HOW TO BE SINGLE | SIDEMEN

SEVENTEEN

s e v e n t e e n
" take a deep breath "
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Alice got into her own car, waving as she pulled away. It was only when she was gone that Adela realised what that meant.

She was going to have to go into the house and explain to her mother where she'd been and why she'd been there.

Keeping secrets from her mum had never been something she liked doing. As a kid, she always felt like her mum knew when she was lying. Maybe it was the guilt written all across her face or the fact that she cried as soon as she was questioned.

But she had to take a deep breath and force herself to walk into her home. The place she'd grown up, had her first kiss, laughed her first laugh. It was a place of many incredible memories, but Adela found herself wanting to turn tail and run as far as she could in the other direction.

Attempting to shut the door as quietly as possible, she leant against it and told herself to grow up. She wasn't so cautious of noise as she kicked off her shoes and made her way through into the kitchen, her fingers trailing along the wall.

"Ads, is that you?" Her mum called from the kitchen. She sat on the bar stool, her glasses propped on her nose as she read the newspaper. A steaming mug of tea sat on the table, lipstick staining its rim rosy.

"Yeah, mum," Adela replied as she walked into the kitchen, dropping her bag at the door. She flicked the kettle on again and leant against the side as it bubbled up. "Can I talk to you about something for a sec?"

"It's not Simon again, is it?" Her mum asked, taking her glasses off as she turned on the stool to face her daughter.

"No, it's um," she turned to get a mug out of the cupboard as she continued, "I want to move out again." As soon as the words left her mouth, she cringed in waiting for the response.

Her mum sighed. "I guessed that this would be coming soon. I know Alice is very eager to sweep you back onto your feet and away again, in more ways than one, but this is really what you want?"

"Yeah," Adela responded as she filled her mug; an old, floral mug from a relative. "I think it's the best thing for me right now. I went to look at an apartment today."

"And?"

"I really liked it, mum, like more than I thought I would," Adela said, turning to face her mum at last. "Alice agreed that it was perfect for me."

"Is that so?" Adela nodded. "Well, I guess you're gonna have to start packing again then, huh?" She joked, smiling as she stood from the stood to pull Adela into a tight hug. "I'm proud of you, darling. Not many women out there would pick themselves back up the way you have."

"There's something else, too."

"What is it? Please tell me you're not pregnant with that arsehole's baby?" Her face flushed white as she stepped back to look at her daughter, hands on Adela's shoulders.