Off Limits by Alexandra Vos Page B

me a job, too. I accepted. That’s
it, really.”
     
    My mother
floundered, trying to think of a way to question my statement. Eventually, she
sighed. “I didn’t ever want you to hate me. I made a stupid decision, I know,
but your father overreacted, too. He’s not an angel, you know?” She shook her
head. “That’s not what I mean, retract that statement. I just wanted to
apologise, for everything that’s happened. I really never intended to hurt
anyone.”
     
    I moved over and
sat on the arm of her chair, resting my head on her shoulder. “I don’t hate
you, mum. I was really angry and I’m starting to get over it. I’m glad you
found someone to be happy with, I just wish my dad wasn’t stuck in this
situation.”
     
    “Have you visited
him?”
     
    “Yeah.” I felt bad
for not going to visit him again, but my desire to go back to that house,
especially after the threat from our stalker, was practically nil. I’d have to
remember to call him and ask if he wanted to go for coffee soon.
     
    My mum shifted
slightly, rocking my head. “Is he staying somewhere all right? I really tried
to convince him to stay.”
     
    I considered
lying, but decided that wasn’t going to help our relationship go back to
normal. “Not really. He’s staying in some druggy house. I don’t think I really
want to go and visit him again there.”
     
    She hung her head
and I was sure I saw tears glistening in her eyes. “I knew this was going to
happen. I should have just let him have the house.”
     
    “It’s not your
fault. He overreacted, and he’s always too stubborn to get a job. It’s his own
mess, really.” My mum had wanted to be happy and she and my dad had broken up;
I’d done something far worse than her and wasn’t even facing any consequences.
I wrapped a hand around her shoulders and squeezed. “It’s really not your
fault. He’ll sort himself out.”
     
    She sniffed. “I
really hope so. I’ll ring him and ask if he wants to come home, tomorrow. I
can’t stomach the thought of him staying somewhere like that. I don’t even know
how he still knows that kind of person.”
     
    That was still my
question, too. What exactly didn’t I know about my dad that he’d been able to
ring someone like that up and ask if he could stay with them? I’d hoped it was
an old school friend who’d chosen a bad path, or something, but my mum’s
statement suggested otherwise.
     
    I didn’t move and
I didn’t ask. Now wasn’t the time. “It’ll all work out okay.”
     
    “I hope so,” she
repeated the sentiment, too, taking a shuddering breath. “How are you enjoying
working, anyway? It’s a bit of a chore, huh?”
     
    It had actually
been relatively fun up until the point where mine and Luke’s relationship was
ruined. We’d chatted, practised German, and always had fun on the ride home.
Any smile on my face faded. I’d stop feeling miserable about Luke soon, surely.
I’d spoken to him for such a little amount of time before we kissed that it
felt like I was completely overreacting, but I’d crushed on him for so long
before, that I was just in way too deep.
     
    “It’s okay,” I
settled on, letting out the smallest of sighs. “Could be better, I suppose. Luke
and I never really made up.”
     
    My mum frowned;
this time it was her turn to wrap an arm around my shoulder. “That’s
unfortunate. I’m sure you can work it out eventually. Was it really something
that big? You became friends quite quickly, anyway. You’ve spent about fifteen
years hating each other.”
     
    I chuckled. Luke
and I had so many memories. “Yeah, it kind of was a big deal. Oh, I’d rather
you didn’t mention any of this to Phoebe. Luke has this weird thing going on
where he lies to her about his financial situation and won’t let her go to his
house, so it’d be better if you just didn’t say anything at all to her about me
and Luke and our job and stuff.”
     
    “That’s pretty
weird. You’ve been to