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Parking up, I swerve the front door and instead head around the back of the building.
Just as I suspected, the woman I’m here to see is standing in the kitchen doing something fancy with some pastry, singing to herself happily as she does.
I feel lighter just watching her. It’s a feeling that I’m sure most others get from watching their mothers do something similar. I guess I should be grateful that while my mother is a shit show of epic proportions, I still have a caring maternal figure who’s been looking out for both me and Calli for years.
“Nico,” she breathes, a shocked yet genuine smile lighting up her face. “How are you? You look… in pain.” She winces as she takes in the fresh bruising that covers my face. “Has something happened?”
“You know I can’t say anything.”
She holds her hands up. “I know, I know. I just worry about you. How’s Calli?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Just Calli or Calli and her little secret?
Jocelyn’s eyes widen.
“I’m happy for her,” I say honestly.
“Me too. I’ve never seen her smile like she does with him.”
My heart melts as Jocelyn’s love for my little sister shines bright in her eyes.
“Oh, here,” she says, suddenly coming back to herself. “I was ringing to see if I could drop these over.”
“Nice of you to call,” I tease.
“A little birdie told me that you had a flatmate this weekend.”
An easy sigh falls from my lips. “Is there anything my little sister doesn’t tell you?”
“I’m sure there’s enough. So, talk to me, young man. Am I going to have to be buying a hat soon?”
* * *
I spend an hour talking everything out with Jocelyn. I don’t know whether my sessions with Jade have helped to open me up, but being honest about how I feel about Brianna seems to come easier. To be fair, it could just be the fact that I’ve finally admitted to myself how I feel.
I have no idea if Mum knows I’m here. I didn’t exactly hide my car or make my arrival a secret, but still, she hasn’t made any kind of effort to poke her head into the kitchen and say hello. Not that I can say I’m surprised. She seems to have resigned from her role as a mother, and honestly, if that’s how she really feels, then I’d rather she just stuck to it.
“She was up in her room getting ready for something,” Jocelyn says, able to freakily read my thoughts.
“Who is?” I ask, attempting to brush the whole situation under the carpet.
“Why don’t you go and try to talk to her?”
“Nah, you’re okay. The chance of me killing her is a little too high for my liking.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Jocelyn teases.
“Is that what it’ll take to steal you away from her?”
Jocelyn doesn’t comment on that statement. She doesn’t need to. Whatever has kept her here this long won’t be severed until her remaining employer has gone.
There’s a bang somewhere deeper in the house that rocks through me.
“Oh, maybe she will grace you with her presence,” Jocelyn says somewhat hopefully.
“I’d rather she didn’t.”
I’m happy to ignore her existence just as much as she does mine, but then a male voice floats down to us and my curiosity is more than piqued.
