Page 9 of If We Were Young

Ma’s laser beam ate through my shoulder blades.

“Wonderful.”

“You were home at eight-thirty.”

“Well.” I pulled my mug out of the cupboard and plopped a tea bag in before changing my mind and fishing it back out again.

“Coffee kind of morning, is it?”

“Every morning is a coffee kind of morning, Ma.” I smirked at her over my shoulder.

“So, how was Angela? Brash and inappropriate I’m guessing.”

Sighing, I spun like a spinning top. “Ma, cut it out.”

It was her turn to smirk. “Wipe that splash up, darling, you know I don’t like sticky sides.”

I grabbed the cloth out of the sink and contemplated how she’d react if I wiped her face with it. “How was Hannah last night?”

“Fine, fine. On that thing again.”

“Thing? Crack? Speed? Pogostick?”

“Don’t be smart, darling, it ages your face.”

I bit my tongue until the taste of blood tanged against my taste buds.

“On that phone. What’s it called, Flixing?”

“Netflix?”

“Yes, that. And that other thing… what’s that awful one when they film themselves pretending to sing?”

“Oh, that one sucks.”

“It doesn’t suck, Veronica. It’s not a vacuum cleaner. And yes, it was trying on my nerves. She kept launching herself up and down the upstairs hallway like she was on a catwalk.”

I turned to Ma. Was she being serious? “Hannah came out of her room?”

“Sadly for my headache, yes.”

“Ma, come on, you’ve got to show support. I think I should take her to talk to Dr Michaels.”

“No need, darling. It’s just a phase, that’s all. You went through one too.”

My mouth popped open. Phase? I was still bloody in it, woman. I went to say something along those lines, but instead said, “How’s the crossword?”

“Six letters, from one place to another.” She glanced at the paper closer and then with a scowl she put down the paper and slid the coffee pot across the table. “Why do they make these things so damn abstract?”

“That’s an unanswerable question, similar to my question of when will you get Varifocals?”

She sent me her most deadly glare. I held a hand to my chest and pretended to die over the sink.

“Yes, please over the sink, I don’t want you making a mess over the floors.”

I straightened and carried on making my coffee. “Thanks for last night. Sorry about the headache.”

“Mm.” She nodded like the queen. “You’re welcome.”