Guilt tugs at my gut. I was punishing my parents for Billy’s actions. By distancing myself from him, I put miles between me and Mum and Dad.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble.
“Don’t apologise, just do as I’ve asked.”
“I will. I promise.”
“We both will,” Flynn says.
Mum smiles and picks up the menu. “Let’s order, and we can have a proper catch-up. I want to know everything.”
We chat over dinner. Flynn has more news than I do. I might not have been great at communication over the last four years, but I wasn’t non-contact either.
As we wait for our desserts, Flynn slips away to the toilet.
Mum rests her folded arms on the cleared table. “So, you and Billy…”
I sigh and rub the back of my neck. “It wasn’t Flynn’s fault we stopped talking.”
“Whose fault was it?”
Do I blame Billy or bite my tongue?
“I always thought it would be you and Flynn who ended up together. You seemed like a much better match,” Mum says.
Dad nods in agreement. “You’re less… bullish than Billy.”
I stare at them, mouth open.
“What happened?” Mum asks.
I sigh. “Billy turned Flynn into a prize to be won, and I didn’t want any part of it.”
Mum pinches the bridge of her nose. “I didn’t realise.” She blows out a breath. “Ishouldhave realised. You and Billy were always so competitive.”
I shake my head. “Billywas always competitive, and I admit, it was fun when it came to sports or school subjects, butnotwhen it came to Flynn. People aren’t prizes.”
“Absolutely not,” Dad agrees. “But your mum’s right, we should have realised that’s what was going on at the time.”
“Especially when you became so distant from us.” Mum straightens and smiles as Flynn returns.
He glances between all of us. “Have I missed something?”
Mum presses her lips together and shakes her head. “No. Just that I’m glad to have you as part of the family again.”
“We both are,” Dad says.
Flynn sits, looking a little uncomfortable.
I lean over and whisper, “I’ll fill you in later.”
“I take it there’s no chance of you and Billy reconciling?” Mum asks me.
I shake my head. “Not unless he apologises to Flynn. But I think pigs are as likely to fly.”
Mum sighs. “Maybe. Well, we’ll figure it out. Not your relationship with Billy, but how we include you all in our lives despite it.”
“Thanks, Mum.”
