Page 68 of Walk the Line

“Sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting you!” Her voice is as cheery as the orange dress she’s wearing.

“Um…no, you aren’t,” I say, looking around and behind her. “Are you a friend of someone’s?”

“We could go with friend, sure.” She looks amused.

“Mum,” I hear a reproaching tone from behind her, and there’s too much suddenly happening at once.

“We’ll go with mum for today,” she says with a smile at the same moment Julius walks in.

The memory of a phone call with a bubbly woman who told her son off through me comes to mind.

“You’re Julius’s mum,” I state the obvious.

A look of recognition crosses her eyes. “Oh, wait. Are you the Kaylah that I spoke to?”

“You remember me?”

“Well, it was only a few months ago. I’m really not that old, dear.”

“Oh, my gosh,” I quickly let out with widened eyes. “I was not…I was not calling you old. No I was, um..”

“She’s joking. She’s joking.” Is he…is he laughing?

This moment is far too confusing for me, with the Mother and the laughter, so I ask, “Are you joking?”

“I am,” she says with a chuckle that sounds just like her son’s. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to panic.”

“I just didn’t want to offend someone’s mother.” Fuck, I might have done it again. I continue with, “Not that it would have been fine if it wasn’t someone’s…sorry, I don’t need even need to be here right now, so it’s all yours, guys,” I say backing myself away from the kitchen with speed.

She shakes her head. “Please don’t let me drive you out of your own kitchen.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to be in the way.”

“You’re not in the way. In fact, it would be nice to have company because Julius has a meeting with his Professor that he’s going to right now. I’ll be alone for a bit.”

“Mum, please don’t try and guilt trip her into keeping you company. She has things to do.”

She throws him a stern look. “You’re keeping your Professor waiting.”

“I want to see Kaylah go to her room.”

“Why exactly?” I ask.

With a raised brow, he says, “So I know my mum didn’t succeed in guilt tripping you.”

“Um…it’s fine. I can…keep you company,” I say to her because what else am I supposed to say?

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” He gestures in my direction.

“She didn’t guilt trip me. I’m happy to do it.”

The raised brow remains as he says, “Really?”

“I’m not a monster.”

“Go to your appointment,” his mum instructs him.

“Mum, you’re only telling me what to do because Kaylah’s here. You usually respect the fact that I’m a grown man who doesn’t need to be told what to do any other time.”