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I laughed to myself. At least I had a decent haircut. I had that going for me.
No point dwelling on what I couldn’t have. I got in my car and drove away, determined not to give Liam another thought.
That was easier said than done, and instead of sleeping the afternoon away, I filled my mind with images of him. What the fuck was going on? I tossed and turned, but it was no use. Enough was enough. Lying here, dreaming of him was achieving nothing, least of all sleep.
I made myself a coffee and sat on the couch to watch my favourite quiz show. I’d need to be leaving in a couple of hours. It was pointless trying to sleep.
The phone rang. It’d be Mum. She always rang this time of day.
“Hi, Mama. How’s the weather?”
Mama and Pops were living the high life in Florida. They’d retired a few years earlier and decided the UK was no longer for them. With Mama’s arthritis, a warmer climate was more beneficial. Pops was American, and although he’d lived in the UK, he’d kept his US citizenship. I’d even lived there for a while when I was younger, but when Mama became ill, we’d moved back to the UK.
Medical bills in the States were a bitch. Thank god for the NHS.
“Glorious as usual, son. How’s the weather with you?” Despite only having lived there for a few years, she sounded more American with each passing month. I’d picked up a slight accent, but it had disappeared. Only the odd word here and there reminded me of my time overseas.
“Fucking awful. If we get any more rain, I’ll be building an ark.”
“Oh, you’re funny, Johnnie.” Only Mama could call me that. “I just thought I’d call, see how you’re getting on. How’s that lovely person you work with? Are his children still adorable?”
“Yes, Mama. He’s fine, and so are his kids.”
Wait for it…
“Have you met anyone new? A mother worries, you know.”
“Not since last week. I’ve been working. We had a big case on. I’ve hardly been home.”
“How’s my house?” When my parents had moved to Florida, they’d asked me to move into their home. They hadn’t want to sell or rent to tenants they didn’t know. The obvious choice had been me. I’d rented my place, so it had been no hassle to end my contract and move in. The house needed some updating, but it was comfortable and familiar.
“The house is fine. No wild parties. How about you?”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Johnnie. Your pops and I are too old for parties, but we did go to this fabulous club the other evening. We met this lovely couple, Chuck and Dorothy. It was three in the morning before we got to bed. I said to Pops, Johnnie will never believe we’ve been out this late.”
Mum tended to ramble, and I switched her off, focussing on the final of the quiz show, but when she mentioned coming home for the New Year, she got my full attention.
Well, shit.
I scrambled to sit up straight.
“You’re coming home when?”
“Weren’t you listening, son? The New Year. It’s your aunt Sylvia’s seventieth birthday. We have to be home for that.”
Well, shit again.
“Sounds good, Mama. Let me know the details nearer the time. I have to be going, though. It’s almost time for work.”
“Johnnie, you do nothing but work. You should find yourself a nice man and settle down.”
I’d lost count the number of times we’d had this conversation.
“Yes, Mama, I know.”
“I’ll let you go. Love you, son.”
“Love you, Mama.”
