Mist Of Mystery {Zarry}✔ [Under Heavy Editing•]

16. Last Love

Beats: Let her go ~ Passenger

"Good morning, Harry. D'you sleep well?"

"Like a log."

Harry sits at the kitchen table and yawns, sweeping his bed hair out of his face.

"You didn't tell me Mrs. Tomlinson imposed a strict no shirt policy." Anne realizes her son is in nothing but sweats and not yet ready for work. She serves her son with scrambled eggs and some toast.

"Can I have some ketchup?" She frowns but hands him the bottle regardless. She sits next to him with her hash browns and coffee mug watching him squirt the red fluid all over his eggs before digging in. Breakfast goes by with light banter and Anne cleans up the dishes.

"Mom. I need to have a word with you. Actually, words."

"Okay sonny, talk to mommy." She whispers into his ear, stands behind him, rubbing his bare back and shoulders.

"Please take a seat. I have the feeling you sometimes forget I'm your son."

"Very funny." She rolls her eyes and sits across him.

"I'd like to start by saying that I quit my job."

"What?"

"And I am requesting total silence for the rest of my little speech, mom."

She nods and and folds her arms on the table.

"I figured I might as well come clean. I am not who you thought I was. I've been lying to you ever since dad died. All those nights I spent away from you were not study sleep overs. I've been sleeping with half the girls in London."

Anne clutched her hand to her chest, her emerald eyes blown wide. She shakes her head in disbelief.

"Yes, mom. I was the most popular kid in school but for the wrong reasons. I was a bully, jock and fuckboy."He could see the tears brimming in her eyes but he couldn't stop now. "Miraculously, I was able to graduate as I passed with flying colours. Remember my disappearance on my graduation night?"

Anne nods recalling how frantically she searched for him so they could go home and celebrate over the pasta she had prepared and wine.

"I went off with Louis to booze, stone and screw a bunch of girls."

"Gory glory, are sure you don't have STDs?" She squeals, wiping the tears that had escaped.

"I'm clean. I remembered your words when you gave me that talk on the birds and bees. Always use protection, Harold, when you get older."

She smiles fondly at the memory.

"But that was all in the past, don't beat yourself over it."

"Yeah. But what about the present?"

"You mean the cougar? I don't mind you going for older wo-"

"MOM! Listen. On graduation night, I...er." He exhales and shuts his eyes." I had sex with ...Louis."Anne had gone silent. Staring blankly into space with her nostrils flared.

"That night was the reason I have been locking myself up and shutting the world out. I couldn't believe I had turned into exactly what I have been detesting."He cracks his knuckles.

"After a year I stepped out, of course compelled by you. I saw him again and my feelings for him were still there. We've been dating for a while and he was the one who brought me home in a car."

She barely moves but her eyeballs do, roaming the table.

"So I stumbled upon Cherry's and happened to sing before the clients. Louis found out and got mad at me and we broke up. So I quit my job and decided to work in the pub."