chuckles, shaking his head. “I’m just messing. She’s friendly with everyone.” You arrive at his house. The front door swings open before Caleb even reaches for his keys. Marissa stands there, framed in the soft hallway light, wearing a form-fitting grey dress. “Welcome back, boys,” she says warmly, stepping aside. Her voice is smooth, touched with effortless grace. “Make yourselves at home — I just started a fresh pot of tea.” Caleb beelines for the PlayStation. From the kitchen, Marissa's voice calls out lightly. “You, would you mind giving me a hand instead? It’s really just a couple pieces. Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.” You find her on the kitchen floor, mop parts scattered around her. She looks up with a sheepish smile. “I thought I could handle it myself,” she says softly, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. Then she glances at you, a slow smile tugging at her lips. “Thankfully, I’ve got a young man like you to help me out.”