Life's Fear

Chapter Forty-One

"We're just going to go into town for a few hours to look around and for lunch," Mum said to Dad.

She hugged him and it looked like she whispered something into his ear because he nodded as I lingered by the threshold of his study. He didn't say much to me except for a curt nod with pursed lips as Mum walked off from him, past me and to her car. I left without another word.

It was only when we got in the car did I ask, "What did you say to Dad?"

She gripped the steering wheel as she turned the key in the ignition. "I said it was to bond with you again and to try and get our daughter back. He needed a plausible excuse and that was all I could improvise with on the spot."

"Oh," I said lamely, and that was virtually where the conversation terminated during the car journey to the little diner.

Jason was already waiting, wearing quite a smart outfit in juxtaposition to Mum and I. He stood up as soon as we approached him and shook Mum's hand. She appeared appreciative of the kind and thoughtful gesture. I wondered how many "troubled teens" she has worked with on a case has ever introduced themselves by shaking her hand. Not a lot, I bet.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs Martin," Jason greeted, sitting down next to me and opposite Mum.

She smiled politely, though it didn't seem to completely reach her eyes and I realised it was a forced smile. It didn't matter too much at the minute. They needed to get to know one another first before the smiles would come naturally. If Max can even admit that after getting to know Jason for a few days that he isn't so bad as he's depicted through the school, Mum can admit that Jason is a decent guy who does love me and will do whatever to make me happy.

They exchanged the obvious questions such as what was Jason's specialised subject in school, how we met, how Scarlett was getting on in the hospital and that Jesse had treated her some days. It wasn't much at first, but just as the meal arrived, Mum did slip up her front and say rather avidly, "That burger looks appetising, Jason."

He looked a little shocked at first but quickly composed himself to say, "I can't wait to dig in."

Mum had a selection of toasties, whilst I had a similar burger to Jason, but chicken instead of beef. Mum didn't comment on my burger. Not that she had to. Just as long as she was getting along with Jason. And by the looks of it, she was.

By the end of it, I was sure Mum had made so much of an effort that she was indeed beginning to like Jason. I couldn't validate this, however, until we were seated in the car. She even offered Jason a lift home, but he primarily refused. "It's okay. I don't want to be troublesome." He smiled politely.

"Nonsense," Mum argued, "get in. It looks like it might rain at any moment." Indeed, the sky did appear dark grey and had been like that for the past few hours, so perhaps they were ready to burst at any given time.

Jason's smile broadened as he clambered gratefully into the car. Just before he could buckle himself up – I already had done so – I turned around in my chair and smiled at him, nodding almost imperceptibly. He emulated my conduct. He's doing well, I thought. Mum was beginning to like him. It was blatant. She just couldn't contain it any longer, and nor did she have an excuse to hate him.

Barely five minutes into the journey, the clouds erupted and rain began falling quite heavily onto the car. So much so that Mum had to decelerate and remain at a slower speed just to have enough control over the car. It was teeming down so much that the rain was disfiguring anything we approached. Jason had even leaned out into the middle of the car just so he could gawk out of the windscreen.

"Well, I was right," Mum announced, when no one had said anything for a good few minutes, so the sound of the rain was all that we could hear – even over the engine grumbling occasionally. "Are you going to learn to drive, Jason?"