Amber
My heart sank as we stopped at his car. He was packed and ready to go. I didn’t get to say goodbye last time he left, and I now considered that a kindness as I stood there, fighting tears.
He placed his fingers beneath my chin, but I closed my eyes.
“You remember?” I whispered.
He was quiet for a moment, holding me tight, as if he could protect me from the world.
“I remember everything,” he said, before kissing my temple. “I’ll come and see you on weekends, and then there’s the half-term.”
“I’ve got revision,” I sniffed.
“Alternate weekends then.”
I nodded against his chest, but a bit of my snot might have rubbed off on his coat.
“Aww, fuck. That peeping Tom bastard,” he said, quickly releasing me.
I glanced back at the house to see Luke standing by the window in the front room, sipping his tea while watching us.
“He’s not doing anything, Zach. I don’t know why you dislike him,” I said, searching my pockets for a tissue.
“Just keep an eye on your mum,” he said, still glowering at Luke. “I don’t trust him.”
I paused, hands still in my pockets.
Did he just express concern for my mother?
I was almost jumped up to kiss him, but remembered Luke was still by the window. This might work out after all.
? ? ?
My mum stroked my hair as we watched a series about stalkers in prison. When she paused it, I glanced up at her from my position on her lap.
“Are you okay, honey? Lots of things are changing, and you seem a little sad since the new year,” she murmured, brushing my hair away from my cheek.
“Uh, no,” I said. “I’m fine.”
Deny. Deny. Deny.
“It was just nice to have Zach over for the holidays.”
Her face softened, and she smiled.
“Yeah, it really was. He reminded me so much of Clive, and he’s so grown up now,” she said, starting the programme again.
I quickly turned to face the TV before she gleaned something more from my reaction.
The truth was, I missed Zach. Every message and phone call felt like a daily lifeline. From sweet to nasty, I loved every part of him.
I was tempted to check my phone, but didn’t want to risk being caught.
Half-term began on the 14th of February this year. Zach would be coming to spend it with me. Then March was my mum’s wedding. Zach had only grunted, but he’d never confirmed his attendance. I still had time to convince him.
I half listened to the man in the orange jumpsuit, justifying why he’d continued to stalk his poor victim.
I couldn’t judge too harshly, since that’s what I did with Zach. I loved seeing his little blue dot in the text message box. I scanned his posts and his friends’ posts to see if any girls reacted to or tagged him.
The next step was putting an AirTag in his car when he came up to see me.
Christmas money well spent.
? ? ?
My mum wasn’t in the kitchen, so I lifted the bowl and drank the last of the cereal milk straight from the rim. I was rushing to dump the bowl and spoon in the sink when something moved at the kitchen window.
A woman stood in our garden. She froze for a beat, silhouetted against the frost-bitten grass, before darting across the lawn. She looked like a posh cat burglar—and even the way she ran gave her away. High heels, sinking into the mud with every stride, arms flailing for balance.
“Mum,” I shouted, watching her cut toward the side path.
I dumped the dishes and bolted to the front room, phone already in hand. I hit record just as she rounded the corner of the house and onto our drive, heels clacking against the tarmac.
This was so bloody weird. What the hell?
“What is it, honey?” Mum called, coming down the stairs.
Oh, shit. She was sprinting for a white car idling at the curb.
I flew outside, cold air biting at my bare feet, and caught her licence plate just as she peeled away from our street.
Mum stood in the doorway, puzzled. I shoved the video in her face.
“Oh.”
I waited.
Nothing.
“Who is she? What the hell was she doing spying on me eating cereal?”
“Um. I can’t say for sure, but that might’ve been Luke’s ex.”
I stared at my screen for a moment.
“Didn’t you say they divorced months ago?”
“Yeah, they did. Well before I was in the picture.”
“Why doesn’t she just stalk you online like a normal person?”
Mum sighed and handed my phone back.
“I know, right? It’s better for the environment. That’s a gas guzzler she’s driving.”
We stared at one another for a beat before we both burst out laughing.
“Keep one of those ancient weapons on you when you’re at work,” I said, still chuckling.
“I can’t steal anything from the museum.”
“Borrow.”
She shook her head.
“I love you.”
“I know,” I said, kissing her cheek. “But seriously—tell Luke.”
Almost three months until the wedding. They didn’t need a crazy cow gatecrashing their special moment.