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It was after four by the time Dominic pulled his car up outside his mother’s terrace, and rang the doorbell. He listened for the sound of footsteps within, and was rewarded with the shuffling of her slippers on the worn carpet.
‘Dominic! What are you doing here? Come in. Come in. Is something wrong?’
He followed her into the living room and sat at one end of the sofa next to his mother. The house could be full to bursting and still no-one in the family would sit on the armchair that remained in prime position in the room. His father’s chair. ‘Nothing’s wrong. I came to tell you something.’
‘Cup of tea? I’ll get you a cup of tea.’
He put his hand out to stop her getting up. ‘I’m fine.’
‘A cold drink? A sandwich? There’s some ham.’
‘Really, I’m fine.’
‘A beer?’
‘I’ve got to drive back.’
Her face dropped a little. ‘You’re going straight back. You’ll not stay for your tea?’
‘Sorry.’
His mother shook her head. ‘Don’t worry. I know you young ones. Always somewhere to be.’
‘I need to tell you something.’
Eventually she fell silent. ‘Well go on then. I’ll not bite.’
‘I’m going to resign from my job.’
‘Don’t be daft.’
‘I’m not. I’m serious. I’m leaving my job.’
She frowned. ‘You’re in trouble, aren’t you?’
‘I’m not in trouble.’
‘Are you getting the sack? Is it these cuts?’
Dominic shook his head. ‘I’m not getting fired. I’m resigning.’
She looked horrified. ‘Why on earth would you do that? Your father worked at one place his whole career. You don’t want to be chopping and changing about.’
‘I’m not Dad.’ He took a deep breathe. The next part was the part he hadn’t dared say out loud before. ‘I hate being an academic.’
‘Don’t be silly. You’ve always wanted to be a Professor. You said so right when you watched those films.’
‘What films?’
‘You know.’ She stared hard at the television, as though her force of mind might make the film in question appear on the screen. ‘With the man in the hat and the snakes.’
‘Indiana Jones? My job is nothing like Indiana Jones.’
‘Well not the snakes.’ She harrumphed. ‘You could get yourself a hat. You’d suit a hat. Men don’t really wear hats any more, do they?’
‘Mum, I’m going to resign.’
Her saw her brow crinkle slightly. She shot a look at the empty chair across the room. ‘Your father always loved that you worked at a real university.’
‘I know.’
‘He’d tell strangers in the pub about you.’
‘I know. And I know you sacrificed a lot to get me there.’
She shook her head. ‘Well I wasn’t having you going to the comprehensive. Not with the kids from around here.’
He had a flash of her sitting here alone night after night, never going out for fear of the local kids. ‘I thought I might do teacher training.’
‘Aren’t you already a teacher?’
‘Proper teacher training. Think of it that I want to give other kids the sort of help you and Dad worked so hard to give me.’
She pursed her lips. It struck Dominic how unchanging her life must have been. She’d cared for her husband, and for her child. What was she to do with herself now?
‘Well it’s up to you I suppose.’
That was the best he was likely to get. Dominic leant forward and touched his mother’s hand. It felt small. She pulled it away. ‘So you’ve to get back, you say?’
He looked at the clock. ‘Perhaps cup of tea before I go?’
She nodded.