Someone Else's Son by Hayes Sam

Author:Hayes, Sam [Hayes, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2011-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

Max punched his code into the security pad. Once through, he turned the key in the Georgian front door. It had been recently painted and still smelt oily and new, somehow less familiar every time he came back. The big brass handle and knocker shone, thanks to Martha’s cleaning skills and, as he pushed it open, he got a whiff of the fresh lilies that his mother insisted were placed on the hall table, fresh every three days.

He kicked off his shoes and shoved them in the walk-in cupboard. His mother would go spare if he wore them in the house. ‘You’re bringing other people’s dirt inside. Why would I want that?’ Max, if he was honest, found it difficult to call the place home.

He stopped and listened. Martha would have left by now. His mother – well, she could be anywhere from New York to Selfridges or her office at the television station. He didn’t really care. Seeing her would only remind him how much of a freak he was and, while he was glad that it had brought him closer to Dayna, he didn’t want to be different. No one did, did they? Least of all a teenager like him who’d struck unusual in the looks department. He took the stairs two at a time, thankful at least that his scrawny legs allowed him to get to his room quickly.

‘Max? Is that you?’ It was shrill, commanding and made him freeze on the landing.

‘Yep,’ he replied.

‘Come here a minute.’ If he didn’t go, she’d only come to his room.

‘What, Mum?’ He ran back downstairs. Surprising himself, Max caught his breath when he saw her. He thought she looked beautiful today. He couldn’t recall ever thinking that before. What had Dayna’s kiss done to him? His mother was in her study, sitting at her desk, some website or other on her monitor, her brown leather briefcase spilling out papers at her feet. Her hair cast a golden glow around her face and her lips seemed shiny and new, the bow of their smile setting something off in his heart that took him back. Way back to when things were good.

She smiled. ‘I just wanted to say hi. See how you are. Sit down.’ She pointed to the reclining chair the other side of the room. Max moved a mohair throw before sitting, praying that his jeans were clean. He’d get it in the neck if he left grime on the leather. ‘How are things?’

Oh God, he thought. It was one of those catch-up guilt conversations, more of an interview than mother and son having a chat. He couldn’t even recall the last time he’d actually seen her – maybe briefly this morning, out of the window perhaps, or maybe last week when she had guests for dinner. Yes, that was it. The house had been filled with raucous old men spouting off about Viagra and Polo. They’d put on some dreadful pop music way past midnight. Max couldn’t stand it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.