12 Seconds (#1 in Military series)

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Her hand felt heavy as she knocked on the door.

She had debated whether or not to use the spare key under the matt and not bother with knocking. Julia decided against it when she remembered her father’s heart condition.

It might be too much for him to handle.

Jules did know, however, that today was going to be too much for her to handle. Her mother had been raving on the phone, wondering why she had to learn from someone else that she was back in England.

Julia had sent them a few letters over the course of her short deployment but they were barely anything more than a few lines.

Jules couldn’t bring herself to say anything else. Her mother would take it the wrong way and her father and brothers would just worry.

So she sent them the usual lines about the weather and how safe she was. She neglected to mention the RPG and catching a terrorist.

There were some things a mother just didn’t need to know.

The thick oak door swung open with fury to reveal her mother, dressed for an occasion with the apron still tied around her neck and waist.

“Julia!” Katherine exclaimed, announcing her arrival to the entire street, as she lurched forward and caught Julia in a bone-shattering hug.

Jules was stuck for a moment by how tightly her mother was hugging her, it felt strange because Katherine never showed her emotions.

Julia hugged her back, “It’s okay, Mum. I’m here.”

“Yes, you are,” Katherine pulled back and wiped a few tears from her eyes, careful not to dislodge her mascara, “Come on, come on in, everybody’s here.”

“Everybody?” Julia panicked, trying to crane her neck inside to see what chamber of horrors awaited her.

Julia was expecting her mother to step aside so they could enter but when she didn’t Jules looked back and saw that Katherine had just spotted Marcus paying the taxi.

“What,” Katherine spoke without barely moving her lips, Julia thought not for the first time that she could be a ventriloquist, “Is that man doing here?”

“That man,” Julia snapped with frustration, “Is my boyfriend.”

Katherine shot her a look.

“And we’re living together.”

“But Julia- No,” Katherine shook her head, “I will not allow it. He’s already ruined your life once, I can’t-”

Marc was getting closer and this was not how Julia wanted to start the day.

“-Mum,” Julia interrupted her, “Not now. It’s my decision. Be nice to Marc.”

As the last words left Julia’s lips Marc arrived dressed in jeans and a light blue shirt and a navy suit jacket.

He looked handsome as ever.

“Katherine,” Marc smiled, holding out his hand, “Lovely to see you again.”

Julia watched closely as Katherine seemed to examine the person that was Marc before she levelled him with a firm glare and muttered a ‘Good Morning’ before she turned and walked away, leaving Marc’s hand hanging in the air unshaken.

“I think that was good,” Jules murmured.

Marc raised an eyebrow, “That was good? It was worse than meeting the Taliban.”