Growing Pains ✔

Chapter 25

Jamie had been left reeling from what he'd read in his mom's diary; there could be no doubting what had happened this time. There was no sugar coating it, there was no possible excuse he could come up with. His dad had beat up his mom. Whatever part she'd had to play in their relationship breaking down was insignificant in comparison to what he had done. It was utterly irrelevant.

His dad was a wife beater, his mom was a battered wife.

He must have read Charlotte's words a hundred times over until they were indelibly etched into his mind. He didn't know how to even begin to process it. He'd sort of rationalised the slap. He'd told himself it was just the once and had happened in the heat of the moment. Obviously not. It was clearly the start, and the abuse had only escalated.

He kept thinking of his father and he could not marry him up with the man in the diary. He knew his father had his faults, he was disinterested, kinda dull, not much fun to be around. But then he was also pretty mild-mannered, fairly genial to everyone he'd encounter. Jamie couldn't recall an occasion when he'd really lost his temper. He'd get a bit tetchy but that was all, he'd never been scared of him.

He sighed looking at his math homework which was laid on in front of him on the kitchen table. It had always been his easiest subject but lately, he'd been making loads of mistakes. He still had seven questions to get through before school. Ignoring his breakfast he forced himself to concentrate, he'd have both parents on his back if his grades started slipping.

'You should have done that last night,' Charlotte said, her voice disapproving.

'I'm nearly done mom, just a few more questions,' he murmured as he scribbled an answer down. She tutted but she left him to it as she went to round up Andy and Julia. He raced through the last questions satisfied that he had got the answers correct, at least there were no grey areas with math. It was either right or wrong. He heard the click of his mom's heels on the kitchen floor as she joined him again.

'Jamie, are you going to finish your breakfast?' she asked impatiently. 'We'll be heading off for school soon.'

He glanced at the cereal he'd barely eaten, the soggy flakes now floating in the milk. His stomach heaved. 'I'm not very hungry mom,' he said shoving his homework into his bag.

'You should eat before school,' she said, but when he made no move to finish his breakfast she picked the bowl up and scraped the cereal into the bin. They'd barely spoken in weeks, not properly anyway. Charlotte no longer seemed to be angry about him letting news of her pregnancy slip, well she never could keep a grudge up for long, but they'd not cleared the air either.

'Do you want some toast instead?' she asked turning back to him, and he could see her dress straining over her stomach. It was obvious to all and sundry she was pregnant now anyway.

'I'm honestly not hungry.' He waited for a lecture but she turned back to the sink putting the dishes in to soak, and an uncomfortable silence developed. 'Mom, can I ask you something?'

'Of course,' she said turning to face him, her face expectant.

Jamie hesitated wondering how to phrase it, it would be easier to talk to Louis. 'Um, are we still going on holiday with John and Darlene this summer? I mean you'll have had the baby by then.' 

Charlotte let out a breath, and Jamie cursed his nerve for deserting him.

'We're going over to John and Darlene's this weekend to talk about it.' She shrugged. 'I'm not sure they'll still want to go, a baby kind of changes the dynamics a bit.'

Jamie frowned slightly. 'How so?'

'Well normally you and Junior, and Andy and Danny would occupy yourselves, and we'd take it in turns to babysit. That's not going to be so easy with a baby,' Charlotte said with a small sigh. 'It changes things.'

'But how's that any different to how it is with Julia coming along? Darlene doesn't mind babysitting her.' In fact, Jamie knew Darlene loved to. She openly admitted she'd have liked to have had a girl to dress up and Julia was happy to play along, letting Darlene style her hair and choose her outfits. Jamie had realised very early on that Julia was pretty adept at manipulating all the adults around her.

'A baby's a bit different though,' Charlotte said. 'And I wouldn't want to leave a baby with anyone but me or Louis anyway.'

Jamie nodded, he could well remember how protective she was of her babies. He was actually surprised his mom would consider leaving the baby alone with Louis, he wasn't sure he entirely believed her.

'Well, in that case, what difference does it make to John and Darlene? If you wouldn't let them babysit anyway?' he asked, and Charlotte smiled.

'I guess it doesn't make a difference. I'd still let them leave Andy with us if they wanted a night out by themselves, or you and Junior could keep an eye on him.' She winked, and Jamie thought it must be the most relaxed she'd been with him in a long time.

'Yeah right mom,' he said shaking his head. If he and John were left babysitting he was pretty sure John would bail and he'd have to look after all of the siblings singlehandedly.

'It was just a thought,' Charlotte said smiling. 'Maybe we will still go on holiday with them after all.'

Jamie held in a grimace. What was he doing trying to convince his mom that a holiday with the Lombardos was a good idea anyway? It was a bad idea all around.

'Would you want to go away so soon after having the baby?' he asked changing tacks, and Charlotte paused looking at him closely.

'Jamie is this really what you wanted to ask me?'

He opened his mouth, and she smiled at him encouraging him to speak. In an instant his mind's eye saw her laid still on the floor, blood seeping out of her head, her blonde hair matted. For some reason, he thought she'd had her hair dyed blonde back then, rather than the mix of blonde and brown it was now.

He shook his head. 'I was just wondering about the holiday mom, that's all.'

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