Married By Accident

Chapter 26

"Katie, wake up" I hear as I'm sleeping. Why am I being woken up? It's half term.

"I'm awake" I mumble as I slowly open my eyes and see mum sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Good, get ready" She says smiling at me.

"What for, it's like 10am, and it's Monday and it's half term, I was hoping for a better lay in" I say as I wake up some more.

"I thought we could go into town or doing something today, have a mother and daughter day and have fun" She says. She wants to spend the day together, today of the whole week I'm off for.

"Ok, I'm getting up, I'll be downstairs in 15 minutes, I wanna shower first" I say as I sit up.

"Ok good" She says getting up and leaving my room. I get undressed and into the shower. I can't remember the last time we had a fun day out together, actually thinking about it I can remember one day. It was when dad was alive, I must have been about 11 or 12 years old, he had booked a day off at work so we could have a family day. He took us to a beach for the day, thankfully it was a hot sunny day, he spoiled me and mum, we had fun in the sea, we when to the arcades, had ice cream, McDonalds, got candy floss and slush puppies each, he brought me a big bear and my mum a bracelet, that was the best day of my life, one of my best memories of my dad. I finish in the shower and pick out a t-shirt and a pair of jeans to wear, it's warm today so I won't need a coat so I'll just wear a hoodie. I get dressed and go downstairs.

"I'm ready" I say when I find mum in the living room watching the news.

"Great, we'll buy breakfast in town" Mum says as she stands up and grabs her handbag.

"Are we walking there?" I ask. Do we even have money to go to town for the day?

"No, getting the bus" She says as she looks in her purse.

"Have we got money to have a mother and daughter day in town?" I ask.

"Yeah, cause I'm off the alcohol, which was costing us the earth, I've been able to save more, don't worry we can waste £150 today, it won't hurt us to" Mum says.

"What about work? Since the hospital I haven't actually thought about your work, I know we're getting some benefits but that's beside the point, have you been going to work?" I ask. Why haven't I thought about her working? She's been home for a little over a month now, and when I leave for school she's here and when I get back she's done dinner, how have I not realised this before?

"I've been working in the mornings 9:30 until 2:30 Monday through to Thursday and 9 until 2 on Friday, I got shopping on the Friday, today I booked the day off to be with you" She explains. I understand now. We leave and start walking to the bus stop. Maybe there's another way off transport without having to walk everywhere or rely on buses, driving? I am 18 now, I can definitely start learning to drive, all I need is a provisional license and an instructor, and money, lessons aren't free. Well maybe I'll give it a go, how hard can it be to learn to drive a car?

"What do you think about me taking driving lessons?" I ask mum as we arrive at the bus stop.

"Well, if that's something you wanna do" She says.

"Well, it'll make it easier to get around without relying on walking or the bus, won't it?" I ask.

"Yeah, but you gotta get a provisional license which isn't cheap, pay for lessons which can be £25-30, pay for your theory test which isn't exactly cheap, pass that and your driving test, buy a car and pay it's insurance, tax and MOT" She explains. It does sound expensive.