“Last night, Samantha met up with the son of one of my partners at the firm," she explained. "He's a third-year at Stanford Law School and it was not, as you say, a ‘date’."

I blinked a few times as I processed that information. In the end, all

I managed was a stupid sounding, "Oh."

Mother gave me a wry grin. "Were you really worried so much?"

“Uh, well..."

“Samantha's not your girlfriend."

“I know that."

“One might say you've no right to be possessive of her.”

“I know."

“I'm told that Naimh is now your official girlfriend, despite the fact that a revolving door of other girls have been coming in and out of your bedroom for the past few days.”

“Yes, well she's... uh... Neevie is very open to sharing with her friends."

"So I understand."

I gave her a funny look.

“I get the feeling you understand a lot more of my current sex Life than a normal mother would."

“Your feelings serve you well.”

I frowned.

“Is there anything Sam HASN'T told you about my sex Life?"

Mother shrugged.

“Logic would dictate that I can't know what I don't know. But that said, Samantha has been very forthcoming in providing answers to any question I put to her."

“Why is that? Especially when she hasn't been very forthcoming with me?"

“Perhaps she Likes me better than you." Mother's smile was all teeth.

But a moment Later she took pity on me and exhaled slowly. "Samantha is at a crossroads in her life. On the one hand, she has been brought up all her life under the expectation of becoming a doctor like both of her older siblings and her father. She has studied extensively in preparation for a pre-med undergraduate education followed by medical school.”

“And on the other hand?"

Mother shrugged. "She doesn't actually want to be a doctor. That much is clear. "

I frowned. "Sam's always wanted to be a doctor."