Chapter 19

The rest of the week passed in a blur of dealing with the fallout from Carla's confrontation with Richard and spending as much time as possible with Prin.

Scott was on cloud nine and they had turned Prin's flat into a little piece of heaven. Much to the dismay of Prin's creepy neighbour who had taken to banging doors and barging past them when he heard them leaving.

Scott didn't make a big deal of it. Jeremy was Prin's past in the same way Matteus was in his own.

But tonight was different. Prin was staying with Scott and he had many plans on how to entertain him.

"I hate that he feels he isn't worthy," Scott said to Tyler.

They were in the lounge of the flat. Tyler had his legs in his boyfriend, Danny's, lap.

"He'll change his mind when he realises your attractions are only skin-deep," Tyler replied. "It is early days, remember."

"Hey, you," Scott shouted as he threw a peanut at his flatmate. It ricocheted off his forehead and onto Danny's.

"Do you mind?" Danny exclaimed. "Why am I getting enemy fire?"

"Collateral damage, Danny, my love," Scott replied. He chewed his nail. "He said I dismissed him."

Tyler and Danny both stared.

"What?" Tyler asked.

"When he first started at work. He said I dismissed him and I think he's right. I was so fixated on getting the perfect man I nearly let him walk right by. I feel so ashamed of myself."

"Hey," Danny said. "Don't be hard on yourself."

"He's right," Tyler added. "You're happy now. That's what counts."

Eddie and Billy came out of Eddie's bedroom, which lay off the lounge. Judging by the smug grins on their faces, it didn't take a clairvoyant to know what they had been up to. Normally, he would make an example of them. Yet tonight he was joining this couples gang. He did not want to be embarrassed in front of Prin. Not tonight.

"What's going on?" Eddie asked.

He went to sit next to Scott.

"No you don't," Scott said, blocking him with his body. "Prin is a guest. He's not going on that bloody beanbag."

"Don't you want him to be forced to snuggle up to you?" Eddie replied.

Billy shook his head. "Don't be mean. It's pretty intimidating coming to this flat as an outsider, isn't it, Dan?"

Danny frowned. "It was a bit different for me."

"Oh yes, you used to work at their den of sin," Billy replied. "I forgot."

"Yeah. I knew what this one was like." Danny nodded toward Scott.

"Rude to single me out when I'm nervous," Scott said, sticking his tongue out. "That's the last time I admire you when you're wandering around in your underpants. I shall throw cold water instead."

"He's stopped doing that," Tyler said, resting his hand on Danny's leg.

"Yes, I meant to remind you," Scott replied. "Can we reinstate it?"

Danny was one of the most gorgeous men in Brighton and had a habit of forgetting his dressing gown. Something Scott actively encouraged.

"You've got your own man to ogle now," Tyler replied.

"This is true," Scott said with a sigh. "And he's all I want. Sorry, Dan."

Danny shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day. I'm very happy for you."

"Me too," Eddie added. "Imagine not having to lock all our valuables away because yet another stranger is in the flat."

Scott sent a peanut flying his way.

"Less of that talk. I have a wealth of embarrassing stories about you in my arsenal."

"In your what?" Eddie replied. "Oh your arsenal. Is that what you said?"

"Too funny."

The doorbell went. Scott leapt up off the sofa. He trusted his friends not to make a fool of him now. He also knew how nervous Prin would be.

"Anyone who makes a stupid joke at my expense will be severely reprimanded," he said. "I like this guy and I want to make a good impression."

"Bloody hell, Scott," Eddie replied. "Billy is the only person who doesn't actually know him, remember."

That had slipped Scott's mind. It had taken him so long to realise how wonderful Prin was he'd forgotten that most people in the room had actually worked with him for quite some time.

"The rule still stands," he said.

Without waiting for further debate, he stomped off to the front door. He opened it and found Prin holding up a bottle of wine.

"Bang on time," Scott said.

He pulled Prin close. Scott was rapidly becoming an addict of Prin's hugs. There weren't many places Scott was totally relaxed. Prin's arms seemed to be one of them.

"Are you okay?" Prin asked as they walked upstairs.

"I'm a bit nervous," Scott replied.

"You are?"

"Ha. Believe me. They'll give you a much easier time than me."

As it transpired, Scott's fears were misguided. His friends were more than respectful. After the first bottle of wine, they were listening to Prin's stories of studying in Leeds and how different it was from Bangkok.

"Shall we have another bottle?" Scott asked.

"Too right we shall," Eddie replied. "It's Friday night."

As Scott got up, the doorbell rang again.

"Who the hell is that?" Scott asked.

Prin looked nervous. Scott winked at him. "It's fine. We often get people ringing for downstairs. I'll go."

As he went to answer it, he silently prayed it wasn't one of his previous conquests. There were a few who thought nothing of knocking on the door out of the blue. He did not fancy a repeat of the Matteus situation.

He pulled the door open, ready to tell whoever it was to bugger off. His jaw dropped when he saw his mother staring back at him.

"Mum!"

"Oh, darling. Thank God you're in."

She flung her arms around him.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"No, it bloody isn't," she replied. "Are the others in? Have you got a bottle of wine on the go?"

"Yes to both," Scott replied. "What's going on?"

"Grab my bag, there's a love."

She barged past him and made her way up the stairs. Scott might have been happy to introduce Prin to his mates. His mother was quite a different matter.

"Wait," he said. She was either out of earshot or selectively deaf. He watched her disappear into the flat.

Bloody wonderful. Cock blocked by my own mother.

He picked up her bright pink weekend bag and followed her. When he got to the lounge, she was already seated next to Prin, who appeared ready to throw up.

"So who do we have here then?" she asked, staring at Prin.

"Mum. This is Prin," Scott said. "And Tyler, Billy, Danny and of course, you know Eddie."

"Oh, Tyler. It's so good to finally meet you in person."

"Hello, Mrs Fitzgerald."

"None of that," she said, accepting a glass of wine from Eddie. "It's Debbie."

Have I stepped into an alternative universe? Maybe this is the worst nightmare I've ever had?

"What are you doing here?" Scott asked.

"I've left your father."

Prin got up. "I think maybe I should be going," he said.

The after-hours fun that Scott had planned for them had disappeared in a cloud of his mum's perfume.

"Don't leave on my account, sweetheart," Debbie said.

"You sure?" Scott asked Prin, pointedly ignoring his mother's piercing stare. Nothing got past Debbie Fitzgerald. He would have an interrogation incoming, no doubt.

"Yeah. You should spend some time with your mum."

Scott had to get to the bottom of what had gone on. He walked Prin to the door.

"I'm so sorry," he said, before hugging Prin.

"Don't be. I've had a great night. Your friends are lovely."

Resting his head on Prin's shoulder, Scott drank in his scent. "That was only going to be the beginning of the fun."

"We have plenty of time," Prin replied. "Give me a call tomorrow. Now go and sort things out."

Scott stared into Prin's eyes. "You're a good man. Do you know that?"

Prin nodded. "So are you. Off you go. Scoot."

Scott watched Prin let himself out of the door. It closed softly behind him.

Fuck.

Scott walked into the lounge to find all eyes on Debbie. Scott sank down next to her in the place Prin had just vacated.

"What the hell is going on?" Scott said. "It had better be good."

"I've had enough of him," she declared. "It's over."

Scott's parents had always had a tempestuous relationship. They'd met as traders on the stock market in the late eighties. After the heyday in the City, they retired to Essex to run a pub until it went under. Now they operated a successful homewares online retail store. His father recognised a profitable trend when he spotted one. Plus he was getting better at bailing before it all went wrong.

"Again?" Scott replied. "You leave him on a regular basis. Granted it's been a couple of years now. You've had a good run."

"Less of it. When you find out what he's done, you'll agree with me."

"Go on then," Scott said. "Unburden yourself."

Tyler, Eddie, Danny and Billy all sat up a little straighter.

"Last night, I went out with the girls," she began. "Oh Scotty, Bob and Carol have done up The Crown. You'd love it."

"Focus, Mother," Scott barked.

"Sorry. Anyway, they called last orders and we fancied carrying it on. Cheryl wanted me to get out the karaoke machine and you know I can't resist."

Scott shuddered. Most of his childhood holidays featured Debbie ruining at least one Celine Dion song in front of a crowd they had to face at the pool the next day.

"So we walk straight into the lounge and there's your father. He had disgusting porn on his laptop, his trousers round his ankles and his…well I don't have to tell you what he had in his hand."

Scott leapt up. "Jesus Christ. Mother, upstairs now."

A disgruntled Debbie got up and went to the door.

"What would you all do?" she asked them.

"Now!" Scott repeated.

With a sigh, she obeyed him. Scott could not believe the turn this night had taken.

"Shut up," he said to his friends who were absolutely rigid.

Eddie, clearly wrestling with a snigger, held his hands up. "We didn't say anything."

As Scott followed his mother out, he heard them all collapse into hysterics. To be fair, he would do exactly the same if it was any of them. Still, the shame burned into him.

When he got to his room, Debbie was holding up the silver jockstrap he'd left on his bed to surprise Prin with.

"Taken up sport, have we?"

"Never you mind what I've taken up," Scott replied, snatching it out of her hand. "What the bloody hell are you playing at? Have you ever used a mobile phone? A bit of notice wouldn't have hurt."

"I'm so sorry I needed to be with my boy," she said, sitting down on his bed. "I've been humiliated in front of my friends."

"And now so have I, thank you very much."

She waved him away. "You're all gay. You understand this stuff."

Scott sat down on the other side of the bed. He threw the jockstrap onto the chest of drawers.

"You can sleep in here," he said. "I'll make up a bed on the sofa."

And further down the evening sinks. He would have to wait until the other four ran out of booze before he could begin to think about sleep.

"Thank you, darling. I knew I could rely on you. I'll get a hotel tomorrow, I promise."

She was his mother after all. Although he would be straight on the phone to his father to fix this mess by Monday.

"I like your hair," he said.

She was blonder than ever. If that were possible.

"I like yours too," she replied.

They both burst into laughter.

"You're a nightmare," he said, wiping his eye.

"Who was the guy that bolted like a rabbit on speed?" she asked.

"Prin? A friend."

"You took your time saying goodbye. Just a friend, is he?"

Scott sighed. "If you must know, I've started seeing him. He's amazing and I've not fucked it up yet. Thankfully, I work with him or he'd probably ghost me after your performance tonight."

She took hold of his hand. "He seems very nice. A bit jittery perhaps."

Her lack of self-awareness had always been legendary.

"Thank you, mother. I'll pass on your feedback."

"I'm glad you've found a nice man," she continued.

"It's very new," Scott replied. "But yeah, I've got a good feeling about it."

"Better than that pig, Toby."

"Much better than him. Let's face it, that makes it a low bar."

She squeezed his hand. "I hope he's what you've always wanted, darling."

"Me too."

"And let's hope you never walk in your lounge to find him wanking."