Yesterday

Truth be told

"What did you say to her?!" I yelled at my mum, watching as Maia left my house. She stared back at me.

"What was needed, Ash. She's bad news." I was becoming so angry.

"You're hiding something, mum. I swear to god, either tell me, or I'll ask dad." She went white.

"No..don't, don't talk to him. Sit down," she edged me towards a wooden chair. "When j was 16, I met your father, as you know. But the first guy I was ever, with, was Craig Reynolds, when I was 14. I'd always had a thing for him, I guess he was jealous when I got with your dad. Obviously we stayed together awhile, but me and Craig stayed friends. One night, we were both drunk. Some stuff your dad didn't like happened. He got angry, and told Craig to stay away. I didn't see him again. Well, until you were about 6. He came here, told me he was leaving, forever. I hadn't seen him in 15 years, so I asked him why he came. He looked right back at me. Into my eyes, and said 'he told me to take one last look at everything I love. So here I am.' The next day, they found his body." Mum started crying. "I loved him, Ash. That's why I can't do this. You can't do this." I wiped the tears away from my eyes.
"Mum, did dad, did he hurt him?" I asked.
"Son, I tell myself everyday he wouldn't do that. But I can't trust myself. Not one bit." She walked away from me, crying to herself. I rang Maia, but it went straight to voicemail.
"I have news. Look, mum was with your dad when they were kids. That why it was hard for her, seeing you. I'm sorry." I sobbed to myself, wishing I could tell her everything would be fine. But I couldn't. I needed to know what my dad had done. So I rang him.
"Hello?" A gruff voice answered.
"Dad, did you hurt him? Craig Reynolds?" I yelled.
"That man got what he had coming. Just a shame your mother got to him before me." Before I could ask him what he meant, he hung up. I looked at my mum, who'd quickly recovered from her state of sorrow. I didn't even know who she was anymore. My own mum could be a murderer. And that made me feel sick. I waned to run as far away from her as possible. But as I stated back at her emotionless face, it hit me. My whole life, my mum had been my rock. I didn't know much about her life before me, but I knew it shaped her into who she is now. And that all she'd ever done was try to protect me. So maybe now t was time I did the same. She was my mum, after all. As soon as I knew what she had done, I'd fight to protect her. Even if that meant losing Maia.