Perfect Storm

6.

×Joy×

I jumped at the sound of my door slamming shut. I gripped the arm of the couch and waited a few seconds. I sighed in relief when Calum came into the room and stood in the way of the TV. I paused it setting the remote on the cushion next to me.

"Yes?" I said slowly unattaching myself from the couch. I took a closer look and saw that he had been crying and he was breathing hard. I carefully sat up.

"When can we leave?" His voice trembled. I looked at him concerned. His bottom lip quivered and I couldn't help but notice the little amount of blood slowly coming out. He was biting his lip again. A terrible habit he used to have when he was really upset.

"Calum, what happened?" I asked putting my hand on his arm. But he shut his eyes cringing away from my touch as if I'd hurt him.

"Please, just tell me" his voice cracked.

"Um, well...if we pack fast enough then probably by Wednesday night but-" he cut me off.

"I'll start now" he told me turning and walking away. I hadn't seen him cry since my ex husband left us. And that was 7 years ago.

"Baby wait.." I called after him. I stood rushing up the stairs and towards my son.

"Would you just stop?" He groaned turning around to look at me. I could see the pain in his soft brown eyes and all I wanted was to help.

"Calum, I just need you to tell me" I prepared myself.

"Please, Joy. You can't help me with this" he said. His voice threatened with tears.

"Let me try" I offered. He sighed and looked away for a minute biting his lip looking back at me.

"She's pregnant" he told me and I immediately knew who he was talking about.

"Oh?" I answered not really knowing what to say. That wasn't quite what I was expecting. I didn't even know Calum was sexually active. I wanted to yell at him and talk his ear off about it but I couldn't. There was something more to the story, there had to be. He shook his head looking away laughing coldly.

"Don't worry" he scoffed looking away. "It's not mine" he said. I couldn't believe it. I knew how much he loved Lila. He would talk about her all the time. And now he couldn't even say her name. He brushed his hand through his hair sighing as more tears fell and he quickly dried them away.

"I'm so sorry, baby boy" I said pulling him into my arms. But he only shrugged away from me away.

"Please just leave me alone" he breathed shaking his head not looking at me and he turned quickly walking away. And all I could do was stand there. This was it, the last straw. We weren't wasting any more time here.

"David, Mali, start packing up again, now!" I yelled up to them.