Mirror Man by Jacques Kat (ereader for textbooks txt) 📗

you say so, Mum.’ Tina said, then turned to me. ‘What do you think, John-Michael? You’re going to be an uncle!’

‘I am,’ I said, allowing a grin to emerge on my face.

‘You sure are, kid,’ she said. ‘And I’ll tell you something, you’re going to be the best uncle this town has ever seen.’

‘That’s right, I am. Can I take him to the park?’ I asked eagerly.

‘You betcha. When the baby is old enough, he or she will love their uncle to push them on the swings.’

‘I think it’s a boy,’ I said.

‘You do?’ Tina laughed. ‘So does Pete.’

‘He does?’ I asked, looking at Pete’s reflection nodding back at me. Pete had settled well into our family; he accepted me and never once showed any distaste for the mirrors like all of Tina’s previous boyfriends. I can’t be sure, but I think it’s why she married him.

‘Great! I can’t wait,’ I added.

Grandad brought his knife and fork together with a clatter. ‘Well, how about we get all these plates shifted and have a glass of the good stuff to celebrate?’

‘I’ll do it, Grandad,’ I said, eager to get back into his good books. I swiftly stood and collected all the plates, cutlery, and serving dishes and took them into the kitchen, then came back with a bottle of Famous Grouse and four glass tumblers on a silver serving tray.

‘Thanks, John-Michael,’ Grandad said as I set it down.

‘Just a smidge for me, Grandad,’ Tina told him as he poured. ‘Can’t be drinking too much now I’m in the family way.’

‘Pfft… Never did you two any harm when I drank and smoked—’cept maybe soft lad, over there.’ Mum pointed a bony finger at me.

‘Mother!’ Tina banged her fist on the table. ‘Will you quit it with the jabs and jibes on our John-Michael?’ she said, her voice starting to rise. ‘And I hope you didn’t drink when you were pregnant with me. You were sixteen, for goodness’ sake.’

‘Easy, Tina, love,’ Pete said softly. ‘Stress isn’t good for the baby.’

‘Oh, shush, Pete, will ya! You’ve read one baby book in your lunch break and all of a sudden you’re a pregnancy expert.’

Pete stared into his glass of whiskey, and I wondered if I should borrow a book on babies from the library. I’d be nearby tomorrow to buy new mirrors, anyway, so I may as well make use of my lending card too.

‘If you don’t quit it with your nastiness, Mum, I’m not sure I want you to be involved with any part of this baby’s life,’ Tina said, stroking her belly again.

‘Yes, Anna, what were we talking about earlier?’ Grandad snapped.

I hadn’t heard the rest of their conversation after Mum’s mini meltdown, so I had no idea what the remark meant.

Mum pouted. ‘But—’

‘But nothing. I want this kid to be surrounded by nothing but love and kindness. That goes for you all,’ Tina said, eyeing everyone around the table. I froze for a moment, wondering if she was about to call Mum out on how she’d treated me over the years. She didn’t, but it didn’t matter. On the inside, I was glowing. I loved Tina; she always stuck up for me and took my side even though she didn’t live with us, anymore.

‘Right, enough with this talk,’ said Grandad. ‘Time for a toast. Do you want to do the honours, Pete?’

‘That’s alright, Stephen, you do it. I’m not much for words. Don’t you remember the hash I made of my speech at our wedding?’

‘Ha! Oh yeah, a good laugh that was.’ Everyone chuckled around the table, but I just smiled. ‘Here’s to the both of you and the new addition. I know you’re going to make fantastic parents, and I’m beyond proud to be a great-grandad to this new bairn. Cheers.’ He raised his glass.

The four of them clinked their drinks and exchanged a few words, and I snuck away from the table to wash the pots and clear everything away in the kitchen. I’d just dipped my hands into the hot, soapy water when Tina appeared beside me. I knew it was her straight away. I knew her footsteps, and she wore a different scent to mum. Tina always smelled fresh and fruity, whereas Mum smelled like musk in the morning, then wine, mints, and cigarette smoke by the evening. I looked at our reflections in the window in front of me, and Tina smiled.

‘We haven’t had much time to speak tonight, JC. Are you sure everything is good with you? You’ve been a bit quiet,’ she said.

‘I’m alright, Tina, honestly. Just’—I stacked another clean plate on the drainer—‘you know with Mum it can be a struggle sometimes.’

‘Aye, I know. Don’t you worry about her. In fact, ignore her when she’s having one of her moments. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about most of the time. You carry on being your lovely self and leave Mum to me,’ she said, patting me on the shoulder.

I took another plate and dunked it into the water as I chewed on the inside of my cheek. ‘Umm… There’s something I need to tell you.’

‘What?’ She turned her body closer to mine.

‘PC Williams brought me home this morning… in a police car.’

‘Oh,’ was the only response from her mouth. Tina never judged me.

‘I’d been following someone down the estate, and he caught me.’

‘I see. Well, you weren’t hurting anybody or causing trouble. He should stick to solving crimes, not giving you rides homes.’

‘I agree,’ I said, turning on the tap to top up the hot water.

‘Is there anything else you want to talk about?’ she asked. ‘Mum, the baby, or work?’

She could always tell when things were sitting heavy in my mind.

I paused for a moment, placing a clean plate beside the others on the rack before replying. ‘I heard Grandad and Mum arguing about me today. She hates me,’ I whispered, then slammed a pan into the sink, sending soapy water across our reflections in the window.

Tina immediately reached for a tea