At 6, I Promised My Best Friend with Down Syndrome We’d Go to Prom Together – 12 Years Later, Mom Said I Could Go with Him Only on One

Her face changed again.

“Come upstairs with me.”

“What?”

“Just for a minute.”

“Mom, Noah’s waiting.”

“I know.”

Noah lifted the corsage. “I have this.”

“I can see that,” I said.

“It’s rosemary.”

“Come upstairs with me.”

I paused halfway down.

“Rosemary?”

“The florist said it means remembering.” He looked extremely pleased with himself. “And I remember promises.”

My heart sank.

Mom made a small sound behind me.

When I turned, her eyes were wet.

“Mom?”

“Upstairs, Chrissy.”

This time she didn’t ask.

“And I remember promises.”

***

The second we entered my bedroom, she shut the door.

Then locked it.

“Okay, you’re scaring me, Mom.”

She faced me.

“You can go with Noah tonight, but only on one condition.”

Anger hit me before fear did.

“If this is about Noah having Down syndrome, I swear to God…”

“Okay, you’re scaring me, Mom.”

“No.”

“Because I’m 18, Mom.”