Just us- SBI adoption story (Just me and him book 2)

Chapter 3: more in common

My head in my hands, I could hear Dad's muffled voice asking me what was going on. "WHY DON'T YOU ASK TOMMY!" I half-shouted, tears streaming from my face and dropping onto the counter. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I didn't know why there was always something wrong with me!

"Te?" His voice broke through it all. His little hand resting on my arm. His messy blond hair just poking through what I could see.

"Tech, mate why don't we take 5 minutes outside." Dad's voice was muffled.

"Bounce?" Tommy's was clear.

I sniffed, took my younger brother's hand and accepted his request. I left my blazer on one of the garden chairs, let my socks get wet in the early morning dew. Taking my tie, and tying it round the head of my younger brother. He placed both hands on my cheeks and took in a deep breath. I choked through one of two more sobs before doing as he had asked.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Ready." I replied, matching his sign. Maybe Dad was busy calling school to tell them I wasn't going to be in. Maybe he was busy emailing the SEND department so I wouldn't miss out on my school work. Maybe he was trying to explain to Tubbo and Wilbur why they couldn't come out and join us. All I know is that the car left to take Wilbur to school and Tommy and I only went in when we both realised how hungry we were, by then it was 10 o'clock.

"We're leaving soon mate." Dad said nonchalently.

"What?" I mumbled.

"Got the meeting with school. Tommy, James and I are going to look around and try to sort some things out for September.

"Oh."

"Feeling any better?" I just shrugged. "Want a hug?" I welcomed it. "We'll get through it mate."

"I'm not so sure this time."

"Hey, if you're thinking like that-"

"I'm not. I promise. Just burnt out."

"Nearly the summer holidays mate, just a few more days. Why don't you just play minecraft with Tubbo or something?"

"I'm going to have a shower."

"Okay mate, well have a good day. Tommy and I will be back in a few hours."

"See you later, you little gremlin." I said, fighting tears again. Tommy looked at me sadly. "I'm just working through some things, that's all." He nodded. And got his iPad from the kitchen counter. He typed something out, deleted it all and stared at the screen for a few seconds. "You don't have to say anything, how about a hug?" He smiled and tucked himself into my side.

"Proud of you mate. Talk to Mum if you need someone." I nodded, wiped tears from my eyes and disappeared upstairs.

Relishing the warm water, and a bit of peace and quiet, I took a much longer shower when usual. When down, I curled up in bed with some more music and tried to sleep. My brain was jumping about the place and I didn't manage it. Mum only came in to ask what I wanted to eat and whether I wanted to play minecraft with Tubbo. Only when told we had the right kind of pot noodle in the cupboard and that my younger brother wouldn't mind if I paid no attention to him whilst we played, did I leave the comfort of my bedroom.

I curled in my armchair because it made me feel less vulnerable, safer. And once I had inhaled the pot noddle and half a can of fanta, I grasped my hands around the controller and began mining wood. Tubbo was half way through a mining trip so I went around murdering stuff and building the bare bones of a farm. Mum set some biscuits out on a small plate but neither of us touched them. She sat on the sofa next to Tubbo, scrolling through something on her phone and periodically looking up at the screen to provide questions on what we were doing. She knew all the answers already, a minecraft obsession I've not moved out of proves that point a billion times over.