It's true that everything looks better in the morning.
I didn't think I would be able to so easily, but I managed to get up and go to work and get through my whole shift without thinking about my mother. Sarah was right, Adam was right; I didn't need her and she wasn't worth worrying about.
I concentrated on my date with Cheryl the next day and found I was looking forward to it so much I could barely contain myself.
That is, until she turned up in the store.
I was laughing with Mike as we tried to lift some heavy equipment onto a stand in the middle of the shop, both of us struggling because we were laughing so much.
'Shut up, you're making this much harder than it is.' I said.
'Stop laughing then!'
'You stop laughing!'
'Put it down before we drop it.' Mike said, lowering his end and wiping his eyes. 'Oh God...'
'Kimberley?'
I straightened up and my face fell.
'Can I talk to you?'
'What are you doing here?' I said. Mike looked from one to the other looking confused.
'I want to talk to you, if you'll let me.'
'I'm working.' I said bluntly. 'I've got over an hour left.'
'I'll wait.' She said immediately. 'I'll wait outside, I don't mind. I just want ten minutes... please.'
I just shrugged. 'Like I said, I've got over an hour left of my shift. Do what you like.'
I turned my back on her and grabbed my end again. 'Come on Mike, on three yeah?'
'Y-yeah ok.'
Mike watched her leave and said, 'What was that all about?'
'You don't want to know.' I sighed. 'On three. One...'
**
I had been hoping she couldn't be bothered waiting and would be gone, but when I left work she was stood there outside, waiting. She smiled when she saw me but I just rolled my eyes.
'Do you have a few minutes darling?'
'I'm not your darling. What do you want?'
'Ten minutes.'
'Why?'
'I thought you wanted answers, I'm here to give you what you want.'
I couldn't seem to move after that. I wanted to turn my back on her. Like she had done. Instead I jerked my head to the coffee shop on the opposite side of the street. 'Come on then.'
**
She offered me a drink when we went inside but I declined, and she sat facing me without getting one herself.
'I can't believe how grown up you look, Kimberley.'
The only answers I could think of to that weren't nice ones, so I stayed quiet.
'How - how old are you now?'
I laughed without humour. 'Oh my God, you are a one off aren't you. Cut the bullshit, mother. If you came to give me answers, let's hear them.'
'Wh - well - what do you want to know?'
'I want to know why you left.' I said, very aware of how desperate I sounded, and how desperate I must look.
