“Please. Save the good mother act for some other sucker,” I mumble under my breath.
Chelsea’s look of venom doesn’t go unnoticed, but with perfect timing, Connie appears with the washing basket tucked under her arm. Stopping in her tracks, her eyes lock with Chelsea’s. “Oh… hello, Mrs Graham.”
“Hi, Connie.” Her voice is so quiet. Is she embarrassed about her two nights of partying? So she fucking should be.
Thankfully, Connie looks between us and gauges the situation perfectly.
“Hey, Ozzie, why don’t we play for a little while?”
She puts down the basket and holds out her hand, but Ozzie points to the TV.
“But we’re watching Woody.” His puppy dog eyes have a secret power, and Connie is as guilty as anyone for falling for them.
“How about we watchToy Storyin my room? We have the Disney channel in there too,” Connie says.
“Can Mom come with us?” Oz pleads in Connie’s direction.
“Umm,” Chelsea interrupts, her nose twitching. “Not now, Oz. You watch with Connie, okay?”
“Okay.” Ozzie jumps away from Chelsea and into Connie’s arms, although the pout on his lips and the wave he gives his mum, breaks my heart.
The door closes quietly behind them while Chelsea takesa seat opposite me. She looks good today. I haven’t seen this oversized baby blue trouser suit and cream silk top before, which I notice only because of the bra she isn’t wearing. Did she go on a shopping spree during her time away, or is there someone else who stores her clothes for her?
She stares at the floor and I wonder what she’s thinking. Could she be concocting bollocks in that head of hers?
She perches on the edge of the chair. Her legs are slightly parted, her elbows are on her knees, and her hands clasp together in front. She doesn’t speak. If she is expecting me to start this conversation, she can think again. I’m not the one who walked out.
“I think we can both agree this isn’t working.” Finally, she’s talking sense, but I take my time giving her a reply. She can sweat for a second or two.
Stretching out, I yawn out my words. “Is this the reason you’re here? To state the fucking obvious?”
Her wide eyes dart to mine. “Wow. You really are an evil bastard.”
I keep my tone deliberately measured. “You’ve already told me once how much you hate me. Why bother being nice?”
She glares into my eyes and rolls her lips together.
“What is it, Chelsea? You got yourself involved with some other sucker?”
“No,” she replies a little too quickly. “Why would you say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’re wearing different clothes to the ones you left in.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but obviously, she can’t think of a defence. I huff out a sarcastic laugh at her pathetic attempt and shake my head. “So, why did you come back? I told you not to.”
“You didn’t mean it.”
“We both know that’s not true. Who is he?” I growl.
“You arsehole. I was out with the girls.”
“Really? So which girls were you out with for two nights straight?” She can’t look me in the eye as I sit forward, clasping my hands. “Come on. Was it Brandy? Jo? Marie?”
She chews on her bottom lip but doesn’t reply.
“Exactly. You’re full of shit.”
“I’m not?—”
