Problem Kid

Chapter 20

Three Years Later

"Everleigh! I'm leaving!" I rush downstairs to say goodbye to my mum, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheek.
"I'll see you later! Enjoy the party!" She smiles.
"I will baby. Love you so much, have a great night with Jimmy!" I thank her.
"Of course. Bye!" I peck her cheek a last time as Jimmy comes into the hallway and hugs her before we wave goodbye. Once she's driven away, we settle ourselves on the sofa and turn on a movie. Les Miserables. My favourite! I begin singing along and Jimmy laughs, patting my shoulder as he stands up and heads to the kitchen to prepare our dinner with a small smile, I call Summer onto my lap and we snuggle.
"Food will be about 5 minutes!" I thank Jimmy and we cuddle up together, a blanket over our bodies as he strokes my leg gently.
"I love you," I smile at him.
"I love you too," we kiss, our lips meeting each other's gently and pressing together in a small but loving embrace.
"You're the best," I whisper to him before lying my head on his shoulder and slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Thanks!" The front door closes and I rub my eyes, opening them to see Jimmy standing in the doorway with a few pizza boxes. I laugh, instantly seizing one and opening it up to see my favourite toppings laden above the creamily bubbly cheese. Mushrooms, chicken, olives, tomatoes and more olives. As I take a slice and chomp into it, I notice something ooze from the edge of the crust. STUFFED CRUST!!!! I squeal in delight and thank Jimmy, demolishing half a pizza in five minutes and placing my box on the floor, defeated and full. With a small yawn, I lie down on Jimmy again who is still eating pizza and watch Hugh Jackman bend down and pick up the small Cosette, making my heart melt as my eyes force themselves shut again.

"Oh my god no..." I hear a glass crash to the ground as words are said and look curiously to the door where Jimmy stands, blocking my view of the figure outside. I stand shakily and walk over to him with a small smile as I wrap my arms around his neck.
"What's going on, Jimmy?" I turn to the door and am met with the face of a policeman who smiles gently down at Summer who has followed me out.
"I.." my boyfriend stutters, lost for words.
"I think it's best we come in?" The two policemen look at me and down to my bare arms sympathetically. I hide them again.
"Y-yeah," I back away, letting them in and hurriedly taking the pizza boxes from the floor, placing them on the kitchen counter with a smile.
"Sorry for the mess! We were watching a movie!" I apologise, turning off Le Mis just as Javert's suicide begins to play.
"It's ok, I think it's best you take a seat, ma'am," I nod, confused.
"Is everything ok?" Jimmy fiddles with his hands, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Jim? Jimmy what's wrong?" I hug him.
"What's going on?!" I cry.
"Well... there's been an accident today on the M25," I look up at the first policeman as he flicks his radio about nervously.
"W-what's that got to do with us? Accidents happen every day, right? It's nothing to do with us?" I think of my mum and my stomach drops.
"No... not it's not Mum! It's not!" The officer shakes his head sadly.
"I'm sorry. An oncoming lorry with a drunk driver swerved and took her off the road. He and your mother passed away at the scene. Their injuries were too fatal..." I sob.
"No! NO! Not my Mum! Not my Mum it's not her you made a mistake!" I cry angrily, standing up.
"I'm sorry, Everleigh," I scream in denial, Jimmy holding me back and wrapping his arms around me as we both cry, our loss greatly impacting us.
"No..." I whisper, Ignoring the conversation Jimmy has with the police about everything before they leave and thinking.
It must be a mistake.
Mum was going to a party.
She'll be home in a couple hours safe and sound!
Or will she...
Maybe it's true...
Maybe she didn't make it...
"Where are you going to stay tonight? You two are 18 right? You can stay here or a hostel if you want support?" I speak up as the officer asks this.
"Sam," I remember Mr Gray's words from a couple years ago to my mother and us vividly.
"If you ever need anything, a place to stay, some money or anything at all I'm here,"
Jimmy remembers too.
"We have a friend we can go to. We'll be ok. Thank you so much for your time and service," the two men nod, showing themselves out.
"I'll call Sam. You go get whatever you need for overnight " I hear Jimmy say from afar in my mind. I nod numbly before stumbling my way up the stairs to my bedroom where I take out a small hand luggage suitcase and open it up, taking out about three outfits and throwing them in along with my makeup and hairbrush. I move to the bathroom and take my toiletries bag which contains tooth paste, a toothbrush, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, body butter, hand sanitizer, a razor and a small manicure set. I place it in the small black case along with some of Summer's essentials and sit on my bed for a moment before standing and walking into my mother's room. It still looks so... alive...
Her work uniform is ironed and hung up on her wardrobe for the morning, her jewellery box spilling out bits of random stuff. Everything is everywhere but it's beautiful and how it's meant to be. I open her wardrobe and reach to the back, taking out two of her favourite hoodies and clasping them to my chest. I then take her copy of 'Alice In Wonderland' from the bookshelf and stare at the old cover. It was her favourite book and I remember her reading me a chapter every night as a child. I then take her old wedding ring from the dressing table and slide it onto my left middle finger. It's gold band with 8 small white diamonds embedded into the metal around it. I also have her engagement ring on which is another gold band but thinner with one solid diamond sticking out which is small but beautiful, a small infinity sign carved into the material on the bottom. I then take her small teddy given to her by her grandma when she was only 1 off of her pillow and snuggle it. It smells of old and her. It's only a small pink bunny but it holds so many memories. I then find a photo album in her drawer which I sit on her bed and flick through. The first picture is of me, just born and in her arms. The next is a family photo in the hospital of her, dad and me screaming my lungs out in his arms. I flick forward a few pages and browse a few pictures before I notice a small piece of paper inside her slightly open wardrobe on the floor below her clothes. I reach in and pull it out to see my name written in her scruffy handwriting on in the neat white envelope.