“When is this going to end, Lee? You can’t keep her as your sex slave forever.”
“She’s not my slave, it was a lack of control, it was my fault. She’s just so…. over-sexed.”
“Well, what do you expect, she’s a teenager. Of course she is…. Most teenagers are horn-bags, remember? Oh, wait, you are still going through your teenage years. They’re probably last until you’re 80.”
“Funny….” Lee groaned.
“It’s not….. It’s appalling, and you need to get rid of her, get her out of your apartment and life.”
“I can’t kick her out….. I promised her mum I’d look after her.”
“So, she doesn’t know you’re screwing her daughter,” growled Jules.
“I’m not screwing her, I wish you wouldn’t say that about Shay.”
Jules was taken back by her reaction. “Lee……. You don’t have feelings for her, do you?”
“Huh?”
“Tell me you’re not in love with this child.”
Lee paused. “No…. of course not.”
“It won’t be long before someone finds out, and then you’re life will be over. You need to end this and get her out, before this fucks up both of your lives.”
Jules got up and kissed Lee’s head. “Sort it out, honey, do it today.”
Lee remained seated, flipping her mobile lid open and closed as she thought things over. She stopped and made a call.
“Hi, Bev, I’m taking the rest of the day off. Please cancel my appointments and reschedule for tomorrow.”
Shay came home from school to see her mum in Lee’s apartment. Shay noticed her bags were packed.
“What’s going on?”
“Shayne, honey, I have left your father, and we will be moving to small place close to your school…”
Shay looked at Lee. “But…”
“Shayne…. I’ve taken control of my life, and now we need to let Lee get on with hers.”
“Mum, I’m gay, so there is no going back from that,” Shay said, placing her hands defiantly on her hips.
“I know, honey, I’m well aware of that.”
“I don’t think you are, I don’t think you can cope,” Shay insisted.
“Don’t be snarly to your mother. She’s made a big change in her life, and now she needs your support,” Lee chastized.
“My support? Where was she when I needed fucking support, huh?” She turned to her mother. “Where were you? Nowhere. But Lee was, she always supported me.” Shay ran off and crashed on Lee’s bed.
“I knew this would be hard, I just…” said Shay’s mum.
“Look, you go downstairs, I’ll talk to her.”
Shay wrapped her arms around her pillow tightly. “I won’t go, you can’t make me.”
Lee sat down next to her and stroked her back. “I’m not going to make you do anything. I just wanted you to know that what you mum did was very courageous. She loves you so much that she walked out on your father. That is big for her, and deep down, you know that.”
Shay listened.
“She needs you, Shay, she needs your support, and your strength, just like you needed mine. You both need to make a clean start, so go and be a family.”
Lee caught her breath to stop herself from stammering. Shay rolled over. “So, what you are really saying is you want me out.”
“Well…. yeah, its time for you to move on. It was never going to be forever.”
Shay sat up and collapsed against Lee, who held her tightly as the young girl sobbed. Lee’s eyes were stinging as she pulled Shay to her feet.
“Go on, your mum’s waiting downstairs. She needs you, Shay.”
“What about you, what do you need?” Shay asked.
“Well, what do you think?” Lee winked.
“The bed isn’t even cold, and you are ready to put someone in there,” laughed Shay.
Lee looked down. “No, I’m happy to let it stay cold for a while.”
Shay hugged Lee again. “We will still see each other, right? You will come to my soccer games?”
“Absolutely, final this Saturday. See you then.”
Shay left the apartment, and Lee looked around. For the first time, she noticed how empty it was, and how empty she felt. She sat down on the couch, dropped her head, and cried. She hadn’t felt this sick since her father threw her out.
Lee didn’t go to any of Shay’s soccer games.