Tough Love

Sarah hopes tough love pays off.

Words 377

Sarah put her phone down on the kitchen bench and without a word walked to the fridge and poured herself a glass of white wine. Her husband John watched and patiently waited for her to tell him what the call had been about. He had tried to follow the one side of the conversation he could hear, but still hadn’t managed to get the gist. What he had heard hadn’t made much sense:

‘Yes, Sarah Spencer speaking.’
“……
‘Yes I’m his mother.’
“……
‘Is he okay?’
“……
‘Not really…No.’
“…..
‘I don’t think so.’
“…..
‘He must have known what he was getting himself into. So no.’
“……
‘Thank you for letting me know, Sargeant.’
“….
‘Yes. Goodnight.’


‘Well?’ John asked.

‘It’s Christopher. He’s got himself arrested.’

‘What’s he done this time?’ John waited, resigned to receiving bad news.

‘He got caught in a stolen car.’

‘Was he driving? Did he steal the car?’

‘Apparently not. It was a friend.’

‘Some friend eh?’

‘Christopher is almost twenty years old, John. Old enough to know right from wrong. He shouldn’t have been in a stolen car in the first place.’

‘What did the cops want?’

‘They wanted to release him into parental custody tonight.’

‘You refused?’ John’s voice raised in disbelief

‘A night in the lock up won’t do him any harm, John.’

‘How did it come to this, Sarah? Our little boy, stealing cars!’

‘It’s the crowd he’s got himself mixed up with. We both know it’s not the sort of thing he’d ever do without being coerced.’

‘Where did we go wrong?’ John covered his face in his hands.

That’s why I needed to do what I did tonight. Chris needs to get a taste of the consequences of a life of crime. He wanted to speak to me, John, the cop said he could. Wanted to plead with me I expect. I knew when I refused to take his call he’d be angry and I was sure he would hate me for it, but I must go on. If I didn’t do it, and believe me it was difficult to say no, what would he have learned?’

‘Then let’s hope it works and he doesn’t think we’ve abandoned him.’ John sounded unsure.

‘It’s called tough love.’ Sarah held back the tears./size}

Written for Starting Stories Contest.
Prompt: I was sure he would hate me for it, but I must go on. If I didn’t do it…