Drift 1.2 Beginning

Chapter 1: Beginning (Part 2)

I knew something was up. Denny, Jace’s mum had been upbeat since June, when her latest lover, Dave had proposed. I was there when she told mum, her eyes staring down into a mug of tea, slowly stirring her sugar spoon round in a spin of thought.

“Are you going to drink that or spit out what’s on your mind?” Mum asked.

Denny sighed, “I was hoping you’d already know.”

You should know that my mum isn’t like ordinary mums. She isn’t just observant but psychic. My mum is that woman at those spiritual fairs who tells your fortune. With her long dark hair and loose flowing clothes, she looks the part too.

“Don’t make me dig out my crystal ball...”

Then Denny, pushed a stray strand of blond hair, from her short bob haircut, behind her ear, took a deep breath and shared with us her good news, “Dave and I want to live together, in a home of our own.” But she looked sad and her blue eyes shone as if they might brim with tears, “Dave’s found somewhere perfect but it’s on the other side of town. I’ll miss you when I move away.”

“You can’t!” I snapped rudely. Jace was my life! I needed him close! I needed him next door!

Mum threw me a disapproving look, “Lily, can you get the washing off the line!”

My mum is an artful dodger at getting rid of me and avoiding conversations she doesn’t want to have. I dejectedly exited the kitchen through the back door of our small terrace house and began pulling the clothes from the line, without bothering to unclip the pegs, and dumped them into the, green plastic laundry basket.