When Doris said her mum wanted to meet me, my heart began to pound. Yes, Doris and I were close friends, but there was something she didn’t know about me. I was scared of grown-ups. As in, super scared. They were way too hard and cold—especially to “small girls”.

So on my first visit to Doris’s house, I was shocked when her mum hugged me. I froze. Then I pulled myself together and hugged her back. It was like hugging a long lost friend. Doris watched us with shiny eyes like she’d planned it all.

I talked and talked and Doris’s mum listened. I told her about myself, about my family and my hobbies. Turned out she loved pencil drawing too. She admired my sketches and encouraged me to carry on. She didn’t talk down to me. She even asked me if I liked a boy! Imagine!

I started looking forward to going to Doris’s house. Doris even joked that I didn’t have time for her anymore. Truth is, I couldn’t help being drawn to her mum. She was nothing like other grown-ups. Not even my own mum. I enjoyed talking to my mum. But I just couldn’t talk to her about dating, periods and other girly stuff. I figured she’d judge me or scold me.

Doris’s mum was different. Whenever I got shy and quiet, she reminded me to speak up. Whenever I complained that my breasts were small, she said all bodies are different. She was so awesome that I decided to give other grown-ups a chance. That’s how I started opening up to my mum. I found out she wasn’t harsh and judgmental at all. In fact, she’d been through the same things as me. So she was the perfect person to advise me.

These days my mum and I get along quite well. I can’t wait to introduce her to Doris’s mum. Who knows? Maybe they’ll become good friends. Maybe all four of us will hang out together. We’ll be the best team ever.
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