Fractured

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Despite what I knew would be an unfortunate ending, the rest of the day spent with the Prentas' was awesome.  I was surprised to find not much sorrow, even though I knew they didn't want Mike to go.  They just made the best of the time they had with him that day.  We ate dinner and talked.  Relaxed.  We even played big group and family games to - which was more than fun.  It was warm... with laughter, and teasing love.  And through it all, I felt that deep ache again.  Of being around love and family like this.  However, I paid no mind to it.  I wanted to make this last, just like they did.

It was fun and loving, even after I found that Clare managed to come.  She arrived right after I did with Francis and Brooke.  I figured even with her here, she would ruin what was becoming a great time.  But that surprisingly wasn't the case.  She didn't try to push me much, and just really focused more on the family and chatting with them, especially Mike and Jan since he was leaving.  And as she was talking with them throughout the night, I tried coming up with a way that this could be tied into her plan.  How she didn't want to pay any mind to Luke. 

That wasn't the case either though I found soon enough.  She acted like his wife with him - which was reassuring really.  We needed her on his side like that.  It was what was keeping everything from falling apart in our plan.  So I can ultimately conclude that she loved Luke, she loved his family like I knew, even if she was still suspicious I knew.  It was a start.

She was family to the Prentas' - more so to the ones that didn't know the truth anyway.  I didn't let it bother me too much though, like I said.  It was a good time.  Through the dinner, talking, games... I could tell, even with how convincing Luke was, he was tense most of the time with her around.  I wasn't really sure what it was; if anything, I should be the one more upset at her presence.  But like I knew he would - and had to - he hid it.  He held her hand when she would reach to do so and smiled constantly to her.  Made me sick, yes, but that's what needed to happen. 

By the time the games ended and we were all seated on the couch and chairs, I let her leave my mind completely though - and so did Luke.  I guess we can thank what I was holding on my lap for that; it kept all my attention the moment Jan pulled them out for us to look through. Family photo albums - which Luke and Francis were very reluctant to let me look through.

Sitting between Francis and Luke, holding the big family album in my lap, I couldn't help but laugh at how funny I knew this would be.  Just from how they didn't want me to see it - like Francis demanding me to forget everything I see in the book.  Shannon didn't mind though.  She was sitting besides her dad across from us on another couch.  Looking up to them, Mike met my eyes and gave me a smirk, nodding for me to go on as he wrapped an arm around Jan who sat on his other side.

"Go on, start looking," Mike snorted, smiling.  "I want to see my boys embarrassed."

"Dad," Luke groaned, giving up too and sitting back more, as if pouting.  However, when I opened up the book and began to go through it, he was back up, pressed against me as Francis was - like they needed to monitor the photos I was looking at.  God.  What the hell was in this book?  Naked pictures?

After looking through the first few pictures, I was already addicted.  I mean, when I got into it, there were pictures of family vacations, fun cook outs in the summer, birthdays and Christmas's... it was amazing.  And to me, it of course left that small ache in me at seeing these.  I pushed it to the side though and wouldn't let it bother me.  I just kept smiling down at each picture as I silently flipped through it.  And let me tell you... Francis and Luke as little boys were the cutest.  I don't like using that word but they were cute.  With Luke's curly short brown hair behind his little ears, his sweet smile... I could see him perfectly.  Same with Francis - except he looked like a little trouble maker.  Some pictures even proved so - with him and Shannon wrestling on the floor.