Longshot - catfish and the bottlemen

24- Bella

Today I'm babysitting Macy, Ewan and Sophie are spending the day with her family, thankfully Van decided he wanted to come round because the two of them are honestly best friends. I couldn't complain though, in just a week the boys would be finished recording album three and they'd be back on the road again meaning I'll be stuck here without Van. I know that I can't always rely on him, it's unfair but I feel so much safer when he's here and I'll definitely miss him and the boys, he's one of the main reasons I've managed to come so far and now he's going to be away for months. I'll still see him but I won't be seeing him for more than a few days which will be difficult but we'll make it work this time.

Little Macy sits on the couch watching some kids programme I used to watch as a kid, takes me back to better times, when your biggest worry was whether you're going to be forced to eat the veggies on your plate or not. She refused to take any toys out till Van came which was sweet of her, for only being two years old she's got such good manners and she's not one of the rowdy kids that leaves a train wreck behind them. Ewan's biggest fear is her being bright up in a way that she becomes like our mother so he's done absolutely everything to try and prevent it and she's only two years old but you can tell she's going to grow up into such a kind girl. Just then my doorbell rings, Macy knows exactly who it is so she runs and accompanies me to the door although when we get there she hides behind my legs which is funny considering there's not much there to hide behind.

"Found you!" He exclaims, crouching down to her level and sticking out his tongue at her.

"You go get your toys out, Van will be two minutes love" I say as we step back allowing Van into the house.Macy runs off back to my living room while we make our way over to my kitchen which is thankfully open plan so we can keep an eye on her.

"You eaten today babe?" He asks, giving my forehead a gentle kiss as he leans in for a hug, trying to make the most of the time we have left together before he's gone and unable to have me in his arms for a while.

"I had a few coffees but I'm not hungry" I respond, Van steps back, looking me directly in the eyes and raising just one brow. I know he's worried I fall into old habits again but that person is a person I left behind several months ago, someone I'll never become again. I can't become that person again, I won't become that person again. The truth is I genuinely wasn't hungry.

"A cup of coffee and a ciggy isn't a meal Bell." His lips meet my cheek briefly before he turns around and opens the carrier bag he brought along and placed on the kitchen counter when he came in. "Got you a sausage roll"

"Thank you. You know I'm fine Van, I genuinely wasn't hungry." I tell him as I reach for his hand, he's such a caring person and I just want him to know I don't need him to look after me 24/7, he doesn't need to worry about me so much.

"I know, just thought you'd appreciate a sausage roll" The back of my hand soon has his lips pressed against it as he gives me a wink before wandering over to see Macy.

The way his face lights up when she swings her little arms round him makes me feel a way I can't describe, seeing him sat down playing with her melts my heart. Even Macy's face lights up around him, she's usually shy but with Van she giggles like there's nobody watching. When reads her the book she brought with her as she sits on his crossed legs on the floor he does it like he's got so much experience with kids but he doesn't, he's just a natural.

Macy has a little guitar at my house, it's not really a guitar but it's one of those tiny guitars you buy for little kids and she just likes playing with the strings. Van tries to play an actual song on it but it's way too small for him, I notice him looking around the room for my guitar I normally have in the corner so instead of him having to leave Macy's side for a few minutes which he wasn't allowed to to, I get it for him.

It's too cute, my hearts actually melting. Vans playing Kathleen on the acoustic guitar, singing the words as Macy just plucks the strings in the little one she holds however she likes. Occasionally he'll pause, giving Macy a little solo before carrying on while she does what she pleases on her little guitar. She's too young to understand music but when she's older I have the feeling she'll have the same passion for it that he dad, grandad and me do. Ewan loves music, he's just like my dad but he never wanted to learn to play an instrument, he just prefers listening to it.

"We'll 'av to start bringing her with us on tour. Well done sweetheart you smashed it!" Van smiles, lifting his hands up to for Macy to give him a high-five and she does with a smile from ear to ear. Van puts my guitar back in the corner, throwing himself down in the sofa next to me with his head resting on my shoulder but before he's got time to even think Macy looks at him as if to say 'come back and play with me'

"Vans sleepy, look at him he's almost asleep" I tell her. It's not long before she pulls herself in between me and Van in the sofa to watch the TV though.

Moments like this make me realise how lucky I really am. If Ewan hadn't realised what I was going through I wouldn't be in this position. He kept me away from my family, instead of doing something I could use my degree for I had to work in the record shop so I was close, I could barely talk to my brother without him breathing down my neck but thankfully that chapter of my life is over with. Now I'm sat on the sofa in my house with a man I love, a man that loves me and cares about me.

My life's changed for the better, just when I thought I'd never escape the darl path I thought I was stuck in. Some paths are just longer than others and even if I haven't reached the other end yet I know I will and that's because I'm surrounded by all the right people now.

Hey! Just want to thank everyone who has given this a read so far, I'm aware it's started to get boring but I have (hopefully) exciting things planned for when they go on tour and the future of the story so stick around if you've liked this story so far. Also I hope that everyone is doing fine in the current circumstances and hope you're all staying safe as restrictions are lifted across the world!
Thanks again for reading this, I never expected anyone to read any of my stories and the fact people have baffles me, thank you!