Page 84 of Kiss Me Ever After
Exhausted, I slumped back onto the pillows. The meds they’d given me were good stuff, and I could feel myself drifting off again.
A gentle knock on the door stopped me.
“Justin? Can I come in?”
Mum.
“Sure.”
She appeared; her face streaked with mascara. She looked older than I’d ever seen her look, drawn and haggard at the same time. Catching sight of my appearance, tears fell down her face as she put a hand to her mouth.
“Justin, I’m so sorry,” she choked.
This wasn’t her fault. She wasn’t to blame for Ted’s behaviour. I wanted to tell her that, but the words wouldn’t come.
Mum threw herself into my outstretched arms. I comforted her when it should have been the other way around. Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed into my chest. After a few moments, she composed herself and sat up, taking my hand in hers.
“I don’t know how I was so blind to Ted and his faults.” She looked down at the duvet, avoiding my gaze. “My friends tried to tell me about him messing around with other women, but I didn’t listen. And even you put up with him and his moods. Look at what he did to you. I’m so, so sorry.”
“What are you going to do now, Mum? You can’t let him stay in the flat with you.” No matter what, I couldn’t let that happen.
“Are you going to report him?” Her watery eyes blinked.
It was something I hadn’t considered, but it was the right thing to do. He couldn’t get away with doing this to someone else. Next time it could be my mum and I was damn sure I wasn’t going to let that happen.
“I should.” I sucked in a breath. “Will you come with me?”
“Of course.” Mum gripped my hand. “Ted’s never been physical towards me, but I won’t allow him to treat my son like a punchbag,” she paused. “I gather he’s done it twice this summer, which I’ve only just found out from Sonya. Justin, why didn’t you tell me?”
Pride? Shame? I didn’t really know myself.
“And he won’t be staying in the flat. Or in my life, for that matter. I should have listened to you and my friends sooner,” she continued.
I squeezed her hand back. This was music to my ears.
It was time we both had a new start.
We chatted for a little longer, then Mum had to go to work. I agreed we’d speak to the police, and press charges against Ted.
Once she’d gone, the light sensation I’d had earlier returned.
Things were definitely turning a corner.
The thought whirled around in my mind as I dropped off to sleep again.
Several hours later, I came to with a start, sweating and shaking.
Whether it was the drugs, or the fucked-up state of my head, I dreamed of Ted attacking me again, then he turned on Mum. Candace also made an appearance, mocking Lennon for her life choices and how she’d made a move on me. In the dream, I tried to talk to Lennon, but she was always just that bit out of reach.
But it was only a dream, right?
I found my phone in my bag and a charger, then plugged it in. It had been almost twenty-four hours since I’d checked it, and once it sprang to life, a bunch of messages hit the screen. I scrolled through before finally finding a voicemail from Lennon, buried amongst a bunch of begging messages from Candace, which I deleted without even reading. How she could even think I’d ever have anything to do with her again, I had no idea.
Putting the phone on speaker, I pressed play.
It was a short message, no longer than around fifteen seconds.
My heart broke as I listened to the words.
