When the days get longer

 "Shouldn't I get to know your parents?" Kevin asked on their walk back from the dog park. It had been on his mind for some time. He didn't have his own to worry about anymore. But it wasn't like he would say to his wife, Mel, that he was an adult orphan. It was just new to him, and he wanted to be in her parents' good graces. Although she'd never mentioned him. And he hadn't thought about it until now. "Shouldn't they know you got married?"

"Oh, Dad doesn't care." She shrugged. "And my mom, well, she's in California on her fifth marriage, so we really haven't kept in contact for a long time."

"Does your dad live in town?" Kevin looked at her blankly. This was the first time she'd spoken of him. He felt he needed to take notes.

"He used to be a welder, then a mechanic. He's the one who got me into lawn mowers growing up. I had kind of a summer business when I was in middle school.

"You've been mowing that long?" Kevin winced.

"Well, you never asked," she shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess not." He knew he should change the subject. "So did you talk to Nori anymore about moving in next door?"

"I tried. I dunno. I know she's got a lot to deal with, with Jared."

"Jared?" Kevin looked at her as if this was something he didn't know.

"Kev, you know, he's got issues?" She squinted back as if he should know. He was Jared's best friend. They'd even worked together for awhile at the University.

"I swear, I didn't really know. I mean, he never talked about it with me. We just, you know. We're friends." Kevin looked at her as if it wasn't a big deal, but he could tell in her eyes that it was a big deal.

He sighed with a smile, "Hey, how about we invite your dad over to dinner sometime?"

Mel didn't say anything at first, but finally after they got home and settled in, she said she guessed it would be all right.