Use Somebody

Locke still hadn’t gone back to work.

He hadn’t exactly planned that. In fact, his job had given him extra time off after his doctor had found out his ribs were taking a little longer than usual to heal. He was told there was nothing to worry about. Part of him didn’t believe that.

So he now spent his time standing awkwardly in the kitchen, eating the sandwich he’d just made for himself at god-knows-o’clock in the morning. It was an ok sandwich, a bit depressing to be eating it alone, in pure silence, but it was life to him.

Cutting through the silence of the apartment, his phone started to ring, causing him to almost drop his sandwich in shock and produce a rather loud yelping noise. He quickly regained any composure lost, put down his sandwich, and answered the phone.

“Who is ‘t?” He asked, mouth still full of bread.

“Locke? It’s mum.”

“Ma?” Locke shook his head and quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, “Sorry, I didn’ get time t’check m’phone before I answered. Y’a’right?”

“Of course ‘m a’right, ya big ninny!” His mum laughed, “I came ta ask’bout you!”

“‘Bout me?” Locke scratched his chin, “Wha’bout?”

“Ya’aven’ called in ages, luv! Even when ya’ bad, ya’ never leave it this long.”

Locke paused, and as quietly as he could sucked air through his teeth, “Right, tha’…”

“Ya’s didn’ get in trouble now, did’ya?”

“No!” Locke cried, before flinching at his own outburst, “Nah ma, I’m a gooden, y’know tha’!”

“Do I now?”

Locke laughed, “I am!”

“Then wha’s got ya’s?”

He paused again, before sighing, “I ‘urt myself, real bad like.”

“What did y’do?” His mum sounded upset, he frowned, “Is it them fuckin’ roommates of ya’s? I’ll give it them if I need’a!”

“Nah, nah, cool ya’ jets ma,” Locke didn’t like lying, but he needed to, “I was a right tosser an’ I, uh, fell down some stairs, ya feel?”

His mum went silent for a second, “Y’a bad liar, y’know tha’? Y’can’ lie to ya own mum, y’know that! Don’ make me remind ya of that one time! —“

“Right, I get it, I get it!” Locke rubbed the back of his neck, “Look, I don’wanna talk ‘bout the why. I can sort m’own issues, ‘m a grown man.”

“Oh, luv,” His mum sighed, “I jus’ say it ‘cos I love ya’. Wha’s the damage, beautiful boy? Didn’ ruin that face of ya’s now, did ya?”

Locke laughed, “I broke m’ribs, to keep it blunt.”

“Yowch! I know the pain, pumpkin.”

“It’ lot better now, but at first I — well, I’d thought I’d died, t’be straight with ya’. Flare came runnin’ to check, I don’ remember it but I was ‘parently screamin’ bloody murder.”

“Flare, I don’ like them.”

“Neither, but I gotta thank ‘em, they called the ambulance.”

“Is this why y’didn’ call? Y’had me in floods!”

“‘M real sorry ma, for days after I fuckin’ refused to even speak, let ‘lone get m’phone and explain this all t’ya.”

His mum sighed, “Ya’ big idiot! Y’dad was callin’ me as if I knew anything! Y’know how I hate that man!”

“I wish he’d jus’ leave us all alone, the fuckin munter! I’ll nut him if he’s not careful!”

“Wait in line, luv, ‘v got dibs.”

There was a peaceful silence between the two. Locke smiled slightly, happy to finally have this metaphorical weight off of his shoulders. It was always hard to talk to his mum about this stuff, she’d book a flight and get to him with the kind of anger only a very protective mother could feel. It was nice, but he was right — he could fight his own battles nowadays. Even against non-humans and metal-meatheads.

“Look, I gotta run ma,” Locke finally said, “But I’ll try to call sooner, a’right?”

“Ok luv, and y’better! I’ll hold y’ta that.”

“Y’better, y’know how I can be.”

“Get that from me, y’do,” His mum laughed, “Stay safe, baby boy.”

“Always ma.”

The phone beeped as he hung up, and for a second he just sat there. It was nice.