Page 75 of Boundaries

Are you really going?

My lip curled and I replied, Of course, roasted chestnuts, coconut shy, splat the rat and knights on steeds jousting. Oh, and loads of beer. What’s NOT to like?

Her answer shot back; I’d forgotten about the beer!

Stretching my arms to ease out those knots I could feel at the tops of my shoulders, I waited for Betty’s decision. I knew she’d come. If there was beer, there was Betty.

K. We’ll see you there. Won’t be early, depends on the hangovers.

I narrowed my eyes at her response. You look after Chrissy, K?

Absolutely. She’s my new protégée. Hmm I wasn’t sure I liked that. Betty’s interest in one of the guys from the club wasn’t good. She was supposed to be seeing James but she hadn’t spoken of him much recently and I wondered if that was now dead in the water. It was a shame. James was a keeper.

How are you getting there? Betty questioned.

I’ve asked Mattie for a lift. Alex is driving us all.

Fuck me, AWKS! She was wrong. Any awkwardness had sailed.

Piss off and have a good night. Don’t get too shitfaced!

I was about to lower my phone onto the bed but I received another text. My heart soared, hoping, no praying it was from Mason… it wasn’t. It was from my mother.

Everything OK there sweety?

That wave of adrenaline dipped.

Yes fine, are you having a good time? I thumbed in.

Great, thank you. Just wanted to check-in. Yes, like you did every other day!

The content of her next text would usually have annoyed me, but it didn’t for a change. Is Jenna OK, she isn’t answering my texts.

She’s fine mum. She’s started working at a boutique in Necton and so she probably won’t have her phone on.

Jenna had recently secured a job in a dress shop. She didn’t need to work, none of us did, but like me, my sister was no sponger. Nixon wasn’t happy about it and I remembered his comment about her lifting boxes.

Oh, that’s new. Exciting. I look forward to hearing all about it when we’re back.

OK mum, love to dad x. I almost added an emoji but Mum wouldn’t have a clue what it meant so I left it.

Bye xxx

Nothing from Mason since Thursday night and even then, the exchange was just chit-chat. A conversation about how things were going with the transfer of twenty-four prime cattle. Boring.

Dropping my phone, I padded over to the bathroom, maybe a shower would ease my aching limbs.

After I had bathed and changed into my PJs, I went downstairs and made myself some toast and coffee.

The house was quiet, the kitchen felt lonely. Things were changing, our family seemed to be growing apart and again I blamed this on the McKenna boys. All of them.

Before things had kicked off between Nixon and my sister, life had been so much more straightforward, it had always been them and us. And now, I wasn’t sure what it was.

I carried my half-burnt toast to my room and sat on my bed, nibbling, and reading magazines.

Tomorrow, I would enjoy myself at the fair. Most of my friends usually went.

After deciding on an early night, I spent time laying there against the soft covers. I could still smell that trace of Mason. I had washed the sheets but it was still there lingering. I wondered what he’d be doing and was desperate to text him, but I managed to stop myself.

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