Introduced (Reece Bibby fanfiction)

Chapter 23

Alice's POV

15 minutes had gone by since I saw my mum and I still sat curled up in a ball. I was still crying. I buried my head into my knees and heard footsteps coming towards me. Someone sat down on the bench next to me and put their hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see the woman I had thought was my mum staring at me.

"Alice?" She said, a smile spreading across her face. "Is it actually you?" I nodded and smiled back. She recognised me.

"I'm sorry for not realising it was you before, I had my earphones in and just then realised who it was and came straight back. Are you okay?" She carried on, noticing that I was upset.

"Just friends and stuff" I muttered, hugging my knees because of the cold.

"I know the feeling. Now come on back to my flat before you get hypothermia or something. I can't have my daughter staying out in the cold and rain" she said, standing up and taking my hand. I felt wary of going back to mums flat but I suppose I should trust her. I stood up and walked with her to the car at the edge of the park.

"I decided to come for a jog here for a change since it always used to be one of my favourite places, I live about 10 minutes away." My mum was doing most of the talking so I just stayed quiet. I pulled out my phone, thinking I should text one of the boys, but then decided against it. I wasn't bothered about them at the minute. I had 10 missed calls from Reece, 7 from James, 5 from Jake and a few others from the rest of the lads. I turned my phone off and put it back in my bag.

When we got to mums flat I sat down on the couch, looking around. It seemed fairly new and didn't have much in it.

"I only moved in a few weeks ago. I've lived abroad since I left and had to come back for something important. Do you want a cup of tea or something to eat?" My mum said from the kitchen area.

"I'm fine thanks, I'm not that hungry" I replied as she came and sat down across from me.

"I guess I owe you an apology then" she said as I stared at the floor. "I shouldn't have left you when you were only young but I knew your dad would look after you and I'm guessing I'm right, considering you got my letter." I shook my head.

"I don't live with my dad anymore. When he remarried he started to ignore me and not treat me too well so I live with my boyfriend and his band mates now" I said, still staring at the ground.

"Oh okay, I misjudged that one then" she laughed. She seemed so happy and so nice, just like I remember her. But why was she here? Why did she ever leave?

"It's not funny you know, he treated me like a pile of shit. You don't know half the shit I've been through because you haven't been here. And you still owe me an explanation as to why you left and why you are suddenly back" I said, raising my voice a little. My mum looked at me sympathetically.

"Okay. I left because I was having an affair. I couldn't cope with doing it behind your dads back so I decided to just leave" she said. Now she was looking at the ground.

"So you decided to desert your child for some lover. What kind of a mum does that?" I said, standing up and walking towards the door.

"No Alice wait please. I know it's hard for you to understand and difficult for you with me suddenly coming back into your life but hear me out. I want to tell you why I came back." she said, pointing towards the sofa for me to sit down. I stayed standing. "Fine, if you're going to be like that then stand. I came back because I have something very important to tell you. I wanted to try and make things up to you before something happened and I wouldn't get that opportunity again. I've got cancer. I came back for treatment but the doctors say I only have a few weeks to live. I'm sorry I haven't been there for the past 13 years Alice but I'm going to try and make it up in the next few weeks if I can. Just give me a chance to do that."

"So you turn up out of the blue after years of me desperately wanting to see you again and tell me you're dying. Yes I will give you a chance but not now. I just need some time alone. I'm sorry, I have to go." And for the second time that night I ran out into the cold and rain.