Fault (Phan)

Part 6

December 24th, 2009

"Can you hurry up with the pancakes, Mummy? I already ate what you gave me!"

His mother rolls her eyes and smirks while grabbing a spatula at the stove. "It takes longer than this to make another batch, hun."

"I really want more! Just – "

"How about you go check on your brother, Adrian. The food will be ready by then." His father lowers the newspaper and glares.

Adrian blows a stray piece of dark hair out of his face and decides it'd be best to agree with his father. Besides, Dan is usually up as soon as he smells food. The nine year-old gives a quick nod and hops out of his wooden chair. He waddles up the stairs and turns to find his brother's door closed, which isn't something common. "Dan?" he asks, voice just above a whisper.

Upon hearing no response, Adrian cracks the door. Then he remembers Dan had moved his bed so he opens the door completely and peeks around it. Now he's forced to suppress a gasp as he sees that man, whatever his name is, and Dan, sleeping and in a position so close and intimate it leaves the boy utterly confused. Not knowing what to think of it, Adrian backs up and closes the door. He goes back downstairs, skipping one or two steps now and again. He walks back into the kitchen and takes a deep breath.

"Dan's friend is still here and they're in bed together. They're both still asleep but they were lying funny."

Mrs. Howell analyzes this for a few seconds. It's certainly no big deal that Phil stayed overnight, and if she needs to feed him, she definitely can. But; as for the "lying funny" comment...She proceeds to place the frying pan back on the stove and brushes her hands off on her shirt. "Don't let the food burn," she addresses her husband, "I'll go see for myself." Though looking at him, petrified with coffee still in hand, he doesn't seem like he can do much other than that.

Upon opening Dan's door, she knows she needs to see more. She steps in all the way just as Adrian had and her eyes widen at the sight of her son and his alleged friend. Phil is on his side and sort of hugging Dan, the best way to describe it as. His right leg is draped over Dan's own two, and his shoulder is inhabited by the face of her son, beaming giddily even in his sleep. Mrs. Howell raises an eyebrow and sighs gently, not loud enough to wake them. But even so, Phil's head turns a bit and his eyes start to flutter. In an instant she is out of the room and upon hearing further rustling from within she assumes he is awake. She pretends to execute a quick patrol of the hallway as a cover-up before casually walking back downstairs.

Adrian is happily munching on his second helping of pancakes, already having long forgotten about the strange way his brother had been sleeping. As soon as his wife walks in, Mr. Howell gingerly puts down his paper, clearly not having actually read anything since Adrian's last comment. He sits up and digs his forearms into the table, appearing very stout and convinced he's ready for anything.

"That was...certainly what it looked like." As soon as these words come out of his wife's mouth the man's face contorts and he puts his head in his palms.

After a few seconds he mumbles to himself in a pleading manner: "What happened to his girlfriend..." he looks up for a moment at the wall with a blank expression. "She was so lovely...so very lovely..."

Mrs. Howell shrugs and sighs, only further disorienting poor Adrian.

He cocks his head and looks at his mother. "Um...Is-is Dan's girlfriend dead?" he inquires this in such a seriously concerned tone; she thought she would chuckle but doesn't.

She starts, "No, no – "

"To him she is, Adrian," his dad cuts her off, "She's alive, but...most definitely not to him."

Adrian swallows his current mouthful and looks defeated. "Then wha-"

"Just don't worry, honey," she says, "It's not a big deal. Nothing bad's happening."

"Yeah, don't worry." Mr. Howell ends the conversation by echoing.

Just then, Dan comes down into the room. He breathes in and starts speaking. "Hey guys. I hope you don't mind but I let Phil stay the night. Turns out he forgot to make arrangements." His mom keeps a straight, observant expression and nods a bit, hiding her knowledge excellently. "I let him sleep in my room. And I was wondering if he could have breakfast here." He furrows his brow and looks at his feet nervously. "He didn't ask that, I swear, I offered it –"

"It's fine, Dan. Don't worry, I have plenty of pancake mix left for you and him." His mom smiles and walks back over to the stove.

Dan looks back up and shrugs in relief. "Oh, cool. I-I guess I'll go get him." He turns around and goes upstairs again.

Mrs. Howell listens to him go up, her eyes darting to and fro. As soon as it's obvious he's upstairs, she rockets over to her husband and looks him dead in the eye. "I swear, if you don't treat him like the pleasant guest he is..."

He leans back and says: "Like I wouldn't." He looks to the ceiling and his eyes dance around as he smiles. He keeps going with evident sarcasm, continuing to build it as he goes on, "That's no way to treat my future son in-law."

She stands back up straight and yells in exasperation, "Oh, my god!" With the blood rushing in her ears, she doesn't hear the footsteps on the stairs until she has mere seconds to react.