prologue
Mom lets out a huge yawn as she pauses our program and looks at the time on the TV. she lets out a sigh but still has a smile on her face.
“Guess he’s pushing curfew like always.” mom chuckles.
“I suppose he needs to do the last day with style.” she chuckles
“Mom why do I still have to have a curfew when Olly doesn’t.” I kind of fake pout. I know the reason but it’s still worth trying to get a later curfew.
“Because Olly is 18 tomorrow whilst you are still 9. Nice try though kid” Mom laughs, she nudges me, and I laugh.
“it was still worth asking.” I laugh.
“Yeah apparently 30 plus times a day.” mom jokes.
“I can’t believe both my babies are suddenly so grown up.” mom sighs with a smile on her face. She pats my leg.
“Bedtime it’s a school night.” she tells me.
“Can’t we just watch the end of this episode?” I ask hopefully. She lets out a long-suffering sigh.
“Liv, if I let you finish the episode, I don’t want you missing the school bus again.” she tells me.
“I promise I won’t.” I say. She presses play on our show. The program is almost at an end when we both hear the sound of a key in the door. Olly walks in a moment later.
“You’re late.” mom says as he falls into the armchair.
“Come on mom only by 10 minutes.” Olly tells her. Mom looks at the time freezing the program.
“Come on Liv is even still up.” Olly says.
“Idiot.” I call my big brother.
“Freak.” he calls me a smile on his face. Mom shakes her head at both of us.
“Did you have a good time?” she asks him.
“Yeah.” He tells her leaving it at that.
“Alright.” Mom says with a smile. She looks at me, then at the TV, then presses play Olly settles in the armchair texting as moms and my program finishes.
“Alright Liv bedtime clean your teeth.” Mom says. yeah, no problem. I get to my feet.
“Night mommy.” I say giving her a hug.
“night.” I say sticking my tongue out at my big brother. He sticks his back out at me. I run up the stairs after.
“I wish you two wouldn’t fight so much.” Mom sighs to Olly when I am upstairs. He laughs.
“We are just playing mom.” Olly tells her.
“I can’t believe my baby boy turns 18 tomorrow.” Mom says almost over the top as I turn on the tap their voices fade. I clean my teeth and spit out in the sink. When I leave the bathroom, I just hear mom say.
“Sorry Olly I’m on the early shift tomorrow can you make sure Liv makes the bus before you go school.”
“yeah no problem mom.” Olly says. I then walk in my room and shut the door. Their voices too muffled to hear as I pick up my book and start reading. Loosing track off time until mom opens my door to turn off the light and I pretend to be asleep. if I had known that was going to be the last time, I saw my mother alive. I often wondered what I would have done different.
