Chapter 49: Win some Lose some
Tabitha Jones adjusted her nurse's uniform as she ended the call with her son. Her hand lingered on the phone for a moment, her thoughts still with David. She barely noticed her husband, Isaac, stepping into the kitchen until he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"So," Isaac asked casually, "how's he doing?"
Tabitha sighed, her lips curving into a faint smile. "You know your son. He says he's fine."
Isaac nodded, moving to pour himself a cup of tea. "Yeah, he always says that."
Her smile faltered as she turned to face him. "Why can't you call him, Isaac? The last time, when he sent £10,000 to help us pay the bills and fix the roof, you didn't even bother to say thank you."
Isaac waved her concern away with a dismissive hand. "The kid's fine. He's a big boy now. Calling him... it'd just feel awkward."
Tabitha huffed, snatching her car keys off the counter. "Awkward? Isaac, he's our son!"
Isaac took a sip of his tea, unbothered by her exasperation. "And he's doing fine without us fussing over him."
Shaking her head, Tabitha left the house, heading toward the family's beat-up old car parked on the curb. The vehicle groaned in protest as she started the engine, a sound she'd grown all too used to. As she drove through the familiar streets of Southampton, her thoughts drifted to David's childhood.