Page 144 of The Alternate Captain
“This sort of thing, Johnny,” she says. Then she leans in closer and pulls my head towards her mouth. “Because you love it when I—”
“Hello?”
Shit.
I hit the power button on the remote control, killing the TV just in time for my mother to round the corner into the living room. I wouldn’t be surprised if she heard us, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she offers a warm smile.
“Oh, my. Sorry to burst in. Just popping back to grab a change of clothes before I head out.”
She spots Kelly then, who’s adjusted herself on the sofa so she’s sitting up straight, legs no longer tangled with my own.
I stand up, toss my notebook to the side, and move towards my mother, giving her a tight hug before stepping back.
“Mom, this is Kelly.”
Kelly walks over, smiling at my mom, dimples in her cheeks. “It’s lovely to meet you. Thanks for letting me stay here.”
“Oh, no problem, Kelly. Make yourself at home.”
Then I see it. The eyes of judgement as Mom averts her gaze back to me. She turns and steps towards the door before calling me to follow her as she sweeps out of the room.
“I’ll be a sec,” I tell Kelly, dropping a kiss on her cheek before leaving.
I find Mom in the kitchen, rummaging through a stack of papers on the worktop that weren’t there previously—probably work files.
“I spoke to Vicky earlier, I said that you said ‘hi’.”
Mom ignores me and jumps right into the real reason she summoned me to the kitchen.
“How old is she, Johnathan?” she says, not even turning to speak to me.
“Kelly? She’s nineteen.”
Mom huffs then opens her work satchel, stuffing the papers inside before spinning to address me further. “Please tell me you’re not as dumb as your father is.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I say, furrowing my brow.
She stands on the spot and looks right at me. Right in my eyes. And it’s the look I know only too well, a lecture is coming.
“Thinking with the contents of your underwear, not your head.”
I gape at her.
“Don’t you dare compare me to Dad.”
“What in God’s name are you doing with a nineteen-year-old? And why didn’t you tell me?” she says, hushing her tone a little, probably trying to keep Kelly from hearing.
“I didn’t think it would be an issue. She’s an adult. I’m an adult—”
“Only just, Johnathan. Honestly—I don’t even know what to say.”
“Because there’s nothing to say. We’re not hurting anyone.”
But as soon as I say it, I realise I should have added ‘yet’ at the end of that sentence. Because I’m probably more scared about telling Bettsy than I’m letting on. I’m scared of hurting him, and there’s a guy code and I’m stamping all over it.
“I just don’t want you getting walked all over again. Not after Sa—”
“Don’t go there. This is completely different.”
