Rooftops - A Year In The Making

Chapter 11 - The letter

Mums back, she got back yesterday.  Surprisingly sober, but weird.  Instead of the usual shouting and abuse, i was greeted by a quiet mother.  Not nice.  But quiet.  Why?  I don't know.  To be honest I haven't really got to know my mother as a person, ever, even before dad left.  We were never close, all I know is the mean aggressive, drunk her.  But I was starting to think that was her.

She hasn't actually said a word to me since she got back, never a greeting, or even a shout.  She hasn't even laid a finger, or fist on me.  She just came back with cash, not a lot, but quite a bit for us, obviously I'm not aloud anywhere near it, but I saw it, in an envelope, a brown one.   Very neat, not like her at all, with the address neatly written in the middle, not our address, it was longer and written in a business persons handwriting with the name underlined at the top.

Obviously I want to know where the mystery letter is from but it doesn't really bother me that much.  Mum's gone to the shops apparently, hopefully to get food, after two days without any I'm starting to get hungry.  Then she knocks at the window, her face framed perfectly in the glass pane.  As I get up, and open the window the front door also opens.  Panicking I whisper-shout "Just a minute" and slam the window shut, pulling down the blind, just as mum stumbles into my room.

"You tidied up -cough-cough- didn't you?"
"Yes" 
"Thought it would impress me ay?"  
"No mum, I just-"
"Cause it didn't, ya used all the electric din't ya, well I got more, see, ya think i ain't looking after ya but I am!  I don't see ya father doing that ay!"

That annoyed me, but I knew to stay quiet, although my eyes show the anger inside.
She obviously sees this and just walks out, staggering, when I notice the bottle of beer in her hand, only a small drop left in the large glass.  Her hole ridden socks pad along the wooden hallway before the stairs and I hear mumbles I can't translate, no doubt about me.

I hear her muffled footsteps as she pounds down the stairs and into the lounge.   The TV flickers to life and she turns it up louder.  Too loud.  I hear she is watching big brother as it is about 9 o'clock.  Then I turn around to my other guest.  This one much more welcome, and much more appriciated.

"You'll have to be quiet"  I say whispering, although we could have a party up here totally oblivious to my mum as the TV is so loud and she is so engrossed in it.
"Why can't I meet her?"  Cass asked in her cute whiny voice and pouts at me, her eyes finding mine.
"I told you, she's not very nice." I say, ending the conversation.  I haven't told her about the abuse but she knows we don't have a close relationship.

"Should we watch a film?" She asks, walking to the other end of the room (about three steps) to look closer at my posters.  Her long fingers trace the outline of guitars and drum kits as she studies the printed out signatures.
"Sure, what you wanna watch?"  I ask, quieter than she was, still anxious about the beautiful girl stood in my bedroom.
"Lion king..."  She says excitably.  I giggle at how childish she is around Disney movies, nod and start to find it on my old laptop.

"Is Jamie your dad?"  She asked confused after a minute of silence.  I turn around quickly, shocked.  Yes, Jamie is the name of my dad, but how would she guess that.  When I've turned around I see my Cass holding the empty envelope from yesterday, staring at the cover, eyebrows pressed together in confusion.

The name of him on her lips sends my heart to the edge of it's cavity as I realize mum must have had it in her hands, and dropped it while in here earlier.  Relief spreads about how I can see what the mysterious letter is about, but confusion takes over fueled by the name.

I walk up to her and place my hand alongside hers as I stare at the handwritten address as well.  At the top, Jamie Cartwrite.  Father of Riley Cartwrite.  Father of me.  

Sorry it's a short chapter, next will be longer, love ya :)