Mom’s New Colonel Boyfriend Yelled At Me. “In This House, I Give The Orders.” “I Am The Man Of The House.” I Turned Around In My Chair. I Was Holding My Admiral’s Stars. “Actually, Colonel… You Are Dismissed.” HE STOOD AT ATTENTION SHAKING.

“I’m sorry. I’ll move it.”

“It’s about standards. Your mother and I have an understanding about how things should be.”

My mother appeared from the kitchen, dish towel in hand.

“Mark, it’s fine. It’s just for a couple days.”

“That’s not the point, Maggie. The point is respect.”

He was looking at me now.

“Discipline doesn’t take a vacation just because you’re visiting.”

I stood, picked up the bag, moved it to my room. When I returned, my mother was alone in the kitchen, her hands braced on the counter.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“You don’t need to apologize for me.”

“I meant… he’s just used to things being a certain way.”

“Mom, he’s a good man, Sam. Really.”

“Is he?”

“He’s just structured.”

I heard the word she wasn’t saying—intense, controlling, difficult—the words women use when they’re already making accommodations they shouldn’t have to make.

“How often does he get like that?” I asked.

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