I hadn’t even had a chance to fully process what Dad had said when I heard Grandma go upstairs and the click of the bathroom door locking behind her. By now it seemed BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS that Grandma was keeping something from me but hiding herself in the bathroom seemed like a STRANGE MOVE even for her.
I burst through the door of the kitchen and found Rose sat at the table, clutching Mum’s note aka EVIDENCE SPECIMEN ONE in her hands. I decided this would be the perfect time to question her… I mean to find out if Rose knew anything I didn’t.
‘I still can’t believe she’s left us.’
Rose was staring at the note, tears running quietly down her cheeks. The tears were SLIGHTLY UNEXPECTED. I wasn’t sure what to do so I decided to press on and pretend I hadn’t noticed. Given the circumstances it still seemed like as good a time as any to INTERROGATE HER.
I decided the direct approach was the order of the day and launched my attack. I tried to sound SUBTLE and CARING.
‘Do you know where Mum is?’ I asked. ‘Why won’t anyone tell me the truth? Dad told Grandma she’s been locked up. Mr Rogers said she had to go away for a while. Do you know if she’s been sent to prison?’
Rose looked at me and SIGHED WEARILY. I told you she could be a bit of a DRAMA QUEEN at times most of the time.
‘Of course I know where she is,’ she answered. ‘And so do you.’
‘No… I… I don’t.’ I stammered in reply. ‘I really have no idea. Not the slightest clue.’
Rose rolled her eyes theatrically. Even when she’s upset, she could still win an OSCAR FOR MELODRAMA.
‘Why do you think Grandma was up at the school today?’ she asked, her voice softening ever so slightly.
‘Well, because I got into a fight with Neil.’
‘And why did you get into a fight with Neil?’ she continued.
‘Because he called me a loser.’
‘And what else did he call you?’
‘Nothing. I can’t remember. It wasn’t really that important anyway. And how would you know what happened? You weren’t even there.’
I wished she would CHANGE THE SUBJECT. I was starting to REGRET MY DECISION to question her now. Why did she keep asking about Neil? What did that IGNORAMUS have to do with anything? I was getting ANGRY now.
‘Stop lying to yourself, Jake,’ Rose’s voice interrupted. ‘Just admit it. You know what he called you. It’s going round the whole school. Everyone knows the truth about Mum now. You know exactly where Mum is. You were there when they took her. You just don’t want to remember. Stop blocking it out.’
I was doing my BEST to BLOCK IT ALL OUT, but Rose kept PUSHING ME. I could feel the RAGE brimming inside me like it had done when Neil shouted at me, earlier that day.
‘No…’ I started to say. ‘Where’s Grandma? She might know something… Perhaps we can go down to the police station now and sort this all out.’
‘Come on Jake, stop being stupid. Stop messing around.’
‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Yes, you do.’ She was starting to get angry now. ‘You were there. On Sunday night. When the ambulance arrived. Grandma told me.’
And that’s when it hit me right in the stomach like a ROCKET that wouldn’t be stopped. It landed heavily and sat in there REFUSING TO BUDGE. I felt like I was going to be SICK. And I couldn’t help it, I had to go back to that night.
Suddenly, I remembered everything. Mum wasn’t out CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, she wasn’t in the EU, and she most certainly wasn’t in PRISON or ON HOLIDAY IN LANZAROTE. She was in THE HOSPITAL.
And that’s why when Neil called me a LOONY, I totally FLIPPED OUT.
I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.
places mum might have gone: