.
“Circumstances have meant I’ve not been in Willow’s
life consistently—like I’ve wanted to. But we’re still close and I’ve never
stopped watching her back, although from afar. I have eyes and ears wherever I
need them to be and she’ll always be protected by me, even when she doesn’t
realise it.” The way he speaks reminds me again of Jax again and the way he’s
able to make me feel untouchable. “How else would she have grown up to be such
a tough cookie, huh? Well anyway, I’m telling you this in confidence because
part of protecting her means protecting those that she loves; you. Give me your
phone.”
Mesmerised, I take my phone out the back pocket
of my jeans, unlock it and put it in his outstretched hand.
“What are you doing?”
I hear his phone ring once and then he hands my
phone back to me.
“Giving you my number. Now listen carefully—”
God, you could hear a pin drop. I can’t help but listen when his mannerisms
command my attention in some Godfather figure type way. As he’s about to
continue, we hear the horn of Wills yellow Beetle honking out the front, announcing
their arrival. “—I want you to call me if you ever need anything. Anything at
all. Do you understand what I’m saying to you, Beth?”
“Erm… Nope .” I answer honestly. “Unless
this is a really inappropriate and lame attempt at hitting on me…”
Will shakes his head at my sarcasm and laughs.
“Trust me, Smiler, there wouldn’t be any
confusion if I was. I’m not that rusty!” I don’t doubt him for a second.
“Okay. What I’m saying is that if you are ever in trouble and you need
somebody, no matter how… legal your predicament, I want you to call me
without hesitation. Even if you don’t want Wills involved.” My face possibly
looks bewildered with a smidgen of ‘what-the-hell?’ He clearly doesn’t realise
that my version of getting into serious trouble is being caught smoking a
spliff. “I’m serious. Okay?”
“ Hello . Beth. Dad. Where are you?”
Wills shouts from the front door, but Will
still has his eyes determinedly fixed on me. He is waiting for an answer.
“Okay, Beth?”
“Yes. Okay, I understand… And thank you, I think.”
What the fuck was that? He’s talking as though
danger is looming. I guess he means well and I suppose it’s handy to know if I
need anything dodgy, he’s my man. Somehow I think that stretches further than
buying a bit of weed too.
2:20pm
“Sonia, it was great seeing you. I’m so pleased
you’re back to stay.”
She is so full of natural beauty like Wills,
with her free spirited vibe that echoes through her daughter also. She really
is a beautiful balance of her parents.
“Aw thanks Beth. It’s going to take some
getting used to, but it feels good to be with Willow in the UK again. I think
it’s what Dad would’ve wanted for me.”
Sonia stands to give me a hug, reminding me of how
long it’s been since I’ve hugged my own mom. I almost get choked up, which she must
sense because she gives me an extra squeeze, keeping her arm around my waist.
“And Will, always a pleasure. As you’ll be
sticking around the West Midlands for a while, we can hopefully all get
together soon. Maybe go for a drink or a bite to eat. I know Wills would love us
to.”
“Sounds good to me Beth, especially if you’re
bringing male company to even out the ratio a bit.”
I roll my eyes at his persistence as we all
head out the front door.
Wills is already outside, having moved her car
off the drive so that I can pull out of the garage. I’ve left some boxes in
storage here. They’re not in the way and it saves me having to take them to
Jax’s. It’s just ornaments, memory boxes, DVDs, photo albums, all that sort of
stuff.
“Hey you, why are you crying?”
Wills is leaning on my bonnet with tears
streaming down her face. I leave Sonia and Will by
“Circumstances have meant I’ve not been in Willow’s
life consistently—like I’ve wanted to. But we’re still close and I’ve never
stopped watching her back, although from afar. I have eyes and ears wherever I
need them to be and she’ll always be protected by me, even when she doesn’t
realise it.” The way he speaks reminds me again of Jax again and the way he’s
able to make me feel untouchable. “How else would she have grown up to be such
a tough cookie, huh? Well anyway, I’m telling you this in confidence because
part of protecting her means protecting those that she loves; you. Give me your
phone.”
Mesmerised, I take my phone out the back pocket
of my jeans, unlock it and put it in his outstretched hand.
“What are you doing?”
I hear his phone ring once and then he hands my
phone back to me.
“Giving you my number. Now listen carefully—”
God, you could hear a pin drop. I can’t help but listen when his mannerisms
command my attention in some Godfather figure type way. As he’s about to
continue, we hear the horn of Wills yellow Beetle honking out the front, announcing
their arrival. “—I want you to call me if you ever need anything. Anything at
all. Do you understand what I’m saying to you, Beth?”
“Erm… Nope .” I answer honestly. “Unless
this is a really inappropriate and lame attempt at hitting on me…”
Will shakes his head at my sarcasm and laughs.
“Trust me, Smiler, there wouldn’t be any
confusion if I was. I’m not that rusty!” I don’t doubt him for a second.
“Okay. What I’m saying is that if you are ever in trouble and you need
somebody, no matter how… legal your predicament, I want you to call me
without hesitation. Even if you don’t want Wills involved.” My face possibly
looks bewildered with a smidgen of ‘what-the-hell?’ He clearly doesn’t realise
that my version of getting into serious trouble is being caught smoking a
spliff. “I’m serious. Okay?”
“ Hello . Beth. Dad. Where are you?”
Wills shouts from the front door, but Will
still has his eyes determinedly fixed on me. He is waiting for an answer.
“Okay, Beth?”
“Yes. Okay, I understand… And thank you, I think.”
What the fuck was that? He’s talking as though
danger is looming. I guess he means well and I suppose it’s handy to know if I
need anything dodgy, he’s my man. Somehow I think that stretches further than
buying a bit of weed too.
2:20pm
“Sonia, it was great seeing you. I’m so pleased
you’re back to stay.”
She is so full of natural beauty like Wills,
with her free spirited vibe that echoes through her daughter also. She really
is a beautiful balance of her parents.
“Aw thanks Beth. It’s going to take some
getting used to, but it feels good to be with Willow in the UK again. I think
it’s what Dad would’ve wanted for me.”
Sonia stands to give me a hug, reminding me of how
long it’s been since I’ve hugged my own mom. I almost get choked up, which she must
sense because she gives me an extra squeeze, keeping her arm around my waist.
“And Will, always a pleasure. As you’ll be
sticking around the West Midlands for a while, we can hopefully all get
together soon. Maybe go for a drink or a bite to eat. I know Wills would love us
to.”
“Sounds good to me Beth, especially if you’re
bringing male company to even out the ratio a bit.”
I roll my eyes at his persistence as we all
head out the front door.
Wills is already outside, having moved her car
off the drive so that I can pull out of the garage. I’ve left some boxes in
storage here. They’re not in the way and it saves me having to take them to
Jax’s. It’s just ornaments, memory boxes, DVDs, photo albums, all that sort of
stuff.
“Hey you, why are you crying?”
Wills is leaning on my bonnet with tears
streaming down her face. I leave Sonia and Will by
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