Jo crossed the street without another thought and banged on the front door.
No answer.
She knocked again, louder this time, her pulse roaring in her ears.
A moment later, the door creaked open.
Callum stood there, shirtless and with his hair wet, surprised that Jo had actually shown up. “Jo, hi.”
Jo didn’t wait to be invited inside. She stepped forward, shoving him out of the way as she pushed her way inside, and spun on her heel the moment she landed in the hallway. “You’re still here…”
Callum frowned as he closed the door. “What the fuck was that for?”
“She told you to leave, Callum. Why can’t youeverdo anything you’re asked?”
“Where exactly am I supposed to go? I don’t have a place to live!”
Jo scoffed and stepped closer. “You don’t get to sit in this house and pretend that you didn’t treat her like shit last night. You don’t get to pretend that you’re welcome here after the things you said to her!”
“She’s my mum and this…it’s got fuck all to do with you.”
“Oh,nowshe’s your mum? Because last night, she was the woman you reduced to tears in her own kitchen!” Jo took another step towards him. “You want to act like the wronged party? You want to play the victim now that I’ve moved on and don’t want you back? Too fucking bad, Callum. Shedoesn’twant you here. I don’t want you near her after everything she told me this morning.”
Callum scoffed and folded his arms. “Why do you care? You’re not even a part of our lives anymore.”
Oh, you have no idea.
“I care because she’s been there for me. When you fucked off and left, also claiming thatIwas the problem in our relationship, she helped me through.” Jo laughed. “You know, isn’t it funny how everyone else seems to be the problem in your life, but you never take any responsibility? Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
“N-no.” Callum snorted. “You were a shit girlfriend…and she’s been a shit mum since I walked back through the door yesterday. I mean, where the fuck is she? I’m home, I’m here…and where is she?”
“She’s away from you and your shitty fucking attitude.” Jo clenched and unclenched her hands, trying to compose herself. “Did you feel like a big man last night? Did you feel like him…trying to control her and put her down because you couldn’t have things your way?”
“I-I never?—”
“You basically said she deserved what he did to her. Right here, in this house, last night. Do you haveanyidea how much that broke her? Do you even care?”
Callum looked away. “I didn’t mean it. I told her that.”
“But youdid.” Jo’s hands were starting to tremble now. Seeing Callum in this light…she couldn’t believe she used to shed tears over him. “You basically became him. You spewed his bullshit when she stood up to you and acted likeyouwere the one who’d been wronged.”
Callum’s jaw set, his nostrils flaring as he squared his shoulders.
“She didn’t give you my information because I asked her not to. It’s as simple as that. If you can’t deal with it, then that’s on you. For me, I couldn’t give a fuck if I never saw your face again. And after last night, even if there was anything still there for you, you royally fucked it up. I don’t want someone like you in my life who thinks it’s okay to not only speak to another woman like that, but his own mother. The woman who has doneeverythingfor him.” Jo fought back the emotion lodged in her throat. “She paid for your trip abroad. She made sure you had everything you needed so you could follow your fucking flowery Thea around the world, and you come back and treat her like that. You’re pathetic.”
“I-I need to see her.”
“You have no idea what it’s taken to rebuild herself. Finding a place where she feels safe has been difficult for her. She’s made something of herself without your dad, and you…God, I want to punch your fucking face in.” Jo took a breath and stared him straight in the eye as she said, “You didn’t just let her down last night, Callum. You broke her all over again.” Silence descended over them like a fog, but Jo wasn’t standing around watching her ex trying to feel sorry for himself for a moment longer. She could think of far better things to do with her time. Right now, Amelia was her priority. She headed for the door, her voice low as she turned back to him and added, “If you have a single shred of decency left, you’ll be gone by the time she comes back.”
Callum’s brows drew together. “Wait! W-where is she?”
A satisfying smirk curled on her lips. “Exactly where she should be. Withme.”
Jo walked away before he could speak again, her trainers pounding the pavement and matching the rhythm of her heart. And with every step she took, she felt lighter.
She’d done what needed to be done. For Amelia and for herself.
Amelia sat quietlyin Jo’s living room, toying with the frayed cuff of her hoodie as her mind spiralled through a thousand different thoughts and worst-case scenarios. Her immediate thought was that Jo had left because of everything she’d learned this morning, but then Amelia reminded herself of that softness in Jo’s eyes as she’d leaned down and kissed her forehead.
