“Where’s Dad?”I ask.
My mum pats my hand and says, “He’ll come around, like I said, dear.Just give ’im time to process it.You know what old men are like.They’ll stomp their feet and make a big noise, but then they’ll see sense and come around to a reasonable way of thinkin’.Either that or I’ll force some sense into ’im.”Mum gives me a wink, and I do not want to know what that implies.All I know is she is where I get my temper and bad mood from—despite what she says.
“And AJ,” she says turning to him, her eyes full of happiness, “it’s about bloody time yer know.”
“Excuse me?”he asks, completely taken aback.
“Do you know ’ow long I’ve been waitin’ for yer two to make a move on one another?”
“You what?”Now it’s my turn to be shocked.
“Oh, come off it, the pair of yer.Like I said to Kyle, a mother always knows about these things.And AJ, yer ’ave been around our family enough to be considered part ofourfamily too.I can’t wait to be able to call you my son one day.”
“Woah,” I say, heart beating in my chest.“We haven’t even had the official boyfriend talk yet and you’re talking about marriage?”
“Well, yer better get a move on and decide what yer are to each other, especially since you’ll be tellin’ the world soon enough.”
AJ and I look at each other, and I grab his hand and pull him into a kiss.
“What do you say?”I ask, pulling away from his lips.
“I guess you’re worth a shot.”
“You’re such a bitch,” I say as I pull him into another kiss.
“So, we’re officially boyfriends?”I say, in hope more than anything.
“I think we have been for quite some time,” he says and gives me a thousand-watt smile.
“All this ’appy talk has got me gasping for a cuppa.I’ll go put the kettle on,” Mum says and leaves the room.
“We’ll help make it,” says Trish, following her out with Mel close behind.
“How much trouble do you think we can get up to before they suspect anything?”AJ says with a smirk, sitting on the bed next to me.
I pull him into a deep kiss and slide my tongue past his lips, gripping the back of his head and pull slightly on his hair.He moans in pleasure, and before anything else can happen, the dulcet tone of Trish rings out from the kitchen, “Don’t you two be getting any ideas, we’re just outside and can hear everything you’re going to do.”
“Aaaand, I’ve gone as soft as sand,” I say.
“Yep, same.Come on, we can pick this up later, boyfriend.”He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and despite his cheesiness, my heart flutters.
We head into the kitchen, and our teas are on the counter ready and waiting for us.
“Take a seat, son, yer need to rest.”
“I’m all right, honestly.”
“Are they as bad as they used t’ be?”
“Um,” I try to think of a way to tell her without worrying her, but there has been so many untruths these past few years, I decide to tell the truth.“Sometimes they’re worse.Curse of being a football prodigy with a huge secret, I guess.But I am learning to manage them better.No hospital visits this time.”I flash her a smile, and she is less than pleased, in fact the worry on her face startles me.
“Hospital?When?Where?”
“A few weeks back.”I shrug.
“Yer better start talking, young man.”
“Talking really isn’t his forte.Well, it wasn’t until he started hangingoutwith AJ.Now we can’t shut him up.”Trish smirks.
