Chapter Thirteen
She came to my house in the early hours of the morning for no apparent reason, but waking up to her in my bed was wonderful. I woke her up with gentle kisses. ‘Hey gorgeous.’
‘What time is it?’
‘Nearly nine.’
‘Oh, I have to go.’
‘What, why?’
‘I’m… I’m supposed to me meeting my fiance’s family today.’ She muttered, going slightly red.
‘I thought you were ending things with him?’ I said angrily. She shushed me, clearly worried about the other occupants of the house. ‘I am. Today. I’m meeting him first, we’re not getting to his family’s place, I’m going to tell him before we go, I promise.’ She kissed me before climbing out of bed and putting her clothes back on.
‘D’you want me to meet you somewhere afterwards?’
‘I’ll call you if you want, and we’ll do something.’
‘Yeah sounds good.’
‘Kimberley!’ A voice calls from outside the room. ‘Kimberley get up, I have something--’
Adam comes into the room and stops talking immediately, staring at her, only half-dressed, in my bed. At that moment, my mum comes out of her room, crossing to the bathroom, and stops to observe the scene before her. ‘Adam? What’s wrong?’
‘What the f*ck is this?’ Adam whispered, his tone deadly. ‘Jen?’
‘Adam… oh, God, is this…’
‘Kimberley, what the f*ck is this?’ Adam shouted, making me jump.
‘What, I don’t understand…’ I said, standing up slowly.
‘Adam, what’s going on?’ my mum said from the hallway, pushing her way into the room. ‘Kimberley! What are you doing, who’s this? What’s going on?’
‘Mum, Kimberley’s a dyke.’ Adam spat vehemently. ‘And this is my fiancé Jen.’
‘Oh my God…’
‘What?! Adam--’
‘You f*cking filthy little whore.’ Adam shouted, looking at both Jen and me. He turned around and ran down the stairs. Jen followed him, shouting his name. I got up and threw a vest top on, went to follow them. My mum pushed me back. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’
‘I have to explain, I didn’t know, I have to tell him.’
She slapped me. My head swung right back with the force of it and I looked back at my mother slowly, my face burning. She was breathing heavily, glaring at me with such hate. ‘How can you? To your brother?! How could you?’
‘I didn’t know!’ I screamed desperately, running past her while I could.
Adam was in the streets, shouting abuse, tears streaming down his face. Jen was on the other side of the road now, running away. I ran to him, needing him to understand. ‘Adam, listen--’
He spun around with his fist raised and caught me on the side of the head, and the blow sent me crashing to the floor. ‘I always stuck up for you.’ He choked. ‘I even promised not to tell mum. All this time I stuck up for you, and look what you’ve done.’
‘I didn’t know.’ I sobbed, trying to sit up. Mum had followed us out and was just stood there watching. ‘I swear Adam I didn’t know she was with you… I would never have--’
‘Don’t you f*cking lie to me!’ He shouted. He leaned down to me and grabbed me by the hair. Mum came closer but didn’t say anything to stop him. ‘I never, ever want to see you again.’
‘Adam, you’re--’
‘Never again.’ He hissed. ‘Don’t ever show you’re face again, you filthy dyke whore. Get out of my life.’ Adam threw me back on the pavement, strode to his car and was gone. I turned to my mum then, silently begging her to believe me. ‘I never want to see you again either.’ She said softly.
‘Mum. Mummy, I swear I didn’t know…’
‘I’m going to get dressed. I want you gone when I come out.’ She shook her head slowly. ‘I would never have believed you’d betray you’re brother like this Kimberley. You’re father would be…so ashamed of you.’
‘Mum…’
Ignoring me completely, she went back into the house. She left the door open, but left me in the street, heartbroken and alone.
I was woken by Cheryl’s phone ringing, and she struggled out of bed, swearing under her breath, and answered it in a whisper. ‘Hiya mam. Is everything alright?’ I open my eyes a little, see her sat on the edge of the bed. ‘Yeah I know what day it is tomorrow, what?’ she sighs. ‘Well Andrews not gonna be bothered is he? No… no I’m not being smart, I’m being honest. Look can I speak to you another time, I’ve got to get to the studio… yeah… yeah, love you too. Bye.’
