Read Online Mother Be The Judge by Sally O'Brien - Free Book Online
Authors: Sally O'Brien
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Jocasta had spent the next year saving anything she could, which was not easy as she had now been paying for a phone line. When his fourteenth birthday was imminent she had surprised Adrian with the promise of a birthday party. Adrian, rather than being delighted, had sneered at her and asked just who was he supposed to invite? He told her he spent the day with retards and fuckwits and had no friends, again blaming Jocasta because she had agreed to the change of schools. Jocasta hadn't told him she had had no choice as Adrian was no longer welcome at the school due to his actions towards Charmaine; instead she had apologised and given Adrian the money she had saved so he could buy himself a bike to help him get to and from school each day. He had snatched the money and walked away from her, not bothering to thank her.
The next four years had pretty much gone on in the same way; Jocasta making every effort to meet all Adrian's needs and Adrian barely communicating with her. He would eat his meals in stony silence, offering only grunts in response to Jocasta's cheery conversation before stomping back to his room and shutting the door on any love she offered him.
Adrian finished school at the end of July 2008 and had spent the last month locked away in his room. Jocasta had noticed his skin had become waxen and pale as he no longer spent any time in daylight. She worried he may make himself ill but was pleased on the other hand that he hadn't fallen in with the wrong crowd or taken drugs and got into trouble. She conveniently glossed over the incidents with the young girls; these moments had been banished from her mind to be replaced by only the happy memories of days in London and walks in the park.
-x-
"Are you coming out Adrian? I've got your present out here." Jocasta went back to the living room and sat on the sofa which had still not been replaced. The brown cushions hung from their zips on the back in varying degrees of wear and tear. Jocasta's part of the sofa was heavily dipped from years of sitting in the same position but the other two seats remained plump as no other person had sat on them; Adrian had always lounged on the carpet at Jocasta's feet as a child and had no interest in sitting with her as a teen.
The flat screen television stood proudly on the cheap MDF sideboard, a SKY box beside it, hooked up and ready to go. It was brand new and fully paid for, a result of much sacrifice on Jocasta's part; she had almost forgotten what chocolate tasted like. This was Adrian's gift, his eighteenth birthday present. It was also Jocasta's way of reconnecting with her son; her hope was that now he had reached adulthood they would become companions and she had visions of them sitting together watching the new telly, eagerly following the trials and tribulations of the families on Coronation Street and her personal favourite, Eastenders. She knew Adrian had a keen interest in Crime Scenes as he now owned every version of the video game. SKY would now give Adrian the opportunity to watch the programme as well and Jocasta was looking forward to learning about and sharing his interest, even if it was a little macabre. She visualised a cosy couple together in a comfortable silence, her in her usual spot and Adrian making his own dent in the sofa.
Hearing Adrian's door open, Jocasta quickly lit the candles on the Victoria sponge she had made the night before. The jam oozed out of the middle and powdered sugar covered the burnt bits on the top. Not being very good at icing, Jocasta had opted for plain and simple. She sat smiling, so proud of the present she had bought for Adrian. Jocasta couldn't wait to see the look on Adrian's face when he saw the television she had bought him. She decided to turn it on so he could see the telly in full effect.
Jocasta heard the flush of the toilet and then Adrian's bedroom door closing once again. Her heart sank when she realised he was not coming into the front room to see her or his
The next four years had pretty much gone on in the same way; Jocasta making every effort to meet all Adrian's needs and Adrian barely communicating with her. He would eat his meals in stony silence, offering only grunts in response to Jocasta's cheery conversation before stomping back to his room and shutting the door on any love she offered him.
Adrian finished school at the end of July 2008 and had spent the last month locked away in his room. Jocasta had noticed his skin had become waxen and pale as he no longer spent any time in daylight. She worried he may make himself ill but was pleased on the other hand that he hadn't fallen in with the wrong crowd or taken drugs and got into trouble. She conveniently glossed over the incidents with the young girls; these moments had been banished from her mind to be replaced by only the happy memories of days in London and walks in the park.
-x-
"Are you coming out Adrian? I've got your present out here." Jocasta went back to the living room and sat on the sofa which had still not been replaced. The brown cushions hung from their zips on the back in varying degrees of wear and tear. Jocasta's part of the sofa was heavily dipped from years of sitting in the same position but the other two seats remained plump as no other person had sat on them; Adrian had always lounged on the carpet at Jocasta's feet as a child and had no interest in sitting with her as a teen.
The flat screen television stood proudly on the cheap MDF sideboard, a SKY box beside it, hooked up and ready to go. It was brand new and fully paid for, a result of much sacrifice on Jocasta's part; she had almost forgotten what chocolate tasted like. This was Adrian's gift, his eighteenth birthday present. It was also Jocasta's way of reconnecting with her son; her hope was that now he had reached adulthood they would become companions and she had visions of them sitting together watching the new telly, eagerly following the trials and tribulations of the families on Coronation Street and her personal favourite, Eastenders. She knew Adrian had a keen interest in Crime Scenes as he now owned every version of the video game. SKY would now give Adrian the opportunity to watch the programme as well and Jocasta was looking forward to learning about and sharing his interest, even if it was a little macabre. She visualised a cosy couple together in a comfortable silence, her in her usual spot and Adrian making his own dent in the sofa.
Hearing Adrian's door open, Jocasta quickly lit the candles on the Victoria sponge she had made the night before. The jam oozed out of the middle and powdered sugar covered the burnt bits on the top. Not being very good at icing, Jocasta had opted for plain and simple. She sat smiling, so proud of the present she had bought for Adrian. Jocasta couldn't wait to see the look on Adrian's face when he saw the television she had bought him. She decided to turn it on so he could see the telly in full effect.
Jocasta heard the flush of the toilet and then Adrian's bedroom door closing once again. Her heart sank when she realised he was not coming into the front room to see her or his
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