"Eddy!"
Oh. Oh. The second he stepped over the threshold and saw her face light up he knew for an absolute fact that he couldn't tell her anything yet about moving out. No way.
His mouth widened in a smile and he kicked off his shoes quickly.
"Hi, mum."
Before he knew it her arms were around him and he grinned softly as he hugged her back.
"It's good to see you, mum."
She let him go abruptly.
"You too, Eddy. So, did you have a good time?"
"I really did, mum." he said, and for some reason, as soon as he said it something relaxed in him.
Because you know what, actually, he had had a good time, despite everything. Despite all of the tears, the drama, the danger; he wouldn't have wanted to miss that trip for the world and he could already feel the good starting to outshine the bad. All the wonderful memories of waking up next to Brett, hooking his leg around his to pull him closer. Of the walk they had taken along the beach last night under the stars, the long talk they had had as they had sat in the silvery sand, about everything and nothing. Of how very close they had been.
He swallowed down the sudden wave of melancholy and launched into the safe topics Brett had given him. He told her all about Mahler five in the Opera house, and how beautiful it had been. About scaling the rock at the blue mountains, about swimming in the ocean.
"It was a great trip, mum." he concluded.
She nodded once. "I'm glad, Eddy. Now, I guess you have a lot of practising to catch up on?"
He couldn't help the little smile that spread on his face of its own accord. Once upon a time he would have hated her meddling. Would have scoffed, quietly inside of himself where she couldn't hear, that he could come up with that on his own, thank you very much. But now he just saw how shiny her eyes were when she looked at him.
"Absolutely, mum. I can't wait to get my violin out of its case again."
She turned around and started for the kitchen.
"Kung pao chicken in an hour."
"Really? Thanks, mum!"
He ran up the stairs and quickly opened the clasps on his violin case. Wow, he couldn't remember the last time he hadn't played for a week. It was almost strange now, that he got to break the drought. He took the cloth off the violin, undid the strap and ran his hands over the smooth wood. Then he picked up his bow and launched into a C major scale.
Oh yeah.
His intonation was off, of course, because he hadn't practised for a week, and his shift a little harsh, but oh, it felt good to play again. He resisted the tempation to launch right into repertoire and started on a Kreutzer.
The buzz of the phone startled him. He had basically not used it for a week, but he put the violin on his bed and quickly picked it up now.
'Hey Eddy, you safely home? Got your violin in your hands yet?'
He laughed. Brett knew him too well. But you know what? In fact, he probably knew him just as well. He typed quickly.
'Yep and yep. I'm taking it you have already got your case open too? Or has your mum made you unpack first?'
It took a minute for Brett to reply. He held the phone and waited until it buzzed again.
'Haha, no, violin first and then unpacking.'
Eddy smiled softly as his fingers flew over the keyboard.
'Always the best order. See you soon, Bretty.'