The Secret (Boston's Best 1)

Chapter Twenty

Maddie

"You could've called me, Madeleine. You know I don't mind if you drink, so long as you are responsible for how you drink." She rolls her eyes at me. "You are a teenager I would be delusional to think I could stop you from doing it. Basically, my only rule is that if you drink you drink responsibly, not only to keep you and your friends safe but for my own sanity. I want to know my child is safe at all times."

"I know, Mam. I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking straight. And just to be crystal clear, Matt didn't have anything to drink. He was stone-cold sober and it was perfectly safe for him to drop us all home."

"I know, you've said this. And I appreciate you trying to comfort me and I am glad someone was able to get you all home safely." She picks up her orange juice and takes a sip. "But I'm serious and you are well aware of how serious I am about this, as we have had many conversations the past few years about how much I need you to feel comfortable enough that you can call me for anything, and unless you've murdered someone or something I probably won't give out too much."

"So, if she does murder someone she'll get what? Two weeks no phone?" Riley adds in.

Mam nods, "Yeah, that seems reasonable enough."

"Really? Two weeks? That seems quite long, no?" I say.

"Oh shut up you." She points at my pancakes. "Eat your breakfast, I've been slaving away in that kitchen for an hour now."

We laugh and dig into our breakfast, Riley and I fight over the last pancake –I let them have it cause I'm just the best big sister in the world.

To be honest my mam is one of the most chill people I know. And I know that sounds weird coming from her 17-year-old daughter but she really is. Hence the rule about drinking.

One time when we were about 8, Aebhín and I were running around our classroom during the break when we were supposed to be outside. As we were running she accidentally fell and as she was trying to land she pushed a table which then knocked our teacher's coffee mug onto the computer.

Needless to say, the computer was fried and we were panicking and 8 so we didn't know what to do. But we didn't want to get into trouble, so we lifted the monitor and screen into the other classroom and switched them out. Afterwards, we just sauntered outside like nothing happened. What we didn't know was that there were cameras in the school so the whole thing was on tape and we got suspended.

Little 3rd class kids getting suspended for a full week. We've never been in trouble since though so it must've shaken us up a bit.

But anyway, mam got the phone call and all she asked was 'Did they pour the coffee onto the computer on purpose?' and obviously they said no, so she was like 'I don't really see the point in this then, but I don't want to talk to you any longer Marigead so, goodbye'. Then she collected us both and didn't speak to us for an hour until she broke and let us have a sleepover that night.Penelope: beep beep bitch

Penelope: beep beep bitch

Penelope: we're outside

Me: k

Me: i'll be out in a sec

I put my phone down and push my chair out.

"Penelope and Brooke are outside. I'm gonna go now." I kiss the top of my mam's head. "I'll see you next weekend."

She nods. "Mmk. Be good this week, yeah?"

I roll my eyes. "Of course. I'll keep the hard drugs to a minimum."

"Oh goway you."

"So, just the soft one then?"

"Ah, fuck off."