Cross my heart and hope to die

   The bell chimed. I grabbed Mum's purse off of the kitchen table and and answered the door. "Hey." I said.

"Hi, umm, is this the Summers house?" A, gorgeous looking, guy asked, holding a bag that said 'Taste of India' on it.

"Yeah, you the take-away guy?" I asked.

"Depends. You single?"

"Pft! Well, there's your tip down the bog. Any more questions?" I said, putting one hand on my hip and raising one eye brow.

"Cash or card?" He replied, his cheeks slowly reddening.

"How much?"

"Seventeen fifty." I dug in Mum's purse and found a crisp twenty pound note.

I handed it to him and said "Yes."

  "'Scuse me?" The delivery guy asked, obviously confused.

"Yes: I am." I replied, smiling. He raised an eye brow, suggestively.

"Here's your...'receipt'. Call this number and ask for Liam if you have any problems or suggestions on how we can improve our service." He handed me a 'Taste of India' business card that had a mobile number and 'Liam' scrawled on it, in blue biro.

"Well, here's my number.Call and ask for the ignorant cow if you have any suggestions on how I can improve my service." I said as I wrote 'Terri ♥ 07530112945' on his hand and acted majorly flirtatious.

He smiled and said "I might just do that."

   "Who is it, hun?" Mum called from upstairs.

"No one. A friend. I got it." I replied, rolling my eyes.

Liam handed me the take-away bag containing the food and said "Enjoy."

"Thanks." I smiled, lent forward, tip-toed and kissed him on the cheek. He looked at me confused. I waved, closed the door and lent my back against it, grinning whilst biting the inside of my cheek as my face heated up. I walked into the kithen and dished up dinner. I set it out on the table, got Mum and I a WKD each and added a straw to each bottle.

   "Grub's up!" I called up the stairs. Mum called 'okay' back and I heard her coming down the stairs. I sat down at the table and took a sip of my drink.

"Oh, hun, you didn't have to go to this much trouble" Mum said, gesturing to the table and our meal.

I smiled and said "Don't expect this much more. Just enjoy it while it lasts." Mum smiled the lovely smile that made my Dad melt like butter on a hot day. Before he left.

   Seven years ago, when I was ten years old, my Dad died of a brain tumor. He had an operation, but they caught it too late. Dad passed away on Christmas evening. He had had a visit from us and about an hour after we'd left, he went to sleep and just didn't wake up. Mum cried for weeks. I destroyed all of my Christmas presents and became the bitch that I am today, usually - anyway. It tore my heart and shattered the pieces.

   "Terri!" Mum bellowed.

"What?" I asked.

"My pay was docked this month. Mel told me that she rang and left a message with you saying that my article needed to be in the next day."

"And?"

"'And'?! And you didn't give me the message"

"Oh." I said flatly.

"Yeah, 'oh'. Well, that fifteen quid is coming from your pocket money."

"Oh well."

"Ungrateful, ignorant COW!"