Boundaries

I called Joe again yesterday while Adam was out with his mates. Joe's girlfriend answered. The prickly way Evie spoke told me she wasn't happy about me calling. I don't care. Adam and I have a son together. (Callum's four.) She can't stop us talking.

It felt so good to hear his voice. He never crosses the line, whether Evie's there or not. She usually is though. Sometimes I flirt, call his mind to the good times we shared. He doesn't reciprocate, but doesn't shut it down either. Maybe he enjoys the attention. Evie probably doesn't show him enough. I'm a good flirt. I do a good slow burn, easing up the heat and pushing the boundary softly, deliciously... By the time they realise what I'm doing, they're too hooked to stop me.

When Adam left today, I picked up the phone before the door shut.

"Hello?!" Evie's voice was snappish, cold.

"Oh. Hi," I keep my tone warm and pleasant. I'm not the bad guy here. "Is Joey there?"

There's a heavy pause. My casual Joey did it. Everyone calls him Joe, or Joseph.

"He is, actually. But he doesn't want to talk to you."

"Really?" I chuckle. "He's a big boy, he can tell me himself."

"That's the thing," she sounds shrill, "he can't. You can't keep talking like this, every day. You're not together anymore. He's with me now."

"We've a child together," I remind her.

"I know," she clears her throat, her next words sounding firmer. "Of course you need to speak about Callum. But we need boundaries. I've- umm, we've set up an email address. Anything about Callum, you use that. I'll text it to you, but then Jos- Joe will block your number."

I bristle.

"What if there's an emergency?"

"Then you can call me. I'll get the message to him right away."

"And if I can't reach you?" The sneer touched my voice.

"You still have his mother's number?" She sounds smug. I purse my lips. "Goodbye," she says.

What if there's an emergency?

I'm always nagging Callum to put his cars away. I fish one out, red, to match the carpet, and, humming, leave it on the stairs.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Word count excluding note: 366 Submitted on Saturday 22nd June at 22.31

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Rachel Deeming

Gerard DiLeo

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