Bloom for me

Chapter 17

Alette

I groan out loud as I debate whether to torture myself and answer the call and force myself to listen to the critical judgements of my mother, or ignore to the call and just prolong the torture.

As my phone stops ringing I decide that the universe has answered for me. 

Sighing contently I go to sit back down when my phone rings again. Guess I'm not getting out of this one.

I close my eyes and brace myself for whatever is about to come.

"Hi mum" I try to say cheerily as I answer the phone.

"Alette Caroline Samson what is this I'm hearing about you having a boyfriend! Why on earth have you not told me about this yourself?! I had to hear it from nosy Janice down the road" she all but shouts down the phone.

"What? I don't have a boyfriend mum, what are you talking about?"

Well I don't think I do anyway, I'm not really sure what me and Silas are at the moment to be honest.

"Well then why have I just been informed that you were seen on a date with a man at The Ivy the other day then huh?" I can hear the agitated tone in her voice.

"I was with my boss, wait how the hell did you know I was at The Ivy the other day?" I furrow my eyebrows as I begin to feel a bit uncomfortable that my mother knows about Silas.

"Janice just told me that Tara told her when she saw her at the hairdressers that her son Jake was having a trail shift as a waiter at The Ivy and you walked in with an unknown man. Now what I want to know is why you didn't bother to tell me about this and make me look like an idiot when Janice asked me about this new boyfriend of yours that I knew nothing about! I mean really Alette way to make me feel left out why don't you"

Andddd here she goes, already starting with the subtle guilt tripping. 

"Mum he's not my boyfriend, that was my boss, he's in town for a few months to oversee a project at work and he offered to come out for lunch with me"

"But The Ivy is expensive, he must have some interest in you if he's willing to waste his money on you like that"

Ouch.

"Jeez thanks mother" I try not to give too much away in my voice.

"Oh you know what I meant. Anyway Janice said that Tara said that Jake said you seemed quite touchy feely" she says as if she's trying to catch me out in a lie.

"He's not my boyfriend" I pinch the bridge of my nose as I pace the kitchen, already feeling headache coming on.

"But did he pay?"

"We didn't even eat there"

"Well why not?"

"They didn't have many vegan options so we went somewhere else"

"Oh do you really have to be so difficult? No wonder you're still single, no man is going to want to have to go to those weird vegan restaurants instead of The Ivy"

"Mhm" I don't bother properly replying.

"Well are you dating then?" She continues to push.

"Well I don't know, I guess so yeah, it's kind of n-"

"Finally I was worried you were a lesbian" she cuts me off.

"Would it really be an issue if I was?" I counter.

"Well no, but that's not the point. Wait I thought your boss was an elderly man? Janice said the guy you were with was younger"

"My old boss when I worked at the bookshop in town was an elderly man, but he died like 5 months ago, hence why I was looking for another job, remember?"