Behind The Uniform

The Carers

The Carers

I pushed open the door and heard plates clatter in the kitchen. I made sure to close the door quietly and began to take my shoes off. My mother's voice drifted from the kitchen along with hers.

"So he's still as messy as ever. He couldn't even have bothered to clean up." She muttered from the kitchen.

My mother laughed. "Teal, he was doing his homework all day. I let him go out with Ross for the night. He should be back soon."

"Well I can't wait to see how much he's grown up! It's been three years since I last saw him. I missed you guys way too much." Teal replied and there was another clatter of cutlery.

I decided to go around the corner that moment and walked into the kitchen. Teal was washing the plates in the sink while my mum sat in her wheelchair. She heard me come in and turned her head towards me.

"Hello Jamie, Teal's finally back." She said but my eyes were only drawn to Teal and memories of that day, three years ago surfaced. How she had told me that she was going away for a while. I had only shouted at her, telling her to never speak to me again because she was leaving me on my own.

"Jamie..." Teal said as she placed the plate down. She smiled. "Haven't you grown up?"

I stayed quiet for a moment. I had never thought that she would come back so what was I supposed to do? "Teal." Was all I could seem to say.
Teal smiled. Her lips parted in her signature half smile that she only reserved for people she truly cared about.

"Jamie, come on I expected a hug off your best friend!" I stood there as Teal walked over and wrapped her arms around me. She was still taller than me even after all these years and her braided hair fell onto my shoulders as she hugged me tightly.

"But all those things I said..." I muttered into her shoulder. I never knew how I was going to apologise because I had never expected her to come back.

Teal pulled out of the hug and shook her head. "It doesn't matter about that now. You were 11 and I can't blame you, I left without warning. I didn't mean for it to happen like that. Guess it makes me no better than your Dad"

At the mention of my Dad, I heard my mother gasp. I looked over at her from the corner of my eye and saw that she had tensed up. Teal didn't even seem to notice.

"I guess but where did you go all these years and why chose now of all times to come back?" I asked, she had never told me where she was going. Just said a quick goodbye and that was all I had.

"I didn't want to explain it you but I got re-assigned to look after this young family who lived in Cornwall. Their mother had died of cancer and their father was on crutches after a motor cycling accident so of course I agreed to go, you and your mum were going to be just fine with the other carers." Teal explained as she walked back over to the sink.

As she began to dry the last of the dishes, I noticed a glint of light and saw a small little ring on Teal's ring finger. It glowed brightly against her black skin.

"Teal, are you engaged?" I asked in surprise.

Teal dropped the plate back into the sink and turned her head towards me.

"You're engaged?" My mother asked but she didn't seem to be surprised.

Teal blushed and a smile that I hadn't seen before appeared on her face. It was a sweet sincere smile.

"How did you know Jamie?" She asked.

"There's a ring on your finger. I remember that you never wore rings, you always complained that they were stupid little accessories that you had no interest in wearing." I recalled.