Healing Cousin George

by Karin Roberts

Explaining to Do

       

"Alex, Alex is that you" the words rang in my ears like church bells as my hand moved towards my face covering my eyes, I spoke "Eh Mum I didn't expect you" a pause "Obviously not, I think we've got some talking to do" she said as she stared right into my soul. "I'll just bring Melissa through from the lounge she's due for a feed, make yourself a coffee" I said as I walked towards the door. I wheeled Melissa back into the room as Mum walked towards the table with two mug's of coffee "Right young man you have some explaining to do" she said as she placed the two cups of coffee on the table and we both sat down.

I began "You remember the last time you were down and I said how he missed Grace so much, well I somehow got this daft idea that maybe having another female about the house would help" I paused looking for a reaction there was none. "Well a couple of days after you were here I stupidly got dressed up in Graces thing's" there was a sigh "Well while I was dressed we had a visitor you know Amanda the woman George has been seeing" I stopped "Yeah go on" "Well she caught me here all dressed so you can imagine what she would have done if she thought I was a guy dressing up in women's clothes and looking after a child" she interrupted "Surely there was another way," "Can you think of a good explanation anyway I tricked her she never read me and everything was ok. When George came home he went ballistic so we talked about it and we agreed that maybe it was better that I stayed this way." "You should have called me, maybe I could have helped, are you still prancing around in Grace's clothes" "Eh no, George gave me some money to buy some stuff and Debbie has been helping me as well" I paused "Debbie knows as well oh that's just great" "No it's ok she hates Amanda she's having fun deceiving her and she's fine with it, in fact she's been a great help," I said "This is going to take some getting used to you better feed Melissa" she said as she got up from the table "I'm going outside for a ciggie and a think" she said as she left the room.

I busied myself in the kitchen making something for Melissa through the window I could see Mum pacing up and down her coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. I walked over to feed Melissa and await her return. A few minutes later she came in, "You know I would never have recognised you if you had not said Mum when I came in, Debbie's done quite a job on you," "How do you feel about it" I said "Well I can't say I'm happy about it but I can see the reasoning behind it. Your dad would be furious you know how homophobic he is. You and George your not" "Not what" I asked "You know" "What" I asked "There's nothing going on between you" I blushed "No there's not" I said sharply, now didn't seem the time to tell her Debbie had just engineered a date for me. "So what brought you down here anyway" I asked "Oh you got a letter from the school" she said grabbing her bag and taking an envelope out she handed it to me. I opened it "It's just confirmation of my job and an invite to an open day a couple of weeks before term starts" I said returning the letter to the envelope "So your still taking the job then" she asked "Yeah why wouldn't I" I said although there was something not so convincing in the tone of my voice.

"So how long do you plan to keep this up" she asked "As long as I need to, till George is better" I said "And has it worked you being a girl" she asked "yeah it has a bit, the drinking during the week has stopped, he still goes out with that bitch Amanda at the weekend and she leads him astray" I said "You don't like her," "No not a bit she's not interested in Melissa, she just wants George and the farm the money" I said "Well you'll need to try and make sure that doesn't happen" she said "He's a grown man, he can make up his own mind" I answered "Well you'll just need to make him see the error of his ways." "Your ok with this" I asked again "Well it's a tad unusual, but it it's working and so long as you don't get caught, then I suppose it's ok for a little while. I'll keep you dad away from coming down," "Thanks mum" I said "I better be getting back, now if there are any problems ring me and let me know" she kissed me on the forehead and picked up her bag, "I'll come back down in a couple of weeks we can go out together, bring Debbie as well," "Ok and thanks again mum" I said as she walked towards the door. As she reached it she turned and said "And oh by the way you do look quite cute" I blushed again as she left.

The car had barely started and I was on the phone to Debbie telling her what happened through laughter she could barely speak "You must have nearly had a heart attack" she said "You could say that I said even more nerve racking than the shopping trip, oh and buy the way she want's us all to go out together one day," "I'll look forward to it" she said "I don't know what George will think though" I said "Well it's done now so he'll just have to deal with it," "I suppose so" I said "You coming round tomorrow" I asked "Yeah thought I would, we can go shopping get you something for your date" she said "Oh Christ I'd forgot about that I owe you one for that what were you thinking about" she laughed again "You'll be find and as I said it's not as if you need to sleep with him" "Oh well that's ok then, because I won't be" I answered "And I should think not on a first date" she said "Quit it" I said "Look I need to go that's Gavin getting back see you tomorrow" she said "Yeah around eleven" "Yeah that's fine, bye" she said "Bye" I replied. Checking on Melissa I saw she was fine, I need a cigarette I thought to myself so picking up the pack I went outside as I lit up I thought well now I need to break today's two events to George, Mum might be the easy part but Pete could be a totally different matter.

  

  

  

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