Reflections Beginning (Book 2) Now published so sample only

Chapter 14 - School shocks and dramas

Chapter 14 – School shocks and dramas ©

The week until school flew by and before I knew it Sunday had rolled around. I spent the afternoon at Ben’s with Caden and I could honestly say that I’ve never looked forward to his lessons more. Yes of course it was because I could see and spend time with him, but it was also due to Caden being completely intrigued by all the stuff I had to learn.

I was pacing my room on Sunday night worrying about school like I always did when my ‘not really my Mum’ walked into my room. I hadn’t seen her since Dad had told me about his whole bizarre situation. Even now she looked hesitant and troubled as she glanced towards me.

“Charlie I’m really sorry we deceived you.” She said regretfully.

The thing was that I had never been angry at what they had done. They thought it was the right thing at the time. No I was mostly angry at her for not coming to see me before now. If she felt so bad about it why didn’t she turn up earlier?

“I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to face you until now. I know how worried you get the day before school so I wanted to make sure that you were alright.” Her concerned words soothed the tiny piece of me that was angry. She may not be my biological mother but she knew me inside and out, which was more important than anything else.

I turned to face her and smiled “So what do I call you now?”

“Whatever you want honey.” She said with relief smothering her voice.

“How about Mags?” I offered and she grimaced at first, then grinned and nodded her head,

“You still have to call me Mum around Izzie though. We don’t want to cause her to panic.” She warned me.

“Yeah I know.” I said.                                            

I then did the one thing she wasn’t expecting, I gave her a hug. I mean I had missed her, so she wasn’t really my Mum but that didn’t change the fact that she had been an important part of my life for a very long time. It took her a moment before she hugged me back, but when she did I instantly felt better.

“Will you still come most days to see me?” I asked and I felt her nod.

“Of course Charlie, how else could I get to see so much of his Highness?” She asked mischievously and I pulled away with a frown “I’m just joking girl.” She said with a laugh.

“That’s good then.” I told her sternly.

We stood together for a while and I felt like a truth had been slotted back into my life. I mean there are heaps of families out there that are not just Mum, Dad and kids. It was just that now I was one of them and I was okay with that.

How could the first morning back at school look so cheerful and inviting? I groaned and wanted to pull the covers over my head except my alarm kept blaring. I switched it off and rolled out of bed unhappily and wandered vaguely into the bathroom.