Have a Little Hope

13. Have a Little Confession

Hi lovelies! So definitely check out the song When I Look At You by Miley Cyrus, perfect for this chapter and Strawbs ;) Hope you like it! Do let me know what you think of the chapter :) 

‘Morning, Hope. How was your prom?’ My grandpa asks me the next morning, as he leaves the house to go to his bowls club. He goes every Saturday morning for a few hours at a time to spend with his friends and adores it. There’s a small bowls area not far from my grandparents house. He continues on talking to me, ‘You were out like a light when Cole brought you in.’

‘What actually happened? I was so sleepy I don’t remember anything that happened when I got back,’ I ask him, sitting at the bottom of the stairs and gazing at him, rubbing my eyes sleepily.

‘He carried you up to bed because you were asleep as far as I know, such a nice lad, isn’t he? Very polite when he came in.’

He carried me up to bed? My heartbeat quickens knowing that. I pause to see if I can remember him taking me to bed and then it all floods back to me. Immediately, I rush back upstairs to check my phone, which has developed into a bit of an unhealthy habit and see two messages from Cole.

I open the first one to read, ‘Hey Strawbs, just dropped you back off at yours. Hope you had a good night, I did :) Talk to you tomorrow. Xx’

I smile as I read over the text before looking at the most recent one.

‘Morning :) Miro, Wes and Esme and I are meeting up for lunch if you want to join? It’s after your dancing. Obvs at Nandos. Lemme know :) xx’

I sit back on my bed and yawn slightly, before responding, ‘Morning C. I had fun last night too, thanks for coming :) And sure, I’d love to. See you later. Xx’

I drop my phone back on my bed before heading back downstairs to see my Nan in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of tea. She’s a real traditionalist and still puts her tea in a tea pot to pour herself a cuppa.

‘Your mum called yesterday evening by the way,’ my Nan says once I’ve sat down opposite her.

I scowl. That is not what I wanted to hear this morning. ‘What does she want?’

‘I don’t know, maybe you should see her and she’ll tell you.’

I stare at her, completely perplexed as I point out, ‘That woman disowned me, Nan. She doesn’t want a daughter. She’s just developed a guilty conscience. I’m not seeing her.’

My Nan releases an exasperated sigh at my argument. She rests her head in her hands and says sighing, ‘She is your mother, Hope. You do need to see her at some point.’

‘I'm 18, I don't have to do anything and I’m not seeing her,’ I huff, crossing my arms defiantly. This is the absolute last thing I wanted to hear this morning after having such a good prom last night. Trust her to ruin the happy feeling I was experiencing.

‘I know you are completely on your dad’s side, but she’s making an effort, finally. She wants to see you for one reason or another and maybe you should give her a chance. While I’m not Roxanne’s biggest fan, I think you need to salvage some sort of relationship. You know your dad would have wanted that.’

‘Don’t say anything about my dad,’ I snap at her angrily. ‘He knew how horrible she was. He always supported my decision not to see her.’

‘Now there you are wrong, Hope, your dad always wanted you to have a relationship with your mum,’ she argues back. She takes a piece of paper out of her pocket and places it across the table to me. I look down at the scribbled number with Roxanne written next to my mum’s number.