Heart to Hart ✔️

27. Perfect imperfection

With a bowl of cornflakes in front of me, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. The oversized T-shirt, I borrowed out of Alec's chest of drawers, hung off my shoulder and completely covered my PJ shorts.

Alec and I stayed up the previous night until the early hours of the morning. We tried to watch a film but spent most of the evening reminiscing over our time at school and all the mischief Sian dragged us into.

I roughly scraped my hair up into an untidy bun, the long brown strands unmanageable. The lack of sleep was catching up with me, my run once more a bust. My period had come to an end and along with it the pain. I would resume my running tomorrow.

Sunday mornings were so quiet in the Hart's residence. It was nearly nine am and no one was awake. Alec slept peacefully in bed as I slipped on my flip-flops and dragged my tired self to the main kitchen.

As I scoured the cupboards, all I found were these bland cornflakes among the granola and oats. Where were the kid cereals? Surely Lily had a stash of chocolate flavoured goodness hidden somewhere.

As I reluctantly chewed my way through my breakfast, Sarah Hart walked into the room, dressed in her Sunday best, her hair immaculately styled and a face full of make-up.

"Good morning, Natasha. If you wait a minute, I can make you a nicer breakfast than-" she peered over my shoulder at my bowl- "your cornflakes. I have to do a food shop so the selection has a lot to be desired. Would you like some eggs?"

"That's okay. I've nearly finished, but I'd love some eggs as well." I continued to eat my food as I watched Mrs Hart dance around the kitchen to find all her ingredients and utensils.

"I fancy an omelette today. Would you like the same?" she asked as she cracked eggs into a bowl and added butter, followed by a dash of milk. "Where's Alec? Still in bed?"

"Yes, he is and yes please to the omelette. Sounds great."

After seasoning the mixture and whisking everything together, she set the bowl beside the stovetop. She reached into the pocket of her skirt, spun around and rested her hand in front of me on the breakfast bar, a small box underneath it. Her fingers obscured the writing on the box until she moved them to the side and tapped the packet up and down on the marble surface.

My face flushed as my mind caught up with my eyes.

"So, I think we need to have a little talk, woman to woman." Alec's mum twirled the box of condoms in her hands, the corners of her mouth rising as her gaze held mine.

Mortified. I never had this chat with my own parents, and I was about to have one with Alec's mum. I wanted the ground to open and swallow me up.

To make matters worse, Alec decided the moment his mother slid the box of condoms my way was the perfect time to join us in the kitchen.

"Really Mum?" he snapped as he reached us.

"Well, excuse me for not wanting grandchildren when my babies are babies themselves. If you want Natasha to stay in your bed, this is a chat we need to have. I was hoping to speak to her first and then to you, but now you're here, take a seat." Her face stayed neutral, but her subtle smile gave her amusement away as she enjoyed watching us squirm.

After her excruciating conversation about contraception, Sarah added, "Now, can one of you tell me why I had to wait for Chloe to admit you were a couple? Alec, your father and I have always asked you to be honest. We have an open-door policy in this house and we expect this kind of information shared."

Alec grabbed my hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. "Yes, Mum. But then you pull stunts like this, with condoms. I don't want you scaring my girlfriend away."