Lou didn't come home that night or the next, I don't really know where she went, she didn't text me or the others. My mum stayed out of my way too, my heart felt heavy.
Tammy kept trying to cheer me up and keep me distracted but it just wasn't working.
"She'll be back soon, she knows your mum well enough to know the best course of action!" Tammy reassured me for the millionth time.
"Maybe we should of just told her" I said sadly, looking back all the running around in secret no longer seemed fun. I was lying with my head in Tammy's lap while we watched some terrible movie about aliens when I heard the front door open. I sat up quickly to see if it was Lou but Rose bustled in with wine and ice cream.
"One more day of feeling sorry for yourself but then we have to get back to work" she kissed my forehead and settled down holding my feet. I felt ridiculous here I was being baby sat by these women who definitely had better things to do.
"It's alright guys I'm just gonna get an early night" it was 4pm, they tried to stop me but I just felt like I was bothering them.
I must have fallen asleep because it was dark when something woke me up. My door was slightly open and I could hear whispering, angry whispering
"Grow up Lou! You could of at least messaged the girl" it was Rose I'd recognise the accent anywhere.
"I needed to think! It's not straight forward Rose, Debbie is really mad...like worse than I've ever seen her"
"Get a grip of yourself...yes it's not great that she walked in on you about to do who knows what to her daughter but that girl in there" I could almost feel them both looking at me, "she doesn't deserve being left out in the cold by you. It's not like Debbie has checked in on her. No it's been me and Tammy picking up your mistakes once again"
"I don't know what to do Rose, Debbie has been my friend forever....If I go with this it'll damage it for good"
"You're an idiot, the damage is done she'll get over it as much as she can eventually..."
"Yeah but she'll get over it faster if I'm not fucking her daughter" Lou said loudly.
"Lou..." I heard Rose sigh, "this is the longest you've ever stuck with anyone...I know you"
"You don't know shit Rose"
"You can't put your life on hold because Debbie is upset. Again. How many more times..."
My eyes felt full with tears. I had really though Lou would have ignored my mum, I thought she liked me. I swallowed taking a shaky breath to keep listening.
"Well you can't keep avoiding her!" Rose said firmly, "she's worth more than that"
"I know. I'll sort it tomorrow...I'll call her"
"You're a piece of work you know that? You could have the decency to stick around and speak to her in person. This is your house after all...why are you the one hiding who knows where"
"Rose stop I've had enough lectures to last me a life time" Lou said dryly.
"Fine" Rose said curtly, "so what? You're just going back to drinking too much and fucking anything with a pulse?" Her voice got louder, and I heard Lou sigh. I didn't hear anymore as one of them pulled my door shut they must have known it was all getting too loud.
I made up my mind there and then I was leaving. I quietly packed up my things as tears fell from my eyes. I pulled myself together and called an Uber to meet me a bit further down the street. Then quietly I left the house. I wasn't doing this, I was going back to London.
