I wash up and dress before heading downstairs, feeling just as sheepish as I had the previous day. More so, in fact. Today I’m wondering if the rest of my family are wondering what underwear I’m wearing. By mid morning, Mum sits me and Hannah down to talk. Dad makes himself scarce. “Where’s Dad gone?” I humbly ask
“He’s made himself scarce.” my mother told me.
“Why?” I ask.
“Because this is girl talk.” she bluntly stated.
I gulped. I knew it was from the way in which Dad sheepishly sloped off, although I’d have preferred it if my mother wasn’t quite so direct. She could have at least skirted the issue for a few minutes first. Hannah and I glanced at one another as Mum sat herself down. I gulped again. “So…” Mum began. “First things first… Hannah.” Mum launched into a tirade about how cruel my sister was, gifting me something so ‘intimate’ in the way that she did. Hannah was incredibly sheepish and apologetic. Mum displayed little patience. “What you did was both calculated and cruel and I can’t imagine how your brother must have felt.” she told her. “And as for you young man…”
I was hoping Mum would spend a few more minutes berating my sister before turning to me. I might be the injured party but I’m by no means innocent. Invading my sister’s privacy and stealing her things, time and time again is something I’m not proud of. I tried not to but somehow just couldn’t help it. “…I thought no one would notice but…” I paused and glanced at my mother, then my sister. “I guess you’ve both known pretty much all along.”
“Well I found out in the summer.” Hannah said.
“This summer or last summer?” Mum asked.
“This summer.”
“Well I’ve suspected since at least last Easter.” my mother revealed, before informing me that it was bonfire night last year when she was certain. “I wanted to talk to you about it but… couldn’t quite find the words.” she said. “You were so defensive when I noticed you were wearing tights that night…”
“It was freezing.” I interjected.
“It was… but the way you denied it, then made excuses made me realise that there was more to it than just keeping warm.”
Dang! I thought. I figured my mother had bought that excuse. My sister is disgruntled that she only noticed in the summer holidays a mere five months ago, when Mum had her suspicions some twenty months ago and knew for sure over a year ago. Presumably, my dad has known for this long too. “Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked.
“Well like I say… it’s a difficult subject to approach.”
“I said something.” Hannah stated. “I knew my tights were disappearing quicker than I could wear them and set a little trap… as soon as I knew for sure, I challenged him.”