The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 24

24

I was about to head upstairs to my bedroom, when mum called me to the kitchen. I had thought I might have got away with it, but mum was just waiting until Andrew was away before scolding me about what I said to him.

I walked in tentatively. Mum was washing up a side plate and probably had a few other things hidden under the liquid studs that rested precariously on the water.

'Hi baby, how was your day?'

'It was alright mum. How was yours?'

'Could have been better. As usual I seem to be entertaining your brother, while I somehow have to clean the house'

Mum always cleaned the house on Saturday's, grandma had grounded into her that Sunday was the day of rest, so she must make the house spotless on Saturday. Which was fine for grandma, she never had to work a day in her life. Mum on the other had worked five days a week, in a school cafeteria. She was exhausted most days, when she got home, but that didn't stop her cooking and tidying before she settled in front of the television. She would always say, if she didn't tidy during the week, by time Saturday came around there would be too much to do and the house would resemble a sty.

'Have a seat', she said, pointing to one of the two stools in the kitchen. Stools that didn't really fit in the kitchen, but allowed us to chat to mum while she cooked. I sat on the stool without the stain, that Andrew had somehow made on it.

I was lower than mum when I was seated, it's the way mum liked it when she was telling you off, made her feel more authoritative.

'Earlier today, I had a phone call', my ears pricked up, she wasn't telling me off for what I had said to Andrew. This, however, had to be important, for her to neglect telling me off. A feeling a fear spread rapidly through me, as I began to run through the adults that were at the boy's football match and the potential of one of them knowing who I was and contacting mum. 'It was your father.'

She stopped talking allowing that to sink in. I'm not sure it did, the words kind of invaded the first layer of my skin and resided there, they weren't sinking in. It wasn't real, I felt as though I had no expression on my face and I hoped that was the case, as mum scrutinized me. I didn't want the words to get to me, I didn't want to feel like I did when mum had told me that he had left and then there it was, that feeling I didn't want, it had managed to filter through and I felt a tear drop run down my cheek.

'It's alright baby, you don't have to see him if you don't want to'

"What was that? See him?", I thought. 'He wants to see me?', I said, opening my mouth making things worse, more tears came streaming down my face.

'Yes baby, you and Andrew. He wants to see you both'

'What did Andrew say about that?'

She walked over to me and pulled my head into her waist, her wet soapy hands on my back. 'I haven't told him yet. He can hardly remember the man, I figured it would be better if you saw him first, but if you don't want to, I'll phone him and tell him I don't want him seeing you'.

I was angry with him, but I missed him and I definitely wanted to see him again, 'no mum, I want to see him'.

I couldn't work out if she was disappointed or relieved, or even both, but she turned away quickly to hide her expression.

'He wanted to see you tomorrow, but don't worry, I told him you were around Gemma's, so I've arrange for him to meet you after college on Monday. I hope that's not an issue', she had returned to the sink and was washing off the soap studs around the sink.

Monday struck me as a day that had some significants, which I couldn't put my finger on. Whatever it was, I was sure it couldn't be as important as meeting my father.

'That's fine mum', I said, recovering my composure and mopping away the moisture under my eyes with Monica's coat sleeve. I stood, 'I'm going to take a shower, mum'.

She turned to me, 'you didn't take one, after the match?'

I had, but running across a pitch naked, made me feel dirty somehow, but I couldn't say that to my mum.

'No mum, didn't have time', I hate lying, especially to my mum, but sometimes you do what you have to do. It didn't stop me feeling guilty, so I changed my story, 'actually I did have one, but I still feel I need another'.

'That's fine dear. Just don't use all the hot water', I got up to leave, but mum wasn't quite finished, 'and Catherine, don't call your brother gay, you know it annoys him'

'Yes mum'

That was it. I had got away lightly.