on edge, shaking through my veins, like drunk too many strong coffees. But I’ve I’m calmer. ready to face him. Phil watches every move I make. I know the way I’m that cunt works. be measuring me, checking everything I do. I just got to nod He’ll my way through this and get home. I look back at him just as a car passes. The driver stares at us. I know them. Maybe they can see more than we can. You don’t can only ever see the other half of the conversation after all. Phil turns and watches the car go by. It breaks his stare and I feel my feet underneath me again, back in I’m the shallow end. The car turns off down the main Addington access road. None of the kids say anything. They know going on, but scared of the don’t what’s they’re silence. My Mum used to say noise and laugh. I never got it. Noise is ‘a annoys’ safe. I try and think of something to say. Anything. Phil gets there first. living with your ‘Still Mum?’ His tone is different. I hear fighting in his voice. don’t Just me and the kids and ‘Nah. Georgina.’ I try and make it sound natural, like having a normal chat with somebody. Phil I’m raises his eyebrows at me. your own ‘Got place?’ Mum moved ‘Me out.’ I nod my head to my left. I even know if the right direction. I just do it don’t that’s what you do. He snorts through his nose and jerks his head back. ‘cos that’s about right. getting forced out one by ‘Sounds We’re one.’ got a flat in ‘She’s Milton.’ I even want to say it. I just want to go home and eat the rest of the chocolate don’t éclairs. ‘Council?’
on edge, shaking through my veins, like I’ve drunk too many strong coffees. But I’m calmer. I’m ready to face him. Phil watches every move I make. I know the way that cunt works. He’ll be measuring me, checking everything I do. I just got to nod my way through this and get home. I look back at him just as a car passes. The driver stares at us. I don’t know them. Maybe they can see more than we can. You can only ever see the other half of the conversation after all. Phil turns and watches the car go by. It breaks his stare and I feel my feet underneath me again, I’m back in the shallow end. The car turns off down the main Addington access road. None of the kids say anything. They don’t know what’s going on, but they’re scared of the silence. My Mum used to say ‘a noise annoys’ and laugh. I never got it. Noise is safe. I try and think of something to say. Anything. Phil gets there first. ‘Still living with your Mum?’ His tone is different. I don’t hear fighting in his voice. ‘Nah. Just me and the kids and Georgina.’ I try and make it sound natural, like I’m having a normal chat with somebody. Phil raises his eyebrows at me. ‘Got your own place?’ ‘Me Mum moved out.’ I nod my head to my left. I don’t even know if that’s the right direction. I just do it ‘cos that’s what you do. He snorts through his nose and jerks his head back. ‘Sounds about right. We’re getting forced out one by one.’ ‘She’s got a flat in Milton.’ I don’t even want to say it. I just want to go home and eat the rest of the chocolate éclairs. ‘Council?’