A Simple Red Head - Completed

Chapter 3 - Morning Boy

When I went home that night thoughts about Eric flew through my mind; why sit with us? where did he come from? How did he know my name?... I finally conviced myself that I must have told him, or maybe Gem did? I'm doubting it again. I caught myself and shook my head, Eric was a nice, normal, guy.

"Flo?!" called my Mum from her room.

"Yeah?"

"Can you get me a phone? I need to call your Dad!" she yelled, although she was only in the next room over. I sighed and rolled off my purple quilt.

After delivering the landline phone to my Mum from the kitchen I hung around just outside the room to listen in,

"Joe?.... I think I need to go in.... no.... no, she doesn't know..... I want you with me to tell her.... ok... see you in a few minutes... ok.. bye"

I slipped back in to my room to think about the situation. I soon became distracted by the paint on my walls. The pale blue covering was starting to peel in places. I need to redo that I thought just as the front door opened and my Dad came in.

"I'm here!" he called through the house.

"Dad! You're home early!"

"Yes, so I am. Where's your mother Flo?"

"In your room." I said, "Why?"

"We need to speak with you."

"OK..." somthing was wrong. I followed my Dad down the hall until we reached the bed room. My Dad knocked lightly once then opened the door.

My mum was sat exactly where she was 5 minutes before when I delivered the phone. Propped up on some pillows on the left side of the bed.

"Mary are you OK?" asks my Dad.

"I'll be fine a few more minutes while I tell Flo."

"Tell Flo what?" I say from the door. My mother swallows and looks up to my Dad for guidance who nods his head at her.

"Flora," she said, this was bad. My parents never called me by my full name. "Honey... I have cancer."

After I found out about my mum I went into a melt down. I'd turned on my heel and marched out the room. I'd slammed my front door on the way out and stalked down the street towards Jon's house. I'd burst into his room, crying and not being able to stop as he jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms protectivly around me as I cried onto his shoulder. That's where I am now.

"She's going to die." I whisper.

"What? Flo, who's going to die? Speak to me." He ran his hands up and down my back as I continued to pour out my sorrows on my boyfriend.

"My mum. She's going to die and there is nothing I can do." I croaked between sobs.

"How? I don't understand."

"She has cancer."

"Cancer can be beaten." He said after a pause.

"Yes, but she's been ill for so long."

"Did you even ask if it would kill her?"

"No, I just left, but I know she's losing. She can't get up now without help."

"Danny, we'll be back soon. Flo needs to ask some important questions to her parents."

I look up and sure enough there's someone else in the room. He had deep brown eyes, and was an average height, but his most startling feature was his hair. It was the exact colour of the sky just before it goes blue. A slight tint of red and golden curls that sorounded his head like a halo.

Suddenly very embarrassed I hide behind my hair but I can feel, the beautiful, boy's eyes on me. Jon turns me toward the door and we leave the room.

Once home again Jon knocked on the door and waits. No one answered. He knocked again and shrugged at me. I walk past him and open the unlocked door to my house.

"Mum? Dad?" no answer. I walked through the house to the kitchen and saw a note on the table it said;

Flo, gone to the hospital. Don't worry to much. We'll be back by 10. You can go out if you want. Remember to lock up. Dad xxx

I took a deep breath and scrunched the note up in my hand. I needed a distraction. My sadness was funneling to anger and I don't like being angry. It makes my face go redder than a tomato.

"Can we go back to your's?" I ask Jon.

"Of course, I've been meaning for you to meet Daniel."