Untouchable

Chapter 15

                “Yeah, I’m the awkward one.” She smiled, and laughed a little. Noah walked in, as did Abbie, and they both sat with their other halves.

                “Ruth, this is Ryan; Ryan, this is Ruth.” Abbie said, introducing the two to one another.

                “Yeah, we already spoke to one another.” Ruth said, smiling, and linking her fingers between Noah’s. They looked at one another and smiled happily.

                “So, what do you do at school? I haven’t seen you around my labs much.” Noah asked,

                “I do maths, psychology, and English language and literature.” Ryan smiled as he spoke. Noah nodded.

                “Good combination. What’s your plan for next year?”

                “Maths BA or something. What did you do?”

                “Physics BSc then PGCE.”

                “What did you do, Ruth?” Ryan asked politely.

                “An MBiol in Biological Sciences.”

                “A what?”

                “A master’s degree in Biological Sciences.”

                “Ah, that makes sense.” Ryan chuckled. Jessica came into the room.

                “Kids, no fighting.” She giggled, looking at how well her two and their other halves were getting along.

                “Mum, we haven’t fought since I moved out.” Noah chuckled.

                “Noah Edward, I know you used to fight with Finley James until you were 15.” Jessica laughed.

                “I was angry at the world about Leon.” Noah snapped. Abbie couldn’t remember Leon that much; she was 2 when he died, so Leon was just a memory from photos.

                “I know, and I wish everyday that he could have lived.” Jessica sighed.

                “Leon?” Ryan asked.

                “You know how people keep asking why there’s eight years between Noah and I. There was a brother in the middle, Leon, and he died of leukaemia when he was just six.” Abbie explained quietly. Noah kept his eyes at his shoes, trying not to remember the brother he lost when he was 10. He could remember Leon, and his sickness, all too well and vividly. The pink colour of his cheeks, the blondness of his hair, how his brown eyes gleamed in the sunlight. Leon was magical to Noah, and in Noah’s view, he would have made an amazing man if he had the chance to live. Ruth squeezed his hand and Noah looked at his girlfriend with watery eyes.

                “It’s okay.” She whispered as he rested his head on her shoulder. Ruth could remember everything about Leon, right from his birth to the day he died, and so many days in between.

                “I know.” He whispered quietly. Ruth looked at Ryan and he understood the sombre, sad, quiet that filled the house, other than the sizzling of the cider-coated gammon in the pan and the cooking of the roast dinner.

                “Sorry.” Ryan murmured.

                “Do you have any siblings, Ryan?” Ruth asked, trying to move from the topic of Leon.

                “Yeah, four older sisters: Livvi, Ellie, Beth, and Fia.” Ryan explained,

                “Olivia, Helena, Bethany, and Sophia.” Abbie giggled, correcting her boyfriend.

                “If you ever call Ellie Helena she will punch you, hard.” Ryan chuckled a little.

                “Food, kids!” Ellis called from the kitchen. Everyone stood up and headed into the kitchen, each getting handed a plate of food and went to sit around the circular dining room table.

                “So, Noah, how is work going?” Jessica asked as she began on her roast.

                “Going well, thanks, though everyone is exhausted because it’s so early in the term.” Noah sighed, shoving a piece of gammon into his mouth. Ruth smiled a little.

                “How about you, Ruth?” Ellis asked,

                “Same as ever and I like it that way.” Ruth said after she swallowed her mouthful of food.

                “You like everything being the same?” Ryan asked,

                “It’s pleasant and reassuring that way.” Ruth explained.

                “It’s an aspect of her condition.” Abbie whispered. Ryan nodded.

                “You guys all seem pretty cool about Ruth and how she is.” Ryan complemented. “How do you do it?”

                “We’ve been having Ruth over here since she was three, so you get used to it. Because both Ruth and Noah are the oldest and we have, or had, kids roughly the same age to one another, you get used to planning everything, always a month in advance if we could, and you kind of get used to it after a while.” Ellis explained as he cut up his meat. Ryan nodded.

                “So everything was structured basically?”

                “Yeah, and the kids got used to it; well, Leon, Abbie, Alyssa, and Evie were brought up on it, all they ever knew right from the start.” Jessica explained.

                “The only problem’s ever been Evie.” Ruth blurted out. “She’s just annoying. Sometimes I think she’s the one with the problem, not me.”

                “Ruth! That’s a little mean.” Jessica spoke in utter amazement.

                “I know.” Ruth said, smiling a little to herself. Noah was suppressing laughter.

                “Evie is your sister?” Ryan asked,

                “Yeah, she’s the same age as you two.”

                “Evie Anthony.” Abbie whispered.

                “You’re Evie Anthony’s sister?” He asked in a little amazement.

                “The one they call freak.” Ruth said reluctantly.

                “I get it all now.” He smiled. There was a small, awkward silence as everyone finished their meals. Noah was instructed to clear the plates up, and he did so reluctantly with the help of Abbie, leaving Ruth and Ryan to sit there awkwardly with the parents.