Page 28 of Taylor
It’s the longest day ever and I’m exhausted by the time I get home late. I can’t be arsed with dinner so I grab a packet of Super Noodles from the cupboard and tip them into a bowl along with some boiling water. I leave them to do their thing while I get changed into something more comfortable for a night in front of the TV. My camera sitting on the bedside table catches my eye. The memory of using it last night with Caleb pops into my head so I grab it along with my laptop and head back to the livingroom.
I’m waiting for the photos to download when the buzzer goesoff.
“Hello?”
“Taylor,” a weak and pathetic female voice saysquietly.
“Mum? Come in.” I quickly hit the button to release the main door to the building and I pull our front door open as I prepare for what I’m about to be facedwith.
My stomach jumps into my throat when she rounds the top of thestairs.
“Fucking hell, Mum,” I say as I reach forward to grab the bag she’s dragging along behindher.
“It’s fine, I’m fine,” she says, waving off her bruised and swollen face as if it’snothing.
“It’s not fucking fine.” I place my hands gently on her cheeks and take a closer look at the damage. “Motherfucker. Please tell me you’re here because you’ve left that wanker atlast.”
“Yes. I left two days ago. I didn’t come here right away in case it was the first place he looked. Has he been here?” she asks, looking around the room like he’s going to jump out at anymoment.
“No, I’ve not heard anything from him, thankfuck.”
“Good. I think I managed to convince him that we weren’t talking. I left some things around to make it look like I was heading toScotland.”
“Scotland?” She just shrugs as she gently sits herself down on the sofa. “Broken ribs?” I ask, knowing from experience how much they fuckinghurt.
“I think so. Any chance of a glass of wine?” she asks when she clocks my red on the coffeetable.
“Sure.” I head to the kitchen to get it for her, forgetting all about what I left open for her tosee.
“I thought you did fashion photography, notporn.”
“Fuck,” I groan, rushing in to shut my laptopdown.
“He’s not bad to look at. Someone I should know about?” she asks with a raised eyebrow. Mum and I have never really had the kind of relationship where we can talk about stuff like this; it feels a little weird to startnow.
“Yeah, that’s Caleb. My boyfriend,” I addproudly.
“Really?”
“Why do you sound sosurprised?”
“I’m not surprised; just relieved, I guess, that everything I’ve put you through over the years hasn’t put youoff.”
“It’s done enough damage, don’t you worry. It’s taken us a long time to get here thanks to myissues.”
“I’m sorry,Tay.”
“Don’t. Just promise me that things are going to change. Do you have any idea what it’s like knowing you’re still with him, having God knows what done to you?” She drops her head and looks totally defeated. “New start,yeah?”
“Yeah,” she agrees, but not with the enthusiasm I would hope to hear. “I’m tired Taylor. Tired of living this non-existent life, tired of missing out on what the world has to offer. I’ve wasted so many years with him, being his weak little woman but it’s time for me to take control of my life. I want to spend time with you, get to know you properly. I want to make up for all the years we never got to be the mother and son I always wanted us to be. I want to be part of your everyday life, if you’ll haveme?”
“Of course,” I manage to say around the emotion that’s clogging my throat. What she just described is all I’ve ever really wanted. A propermum.
“So, do I get to meet him?” she asks changing the subject back toCaleb.
“He’s not here. He’s gone to Paris for the weekend for his sister’swedding.”
“Why aren’t you withhim?”
