A Boyfriend Like Him

A Sensitive Jerk

Sorry for the delay with chapters over the last couple of weeks. I've been a busy little beaver going here, there and everywhere whilst trying out a new eating plan (down 5 kilos, f-yeah! {like, 11 pounds for my imperial readers}) so I've been meal preping and visiting and holidaying like a boss. Really want to get caught up and start pumping chapters out again like before now, though.

Thank you to Vorsaska for the cover/banner. I love receiving these things. Makes me feel as though you're all invested in this as I am.

Also, the courses I have down are the closest thing I could find that were similar without being the same. For the sake of fiction, just roll with it if I got it wrong, Kay? Lol I know they're probably not completely correct but just... just don't be that guy, alright?

Naughty chappie, y'all.

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Chapter Twenty-Two
-A Sensitive Jerk-

Taylor was right. His mother didn't need help. Taylor and I sat at the kitchen bench as Judith sat in her chair at a specially lowered part of the bench that gave her, her own work space while in the chair. She happily cut up vegetables for a salad as Mousey sat patiently next to her waiting for any scraps.

"It was a virus I caught when the kids were young," She told me her story. "It attacked my heart and significantly weakened it. I was okay for a while there, but eventually needed a pace maker and now I'll need a heart transplant," She told me and my eyes went wide. She gave me a small smile and shook her head. "Don't worry about me, pet. I'm in the chair because I have attacks where my heart essentially stops and the pacemaker needs to kick-start the heart." I felt my eyes go even wider. "The chair is a preventative more than a cure. If I'm not standing, I can't fall and do even more damage and I also get very fatigued from all the excitement." She was telling me she cheated death daily and was saying it like it was trip to the supermarket.

"That must be scary," I frowned and she shrugged.

"Part of life, unfortunately," She gave me a small smile. "Now tell me about yourself," she insisted. "What are you doing at University?" She asked.

"Uh, I want to work with under privileged kids. I'm doing a bachelor of arts and social science and bachelor of community welfare and counselling double degree," I replied and she gave me brows raised, impressed face.

"Well done you," She praised. "What made you want to get into that course?" she asked and I shrugged.

"I came from a good family and community but there were kids who didn't have any of the chances I did because of their parent's life choices and restraints. I want to work with those kids and show them that there is a way out from under their parent's lifestyles if they want it and get them out of the poverty cycle." She nodded thoughtfully at me and smiled.

"That's a lovely ambition. Much like Taylor too with his Bachelors of social work and health science," she mused and I glanced at Taylor questioningly. I really should have known what he was doing and it made sense seeing as we were both in Mark's class and a couple other classes.

"Yeah," I half-laughed as Taylor smirked back at me. This boy surprised me more every day.

"He always was a sensitive little soul," she continued on and I couldn't help the burst of laughter that snuck out as Taylors face turned into complete humiliation.

"Mum!" He growled, and she looked up at him.

"What?" She laughed. "You were sensitive, it was cute. Always making sure everyone else was cared for before going about your business," she carried on as I watched a blush that on an embarrassment scale of one to 'Being-Caught-Singing-Taylor-Swift' was right up there with going bra shopping with your mum.