‘Mum, she had a single tattoo and it was so tiny you could hardly see it. If she hadn’t mentioned it in the first place, you’d never have known it wasthere.’
‘But she did mention it, didn’t she? And no matter the size, that’s still one too many if youaskme.’
Dan knew he could’ve gone on, and on, if he’d wanted to. At thirty-three years old, his list of loved and lost seemed endless and most of the list was thanks to his mum. Every time he had gotten a new girlfriend she wouldn’t stop nagging for an introduction, until he finally brought them round. Then she’d only find some reason to disapprove. Of course, if she didn’t show her displeasure to the poor girls’ faces, there’d be the onslaught of criticism after they’d gone; and to this day she stood by hereveryword.
‘Every parent wants the best for their children, Dan,’ she carried on. ‘It’s just that some of us want it more thanothers.’
‘And you wonder why I’m stillsingle.’
‘Yes, well, that’s the trouble with the youth of today. Regardless of the issue, it’s always the parents who’re toblame.’
She reached into the cupboard for a plate, Dan knew there was no way he could put tonight’s dinner anywhere near his mouth. Thank goodness he already had plans. ‘Don’t worry about me, Mum,’ he said. ‘I’m off out later. I’ll grab something toeatthen.’
‘You’re going out? Again?’ she asked. ‘But I made this especially for you. It’s based on an Aboriginal dish from my time in theOutback.’
He dreaded tothink.
‘Sorry, Mum, but I’m pricing a job uptonight.’
Her eyesnarrowed.
‘I did tell you about it. Remember? Mr Watson owns two shops in town and wants them knockingintoone?’
She still didn’t appear convinced, but even though Dan had definitely mentioned his plans, he’d rather suffer his mum’s confusion than sample the food onoffer.
‘If I didn’t know any better I’d be starting to think you don’t like my cooking,’shesaid.
Dan looked at the single plate on the counter, enough to tell him she wasn’t planning on tucking into itherself.
‘Unless you’ve taken a leaf out of Maeve’s book,’ she continued. ‘And have metsomeoneelse.’
Here we go again,hethought.
‘I thought we were done with this subject,’hesaid.
She looked him directly in the eyes, waiting for the slightest hint of deception to reveal itself. Dan refused to look away. It was a game they’d been playing since he was a child, although back then, the challenge was usually over a biscuit he’d denied eating betweenmeals.
As she continued to stare, a part of Dan understood the tight grip that his mother seemed to want to exert. After all, since his dad’s death years ago, it had just been the two of them and they shared a pretty close bond because of it. At the same time, he hated the tabs she tried to keep on his love life, on his life in general. He wished she’d just let him get on with things for himself from time to time. Even when she was off on her travels, thanks to modern day technology, there was no escaping her, she knew her way around a smart phone better thanhedid.
‘Now you’re just being daft,’ he said, although his denials did nothing to ease his mother’ssuspicions.
‘You would tell me if you’d met someone though, wouldn’t you?’ she asked, scrutinising his facethroughout.
His thoughts immediately transported back to the woman he’d met the other night. A woman he’d no intentions of telling his mother about. Introducing herself as Annabel, she’d managed to create quite an impression. After all, it’s not every day a gorgeous lady asked him to father their child. Then again, she had been pretty drunk. And just like his mum, she was clearly as mad as a hatter. He smiled to himself, unable to help but think that she and the woman standing before him would probably get onquitewell.
‘How could I not tell you?’ said Dan, maintaining his gaze. ‘You interrogate me almost every week. Anyway, what about you?’ Dan often wished his mum had another man in her life. If she had, then maybe she wouldn’t focus quite so much on him. ‘Who’s to say you’re not keeping somethingfromme.’
‘Rubbish!’ said his mum, at last releasing her visual stranglehold. She turned her attention back to the stove. ‘I mean, I’ve never been one to keep secrets, have I? So why would Istartnow?’
* * *
Dan stepped through the door,ready to dazzle with his building expertise. However, before he could even get his bearings, he found himself ushered back out into the streetagain.
‘Sorry, mate,’ said Mr Watson. ‘Can we do this someothertime?’
After having arrived to price the job up, getting a quote now seemed the last thing on his potential client’s mind. This was something that Dan thought strange when he considered how keen the man had been when they’d first arranged the appointment. Mr. Watson’s eagerness to get works underway was the sole reason Dan had agreed to an evening visit in the firstplace.
‘Is everything okay?’ he asked, trying to peer through thewindow.
