The return of Johnny Kemp

CHAPTER TWO: Mum

"Wait there," I told Gary. "I'll call you back!"  I pushed the button to end the call and shoved my phone into my pocket. Then I went downstairs to the kitchen.

  My mum was standing at the sink with her back to me as I came in the door. She was wearing her red dressing-gown that was easily as old as I was. Her curly blonde hair were here, there and everywhere on her head. On the table was her half-empty mug of coffee and a half-full ashtray. She turned when she heard me. She looked tired. But then again she always looked tired.

  "Mum," I said. "Mum, listen!"  I was in a hurry to tell her my problems.

  "I asked you to do these dishes last night," She said, having sleeves if her dressing-gown pushed up to her elbows and soap suds on her hands.

   "Yeah, I know, I'm sorry" I said. "I was going to do them but -"

  "Always 'but' with you, isn't it, Dan? Always 'but'. "

   I felt bad then. I mumbled another "sorry" . Mum worked in a posh hotel in town. A meal there cost more than she got paid. She'd been on the late shift again last night and hadn't come home until midnight.

  "Did you even bother to tidy you bedroom?" She asked

  I didn't answer and just looked at my feet.

  She dried her hands on her dressing-gown. "Some help from you would be nice, Dan," she said. "Just a little bit now and again. We talked about this when your dad left. You said you understood."

  I moved from one foot to the other. I hated it when she talked about Dad.

 "Is your brother up yet?" She asked.

  "Don't know," I said. "I think so."

  "Well, could you make sure he is, then, please?"  Her voice was sharp. "We're all going to be late if we don't get a move on."

  I could see she wasn't in a good mood - not with me or anyone else this morning. But it was now, or never, I had to ask. "Mum? Is it okay if I don't go to school today?" 

  She didn't answer. She had her back to me and filled the kettle at the tap to make more coffee.

  I watched her plug the kettle in, waiting for her to answer me.

   "Mum ...?"

  "Of course you have to go to school." She said.

  "But, Mum, listen ..." I began

  The kettle made a small grumbling noise as the water inside began to boil. When she turned to look at me she was angrier than ever. 

  I was quick to talk first, to try to explain. "Remember all that stuff with Johnny Kemp? Yeah? About him being excluded and that? Well, he's back at school today. " 

  She shook her head. "I haven't got time for this!" The kettle began to hiss. "But, he said he's going to beat me up," I tried to say.

  She scowled at the clock on the wall. "I've got to see someone at the bank later so I'll need you to go to the supermarket for me. I'm just not going to get a chance. I'll write you a list of what we need."

  I needed her to understand, "It's true Mum. Honest. He said he would." 

  She gripped the handle of the kettle, ready to pick it up the instant it boiled. "I'll leave you enough money to get the bus, so you can go right after school."

  "But that's what I'm saying, Mum. I can't go to school today."

  Steam rose from the kettle's spout. "You're going to school today," She snapped. "I've got to go to work this morning even if I did do the late shift last night. I've got to go begging to the people at the bank. Believe me you- I really don't want to do that either, But I have to. We all have things we do, Daniel. And yours is having to go to school. 

  "But, Mum-" I said.

  "Don't 'but' me! " She shouted. The kettle juddered and rumbled as the hot water inside bubbled and steamed. 

  That was when my younger brother, Jason, walked into the kitchen. He had a broken arm, still in plaster cast, and he couldn't pull his jumper over his head.

  "What's all the shouting about?" he asked. 

  The kettle gave a loud click - the water had boiled at last. Mum looked about ready to bit my head off. But she took a deep breath and splashed the hot water into her mug. She said to me, "I haven't got time to walk Jason to school so you'll have to do it for me."

  She saw my mouth open, ready to argue. 

  "No buts'.  " She warned me.

  I wish I had taken Gary's advice and pretended I was ill.