“Babe, you okay?” I asked between breaths.
“Yeah…you?”
“Fucking hell, that was fantastic.”
I broke out a huge, self-satisfied smile, as my eyes closed suddenly feeling tired.
“Oh my God, Charlie,” Willow whispered down the line. “That was the best thing ever. I thought I was going to explode.”
“I’m so glad you suggested it. You really did miss me, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I really did,” she replied, her voice all sweet and sleepy. “But I understand why.”
I exhaled. “I know you do, and I really appreciate that.”
She sighed and then said, “I better go. I kind of need to clean up.”
“Yeah me too.” I looked down at the cum on my stomach and grinned. “I’m a bit of a mess.”
“Nice,” she joked. “So, let me know how Johnny is doing and I’ll call you tomorrow, is that okay?”
“More than okay,” I breathed out and wished that she was with me to cuddle up to and enjoy our post orgasmic bliss together. “I’ve taken the week off, so will be home all day, so call me any time.”
“Okay. Bye and speak tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” I whispered. “You definitely will.”
Once the line went dead, I yawned, grabbed a tissue from my chest of drawers and after cleaning myself up and pulling my sweats and boxers back up, rolled onto my side and slept for a whole hour dreaming about a pretty girl with the most perfect arse in the world.
Try something new like sweeping everything away from the kitchen table, lie on your back at the edge and extend your legs straight up with your hands under your buttocks to elevate your pelvis when your partner enters you – ensure your parents have finished their dinner first.
* * *
Charlie
“You knew I wanted to go out tonight,” I hissed, as Teresa fluffed up her stringy brown hair, as she stared in the mirror and pouted.
“I thought you said you were out tomorrow night.”
She stopped primping and looked over her shoulder at me, twitching her lips into a half smile, so that the smoker’s lines at the side of her mouth deepened.
“You know I didn’t.”
She knew exactly what I’d said that morning when she’d finally got out of bed and helped herself to my cup of tea. I hadn’t seen Willow in almost a week, and she’d asked me to meet her and Polly at the pub later. At first, I’d said no, but then decided to surprise her as Johnny was much better. I figured that the least Teresa could do would be to stay around in case he needed anything while I was out.
“He’ll be fine anyway,” she scoffed and turned back to the mirror.
I had no doubt he probably would for the few hours that I’d be out, and I knew I was being too overprotective, but he’d recently had a bad virus and I wouldn’t risk the chance that he might fall ill again and no one being around to help him.
“He has a phone too,” Teresa offered. “He can call you if he needs you.”
“Oh, like he did when he fell, when you were supposed to be here.”
Teresa tutted and it took all my self-control not to slam the damn mirror over her head. Don’t get me wrong, I hated violence, particularly against women but my dearest mother was someone I could quite easily make an exception for.
“He’s a grown man, so leave him be instead of bloody fussing over him all the damn time,” Teresa spat out impatiently. “Where’s my bag?”
“I have no idea, and I’m not fussing over him. He’s a paraplegic who’s had a virus, does it not register with you how dangerous that could have been?
She shrugged and picked up a cushion and then another before she flung them to one side.
“Of course, it does, but he’s fine, so like I said, stop fussing.”
“I can’t help but fuss,” I cried and clutched at my hair. “He’s my brother, of course I’m going to worry, and he’s your damn son so why don’t you?”
Teresa didn’t answer, but continued the search for her bag, muttering to herself as she searched everywhere in the lounge. I was pretty sure I’d seen it on the table in the kitchen, but I’d be fucked if I was going to tell her that.
“Are you even listening to me?” I asked and grabbed hold of her shoulder to spin her to face me.
“What?”
“You. Are you listening to what I’m saying?”
“What are you saying, because it sounds like bloody white noise to me? Now leave me alone while I find my bag.”
“No,” I bellowed, my voice echoing around the lounge. “I won’t. You need to step up and take care of your son, because he not my fucking responsibility.”
I hadn’t meant to shout so loud, or grab her hairbrush and throw it, but I was at my wits end with her. She was spoiled and selfish and didn’t give two shits about anyone except herself.
“Well he’s not mine,” she spat back. “He’s big enough to look after himself, you’re being a bloody martyr.”
“No, I’m not, I care about him and so should you. He shouldn’t be left alone, and I want to go and see my girlfriend because I haven’t seen her all week because I’ve been looking after him.”
I knew as soon as I saw Teresa’s eyes go wide that Johnny was behind me and had heard every word. My skin went cold and dread thundered in my chest as I slowly turned around to speak to him.
“You know what,” he said through gritted teeth. “Both of you go out, I don’t need either of you staying with me. I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.”
“Johnny-.”
“No Charlie, I don’t want to fucking hear it. All I want is for you both to fuck off and leave me alone.”
“Johnny, please.” I reached out a hand toward his shoulder, but he batted it away.
“Fuck off and don’t touch me. Go out with Willow, and you,” he said turning to Teresa. “Go out with whichever sleaze ball it is you’re seeing this week.”
Teresa didn’t take any persuading; she was out of there faster than I’d ever seen her move before. I looked at Johnny and let out a sigh. Yes, he was much better, but he still looked pale and I wasn’t comfortable leaving him alone, even for an hour.
“Go on,” he urged, moving his chair to one side.
“I’m not going out and leaving you,” I replied stoically. “I’ll call Willow.”
“I don’t want you here, Charlie, because God forbid you feel fucking responsible for me.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that.” I moved toward him and held out a conciliatory hand, but he spun his wheelchair around, and moved toward the kitchen.
“Just fuck off, Charlie, and leave me alone. I don’t want to be anyone’s fucking problem.”
I dropped my head and sighed, wishing that I’d kept my stupid mouth shut. I hated that my brother felt as though he was a burden. He wasn’t, not one bit, but I wanted a break to go and see my girlfriend. All I needed was one night where I wasn’t worrying about him. I wanted my mother to give a shit about her son who was in a wheelchair because of her.
* * *
After Johnny went back to his room with a can of beer, I ended up on the sofa watching some crap dating show. I had no idea why I was putting myself through it, it was painful seeing the lengths people would go to for a date. On this show the contestants were stripped naked and let someone from the opposite sex pull their body to pieces, hoping they’d be picked based on the shape of their knob or the neatness of their pubic hair.
I was almost considering painting the walls and watching them dry when my phone buzzed on the floor next to me. Turning the volume down on the TV, I reached down for my mobile and noticed straight away it was Willow.
“Hi,” I said and felt my mood lift. “You okay?”
“Charlie.” Simply from saying my name I could hear the anxiety in her voice and dread washed over me as I lowered my feet to the floor. “I’m so sorry but your mum is in here and she’s kicking off with some bloke who she reckons stole her drink.�
�
“Shit,” I growled, stood up and moved toward the hall. “Where are you?
“Dracos, the new gin bar. I’m so sorry, but I didn’t know what to do. I tried to calm her down but-.”
“Will, no don’t go near her.” Fear struck me as I remembered what happened last time someone who I cared about went to her rescue. “Seriously keep away from her, I’ll be there in about ten or fifteen minutes.”
“You sure you don’t want me to go over. She’s going crazy.”
I opened the door to my room and shoved my feet into a pair of trainers and grabbed the keys for the car.
“No babe, please don’t.”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly. “I’ll ring you if she leaves.”
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “She won’t. She has an audience; she’ll stay as long as they do. I’ll see you soon.”
As I ended the call a red mist took over and I kicked the waste bin next to my dressing table across the room. Why was she so damn intent on ruining both mine and Johnny’s lives?
“Fuck!” I cursed and stamped my foot as I swept everything off the top of the chest of drawers. A bottle of aftershave, my Bluetooth speaker, and a pile of change clattered against the wall.
“What the hell’s wrong?”
I turned to see Johnny in the doorway. He was wearing his glasses which made me think he’d been surfing the internet, probably for a new place to live away from me and Teresa after our argument before.
“Teresa,” I said as I edged past him out of my room.
“What the hell has she done now? I assume she has done something, as you’ve just fucking decimated a perfectly good speaker.”
I looked over my shoulder to see my speaker on the floor with its guts spilled out.
“She’s causing a scene in Dracos. Willow called to tell me.”
As I moved down the hall, I could hear the rubber of Johnny’s wheels squeaking on the tiled floor behind me.
“I’ll be as quick as I can,” I said and pulled open the front door.
“I’m coming,” he said.
I stopped and turned to face him as he reached up for a jacket from the coat peg.
“No.” I put a hand on the arm of his chair, leaning into his space. “Not happening.”
“I’m coming,” he retorted, staring at me with a steely gaze. “I’m sick of being treated like a fucking cripple who can’t do anything. Believe it or not big brother, I’m an adult, almost fully fucking functioning except for a pair of dodgy legs. She’s my damn nightmare too, so I’m coming.”
He jutted out his chin, daring me to say no, and I knew if I didn’t take him, he’d wheel himself there.
“Stay there until I get the ramp out.”
“Don’t you dare fucking leave me, Charlie.”
“I won’t,” I snapped. “So, shut up and let me get the ramp sorted.”
A little over ten minutes later, we parked outside Dracos and I locked up the car.
“At least we got the blue badge,” Johnny said as he wheeled himself the two feet to the entrance of the bar. “We could have ended up parking miles away otherwise. This disabled lark has its benefits.”
I shook my head and wondered, not for the first time, what actually went through his head at times. As I followed him into the bar, with its rough wooden floors and bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling by plaited wires, I scanned the room. It wasn’t a huge place, but there were lots of alcoves and dark corners, but it didn’t take me long to spot Teresa – to be honest, I heard her ear-piercing screech first.
Teresa was stood with her back to a wall as a female police officer tried to reason with her by the looks of it. I could have told her not to bother, once Teresa was on one, it took a lot to bring her down to the level of a normal human being. Standing to one side of her was Willow and her friend Polly. Willow had her hands resting on her head and was talking animatedly to a male officer, while Polly’s head moved from left to right between Willow and Teresa. She looked like she was watching a tennis match, not the hideous sight of my mother screeching like a drunken banshee.
I tapped Johnny on the shoulder and pointed in the direction he needed to go and as he wheeled through the crowd, it parted for him like the damn red sea for Moses.
When we reached them, Willow spotted me straight away and excused herself from the copper.
“Charlie,” she sighed and pulled me into her arms. “I’m so sorry for calling you, but I thought you’d want to know. The police are talking about arresting her if she doesn’t calm down or leave.” As she pulled away from me, she noticed Johnny. “Hey, Johnny.”
“Hey, Willow,” he replied, his eyes on our mum. “What started it?”
Willow shrugged. “It appears it was over a drink. I don’t think she’d seen me, or even remembered me to be honest, but I saw her come in. She was with a man and another woman and they were getting a bit lairy but nothing too bad, just noisy really. Then the couple left and within minutes she started shouting at some guy who was in here with his mates, saying he’d nicked her drink. One of them said something to her and she…” Willow looked at us both in turn and then made a hand gesture like an explosion. “She lost it.”
“Who called the feds?” Johnny asked, moving a little closer to Teresa.
“Not sure, the manager I think, but him and the guys she was arguing with disappeared as soon as the police turned up.”
“Yeah, that’ll be right,” my brother muttered. “Don’t want to get their own fucking hands dirty.”
I was about to argue that he did the right thing, getting the coppers to come in and sort her out, but realised it was pointless. Johnny always tried to see the best side of Teresa – like the fact he didn’t think it was her fault he was in a damn wheelchair, so I kept my thoughts to myself.
“What’s the copper say?” I asked Willow as I linked my fingers with hers.
“I tried to tell him you were on your way, but he said she’s causing a disturbance and needs to be ejected from the building and arresting her might be the only option.”
I sighed heavily and nodded.
“Okay, I’ll speak to him. Johnny see if you can get her to shut her damn mouth for a few minutes.”
Johnny grunted in agreement and wheeled himself over to Teresa who was now pointing a finger at the female officer.
“This is Teresa’s son,” Willow explained to the cop who had just finished talking on his radio.
The cop flashed me a smile. “Evening sir, I’m PC Strong and as you can see your mother is causing a disturbance and if she doesn’t pack it in, I’ll have her arrested.”
I wanted to tell him to go ahead, but I knew that Johnny wouldn’t like that. He’d want us to do everything we could to get her out of there and back home.
“My brother is going to try and talk to her.” I nodded toward Johnny who was now in between Teresa and the officer and had a hand on Teresa’s shoulder. Even though he was in a wheelchair, Teresa wasn’t much taller than him. She was a slight woman, with piercing blue eyes which over time had been dulled by alcohol. I vaguely remembered her having curves at one time, but her body was now thin and fragile, and it was anyone’s guess how she managed to sink as much booze as she did without regularly passing out.
“Doesn’t look like he’s having much look,” Willow said, her face strained with discomfort.
“Listen,” I said. “Why don’t you and Polly get off, go to another bar.”
“No.” She shook her head vigorously. “I’m not leaving you.”
Polly then took a step toward us. “Is there anything we can do?” she asked.
“I think it best you leave it to us, miss,” PC Strong advised. “I’m sorry sir, but your girlfriend is right, I don’t think your brother is having much luck.”
The anger I was feeling was in danger of causing me to do something stupid, like throw Teresa over my shoulder and dump her in the street and when I looked over and saw the sadness in my brothe
r’s eyes, I knew I had to end it.
“Give me a second.”
I started to march toward them, but before I’d even had chance to take two strides, Teresa had leaned across Johnny and made a lunge for the female cop.
“Oh shit,” Polly groaned.
“Teresa!” I yelled, as I made a grab for her.
As I did, Johnny wheeled backwards almost knocking over PC Strong who had decided to aid his colleague. Teresa swayed on her feet and dodged my outstretched hand but fell into the female officer who quickly had her hands behind her back.
“Johnny, you okay?” I asked, as Teresa was dragged from in front of him.
“Yeah.” He looked shell shocked as he wheeled around to watch our mum being forced out of the bar.
“Do you want to go to the station?” Willow asked as she appeared at my side. “I can come with you if you do.”
I shook my head, my eyes still pinned to the embarrassing scene of the woman who’d given birth to me being arrested.
“No.”
“No,” Johnny snapped. “We’re not going anywhere. Let her fucking rot in there for all I care.”
I looked down at him to see he was staring at her. His eyes firmly on Teresa until the two cops had bundled her through the door.
As soon as she was gone, the quiet murmurings of everyone in the bar suddenly got louder and as quick as a finger click, the scene was forgotten, and they all carried on drinking.
Johnny turned to me and frowned. “I think maybe I’ve reached your limit with her, bro.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. She’s out of control and I wouldn’t see it. I’ll speak to her about moving out and I’ll see about a carer too.”
My mouth dropped open, not sure what to say. I’d been on at him for ages to employ someone but he’d flatly refused.
“It won’t be a bad thing,” I replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I promise.”
He gave me a single nod and then started to wheel himself toward the bar.
The Big Ohhh Page 20