Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
“Nervous?” I ask with a smirk, locking my fingers with his.
“If she hates me and tells you to leave me, will you?” His light browns twinkle with mischief but I also see his nervousness dimming the light that shines so brightly from him.
“Never,” I promise and it’s true. My mum has no reason to hate him but if by some strange reason she does, I’d still never leave him for that reason alone.
I’m eighteen, old enough to make my own choices and Caleb is my choice.
“Come on,” I give his hand a tug and push open the front door to my house. “Mum?”
“In the kitchen,” she calls back. I give Caleb a reassuring smile and lead him through the hall and into the kitchen. “Hello Caleb, I’m Dawn it’s nice to meet you.”
Caleb shakes her hand and gives her a nod, “You too, Dawn.”
My mum sits at the small four seating table and motions for us to follow suit. My palms are sweating, I’m so nervous. This is the first guy I’ve ever brought home. Mostly because it’s the first guy I’ve ever had as a boyfriend. I have very good taste, this much is clear.
My mum thinks so too if her wink in my direction is anything to go by, “So… you’re studying law?”
“Yes ma’am,” Caleb says, a small and nervous smile teasing the edges of his lips.
“At Oxford?”
“Yes.”
“So how do you expect this to work between you and Gwen?” My mum has her stern face on. Uh-oh.
“Mum,” I warn and give Caleb a smile.
He doesn’t break, he only smiles wider, “I’m moving here.”
“Oh dear, how do your parents feel about this?” My mum asks and glances at me. Why is she glancing at me?
“They’ll hate it but I make my own decisions,” he gives a small shrug.
My mum sighs and shakes her head, “I guess it’s your choice but throwing away a brilliant education for a girl you’ve known a couple of weeks is ridiculous at best.”
“Mum!” I gasp.
Caleb shrugs again, “I know what’s best for me and if that’s ridiculous then I guess I’m guilty as charged.”
“Oh you’re very charming,” my mum’s eyes narrow. We watch as she stands and walks to the drawers. What’s she doing? What’s that bag? Oh dear god no. She throws the bag on the table and a few packets of condoms fall out of its bulging belly. “Don’t get her pregnant, you may be willing to give up your education for her but…”
I fold my arms on the table and bury my face in them.
“Don’t worry about it Dawn,” Caleb waves her off. “Safety first. Cross my heart.”
Oh, he’s enjoying this. “Caleb!”
“Just saying,” he states, trying to supress his smile but failing as it blinds me seconds later. “I promise to do everything in my power to keep Gwenny in school until she graduates.”
This my mum likes, I can tell by her apparent grin, “Good.” She exhales a long breath before continuing. “So, tell me what your plans are. I hope you don’t expect to move in here…”
“I’ve started looking at apartments near the university,” he says and places his hand over mine on the table. “I have a trust fund so money isn’t an issue.”
A trust fund? “Okay, good,” my mum nods, her lips pouting slightly as she thinks on it. “Well, you’re an adult, it’s your life you’ll do as you please. You however,” she gives me a pointed look. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but he’s just a guy. Don’t get distracted.”
“Okay,” I sigh with a roll of my eyes. I’m not stupid, I really like Caleb but I’ve wanted to go to University since I was little. We don’t have family, my mum’s parents abandoned her when she fell pregnant with me and I don’t think she knows who my dad is. I’m guessing I’m the result of a one night stand gone wrong and as much as I’d like to hate her for that, I don’t and never will.
“Also, if you get pregnant and he leaves you, don’t expect to come back here,” she gives me a pointed look.
Caleb frowns at this but remains silent. I only nod. What can I say to that?
“So,” she smiles warmly now, all seriousness gone. “Pizza and box office?”
“Yay,” I grin.
Caleb looks at me, “Yay? Who says yay?”
“You’ll find there are a lot of things she says that nobody else would say. Good luck.”
I scoff, “A lot of people say yay.”
“Not normal ones,” Caleb murmurs playfully and clips me on the chin. “But I don’t like normal so it’s all good.” Then he grins, throws his arms in the air and in a high pitched tone he cheers, “Yay.”
“Dork.”
We’re snuggled up on the couch, my mum sitting in the chair to the right, watching some action film on TV when Caleb’s phone alerts him to a text. He opens it with a frown and for obvious reasons this worries me. This is the second time I’ve seen him frown and both of them have been today.