"Oh, hi, Mrs. Altman. I'm-"

"Billy." It was a statement, not a question, "Theo's told me all about you."

"Oh," Billy stared resolutely at the welcome mat.

"He's not in yet."

"Well, I'll just-"

"Come in. Please." Billy shuffled in, and Sarah Altman closed the door behind him with an ominous click. He felt her eyes surveying him up and down as they moved into the kitchen. "Let's see," she motioned for him to sit down, "your favourite juice is pomegranate," she produced a carton from the fridge, "and your favourite snack is oreos," a packed was pulled from the cupboard, "so I stocked up on both."

"Wow, Teddy really went into details."

She clasped her hands together, "Well, he told me that you met in school, that you're in the same year, that you both like comics."

Billy took a gulp of juice- "He didn't mention you were his gay lover."- which he nearly choked on.

"Mrs. Altman-"

"Please, call me Sarah, after all, you're fucking my son."

"No, no, I'm really not."

"Please don't lie. It's bad enough that Theo doesn't think he can talk to me."

"I... if it helps, my parents don't know either."

"They probably do, dear; you two aren't subtle."

"You only met me today."

"You should hear Theo talk about you," she reached across the table and took Billy's hand in hers, stroking his fingers, "he's so into you- much more than that Greg boy."

"...Thankyou?"

"You can thank me by looking after him." The moment hung there, touching and emotional. Then her grip on his hand tightened, "And if you hurt him I will end you." Billy looked into her eyes, and for a fleeting second, he got the impression that Sarah Altman was more than she seemed.

But then she was on her feet again, moving pots and pans and grabbing plates, a million miles from anything scary. Billy swivelled in his seat to keep up with her, "Should I tell Teddy?"

"That's up to you. I'm not going to bring it up until he's ready to."

"I'll speak to him," Billy paused, "Sarah, I'm sure he'll want to talk to you about it."

But he didn't. Not until the day she died.