"Oh!" his mother exclaimed in surprise. "You're not my son." Her voice was warm and inviting with a slight country twang to it like she was from the South.

Keeley chuckled. "No ma'am, I am definitely not."

"Well then darlin', who might you be?" the feminine voice questioned.

"My name's Keeley, ma'am," she answered.

"Pish posh! None of that ma'am business," she kindly scolded. "I may be a mother, but I don't have any grey hairs yet. Call me Darlene, suga'."

Keeley was taken back by the woman's friendliness. This was Talon's mother? Keeley wasn't sure what she expected when she answered the phone, but it certainly wasn't this. "Yes, ma'-," Keeley caught herself in time, "I mean Darlene," Keeley corrected.

"Now that we have the introductions out of the way, do you mind telling me why you are answering my son's phone?" she demanded.

Keeley grinned at her bluntness. The woman may be friendly but she didn't hold back the candor. Keeley admired that. She quickly explained how she and Talon ended up switching phones.

"Well fiddlesticks!" Talon's mom exclaimed."That's quite a predicament you two have gotten in. He should have left it with me. I could have met you and exchanged the phones. Now you have to go a week with each others."

Keeley's grin turned into a wide smile. This was the opening she was hoping for. She sighed heavily, making sure Darlene knew she was distressed. "The thing is..." Keeley purposefully paused and pretended to falter, "...well I.."

"What is it darlin'? You can tell me," Darlene encouraged, sounding worried.

Keeley felt a twinge of guilt when she heard the woman's concern but she brushed it aside and continued. "The thing is, I think Talon did this on purpose to get back at me."

"Talon?" his mother questioned, her voice sounding surprised.

Oh the poor woman. She must be blinded by her love for him to not see his evil ways. "Yes, Talon," Keeley confirmed.

"Did he ask you to call him that, suga'?" Darlene asked bizarrely.

Keeley frowned at the question. This was not the reaction she was expecting. "Uh...yes," Keeley answered, though it sounded more like a question than a statement. "Is that a problem?" her voice hesitant. Was she not suppose to call him that?

Darlene murmured something under her breath. "No, not at all. I'm just surprised," she stated. Before Keeley could question why, Darlene asked, "So, what is this about my son getting back at you?"

Keeley opened her mouth to respond, but the words were caught in her throat. She couldn't throw Talon under the bus like that. It was one thing to play a prank on him in front of his friends, but it was another thing to lie to his mother.

"Darlin'? You there?" Darlene prompted.

"Uh...well..you see..." Keeley stuttered, at a loss for words.

"That boy," Darlene sighed. "He did something to you didn't he?" she guessed correctly. "Just like his daddy. Always letting his emotions rule him rather than his head. Well, that and his one-eyed snake."

Keeley was so surprised by the last sentence that she ended up choking on her own saliva. Did his mother really just say that? She coughed, trying to clear her throat.

Talon's mother continued talking. "He was such a good boy growing up. He had such great manners, never talking back to his elders and always obeying orders. What happened? Where did I go wrong?" she lamented.

"Umm...." Keeley trailed off, not sure how to respond.

"Now, he's out at all hours of the night, never telling me where he's going or what he's doing. He never brings any of his friends home and he never talks about what's happening in his life."

"Darlene-" Keeley tried to get a word in edgewise, but Talon's mother continued on her rant.

"And don't think I haven't noticed him fooling around with those cheerleaders," she said in disgust. "Back in my day, we never wore our skirts above our knee or had our bellybuttons hanging out," she paused. "Oh dear, you aren't a cheerleader are you? Not that there's anything wrong with that!" Darlene assured her and rushed on. "I was one too. In fact, Talon's daddy was the quarterback and I was the head cheerleader."

Keeley shook her head in amusement. "No, I'm not a cheerleader."

"Oh good," she said, sounding relieved. "I know it's in bad taste to speak ill about anyone, but it's just that those girls seem a little, well," she paused and lowered her voice, "loose."

Keeley chuckled. The woman certainly wasn't shy about voicing her opinion to a complete stranger.

"Well they are!" Darlene cried out in indignation. "Bless my heart, I heard one girl proposition my son after a game! I brought it up to her mother at a PTA meeting and she had the audacity to accuse Talon of initiating it! Least to say, I did not vote in favor of adding more money to the cheerleading budget."

Keeley couldn't contain the hilarity that was bubbling up inside of her. She burst out laughing and managed to choke out, "G-good fo-for you."

"I just don't know what to do," Darlene went on, sounding sad. "It's like he doesn't want me around. He didn't even accept my Facebook request I sent him last year. You wouldn't do that to your mother would you?"

"Uh..I..." Keeley stuttered, not having a response to the question. Her mother couldn't even figure out how to access her cell phone's voicemails, much less Facebook. Thank god for small favors.

"Of course you wouldn't, suga'. I can tell you're a good girl. She's lucky," Darlene sniffed. "Do you know he forces me to sit in the back of the bleachers during his football games? Says he's embarrassed by me. My own son!" she exclaimed."All because one time I showed up in my Dolly Parton costume."

Keeley stifled a chuckle.

"One time!" she cried out. "And it wasn't even my fault! I had a costume party to attend after the game. I promised I'd never do it again but he wouldn't listen to reason. You'd think he'd be a little more grateful to the woman who changed his sheets every night for nine years, because he wet the bed!"

Keeley's eyes widened. "He wet his bed?" she questioned. Oh this was brilliant. It was exactly the type of information she needed to get back at him.

"Oh dear. I probably shouldn't have said that," his mother fretted. "You won't tell anyone will you?" she pleaded, her voice sounding panicked.

"I promise not to tell another soul," she swore. 'But Talon won't know that,' Keeley thought mischievously.

"Bless your heart. Such a sweet child," Darlene said, sounding incredibly relieved.

Before Talon's mother could start another one of her long-winded speeches, Keeley said, "Darlene, it was lovely talking to you but I really need to go."

"Of course. Will you tell Talon I love him?" she requested. "Oh! And remind him to wear clean undies every day," Darlene added at the last second.

"I will pass on the message," Keeley said with a grin.

After saying goodbye to his mother, Keeley called Talon and left him a voicemail. "Oh Talon," she sung playfully. "I just had the most interesting conversation with your mother. Such a lovely woman. She likes to talk. A lot. Call me back if you value your reputation." Keeley paused. "And Talon? Don't forget to wear your clean undies." She hung up with a triumphant laugh.

Keeley couldn't stop grinning the rest of the day. It may have started out a little rough but things were definitely looking up.

It was late at night and Keeley was at her desk reading, when Talon finally called her. She laid the book down and braced herself for the conversation to come.

"What did my mother tell you?" he asked without preamble.

"Why hello to you too, Talon. I had a great a day. Thanks for asking," Keeley responded saucily. She leaned back in her chair and waited for his response.

"What did my mother tell you?" Talon repeated, his voice low and demanding.

"You know, your mother is nothing like I expected," Keeley observed. "She certainly is forthcoming about information regarding her son."

Talon groaned. "Oh god. Please tell me she didn't tell you about the dolls."

"Dolls?" Keeley exclaimed in glee. She jumped out of her chair, not being able to contain her excitement. "Do tell!"

"Shit," Talon mumbled under his breath, realizing he just gave her more ammunition to use against him. "Let's get back to what my mother told you."

"Oh no," Keeley said, not willing to let the issue go. "Let's talk more about these dolls. What kind were they exactly? Did you dress them up and change their undies everyday?" she teased.

"Keeley...." Talon warned, not finding her words amusing.

"How old were you when you played with them? Nine?" she asked innocently.

Talon sighed heavily. "She told you about the bed wetting thing, didn't she?" he guessed.

Keeley chuckled. She loved having the upper hand, especially when it came to Talon. "I say we trade information. You tell me about your conversation with Brent and I'll share what your mother told me."

Talon paused, weighing his options. Finally, he muttered, "Fine. You have a deal."

Keeley pumped her fist in victory. "Excellent. You first, undie boy." Her heart was beating furiously as she waited to hear about Brent.

"He invited you to visit him next week. He said he could give you a tour of the campus," Talon explained. "Now you."

"Hold your horses. What was your response?" she asked. Keeley knew Talon had to have said something to Brent. He wouldn't have been able to resist temptation.

"Nothing," he quickly denied.

"Uh-huh. I'm not stupid, Talon. Tell me or else I'll call your mother," she threatened. Keeley grinned at the statement. Of all the things she imagined saying to Talon, that was definitely not one of them. Who knew Talon's kryptonite was his mother?

"Well played, baby doll," he grudgingly admitted. "Fine. I told him I was interested in that college too and he invited me to come along." Some of his trademark arrogance was back in his voice.

"You what?!" Keeley shrieked. "Hell no. Consider yourself officially uninvited!" She wasn't going anywhere with that jerk. As soon as they switched phones it was goodbye to Talon!

"Now, now. Brent dearest is expecting both of us. You don't want to disappoint him do you?" Talon taunted, his smugness back in full swing.

She gritted her teeth. He was like the Energizer Bunny that refused to die! "I can't believe that out of ten thousand sperm, you were the quickest."

"Play nice baby doll. Don't forget I still have your phone for four more days," he reminded her.

Keeley groaned at the thought. She didn't think her blood pressure could handle any more of Talon's shenanigans. "I call for a truce."

"Truce?" his voice sounded intrigued. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

"You stop pissing me off and I'll keep your dirty secrets to myself," she bargained. Keeley lifted her eyes to the ceiling and prayed that he would accept.

"My secrets aren't dirty," he pouted.

"Whatever you say, undie boy," Keeley mocked suggestively.

"Damn mothers," he mumbled to himself.

Keeley glanced at the clock on her bed stand and was surprised to see how late it was. "So, do we have a deal?" Keeley asked impatiently. She had work with Van early the next morning and needed all the sleep she could get.

"On one condition baby doll," Talon responded.

Keeley's eyes narrowed. "What's the condition?" she asked suspiciously, not trusting him.

"I get to go with you when you visit lover boy next week," he answered immediately.

Her eyebrows rose in confusion. "What? Why?" she inquired. He didn't even know Brent. Why would he want to spend a weekend with him?

Talon ignored her questions. "Do we have a truce?"

"You didn't answer me!" Keeley exclaimed. Unbelievable. He didn't even do anything and he was still pissing her off. Somehow, she got the feeling that she was getting the short end of the stick on this agreement.

"Yes or no, baby doll," his voice was deep and husky.

There was something in his tone that caused a shiver of anticipation to run down her spine. "I feel like you asking me to choose between the red or blue pill," Keeley joked, trying to stall. She had this strange feeling that her answer was more than just saying yes or no to a truce.

"Yes or no, Keeley," he repeated.

Keeley hesitated still unsure of what Talon was really asking her.

"Keeley?" Talon prompted.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds passed by.

Keeley bit her lip and took the plunge.

"Yes."

*******

A/N  Does anyone else have an extremely embarrassing parent? I know I do! When I was younger, my dad would fart in front of any boys he caught checking me out. *sigh* Thankfully, he stopped doing that once I started going to college.