Feed the Children

I picked Parker and his friend (who is staying yet another weekend with us) from school.
As Parker swung his big bag into the backseat and moooooved the driver's seat back to accommodate his longer legs, he threw out "We should go to McDonald's."
I just shrugged.  I knew he needed to eat before going BACK to the school in an hour to play his final basketball game of the season.  I didn't care where the food came from.
He went on, "Cuz Alexa wants to go there."
Oh.
"So you want to meet her there?" I ask.
"No, she wants food from there.  She swears she'll pay us back."
Whatever.  I nodded and made sure my seatbelt was fastened securely as he managed to hit every pothole between the parking lot and the stop light.  His friend sat mute in the back seat.
Looking handsome in his button-up shirt, nice jeans, and silver chain...and driving casually with one hand he said over his shoulder, "Hey Shawn, grab that cd case."
And then it was my job to search for his latest mix cd and get the party started.
We bounced and boomed safely to McDonald's where he made the poor girl on the other side of the speaker wait through long pauses as he and Shawn decided what they wanted to eat, and then, through a combination of texts and phone calls, placed Alexa's order.
They didn't even ask what I wanted.
Not that it mattered because I don't eat that kind of food.
We pulled up to the window and I asked Parker, "Do you have money?"
He just laughed.
I fished out my debit card and made a big show of rolling down the window and saying loudly "Anyone else need anything to eat?  My mom's paying!"
Even Mr. Mute in the back seat laughed out loud.
They got their food and I got the bill.  And then they went back into the school leaving me with the smell of hamburgers in the air and a laugh in my heart...poorer in one way and richer in another.
I just smiled and rolled my eyes.  If I can make 3 teenagers happy for $11.12, I'll count myself blessed indeed.