The Unknown Road

32 - Tessa

"Me too." I'm trying to decide if I should tell about the situation here... but after a beat I do. He needs to know. "Arch, the mood is low here. I wish I hadn't come."

"Aw, don't say that. I bet you're loving time with your mum. What do you mean by low? Is it Matt?" He clears his throat, trying to get his voice to sound less raspy.

"Yeah. But I'm hoping he's better later. It may have just been the tiredness," I roll my eyes at myself, knowing that couldn't have been further from the truth. "We're helping Mum move." I change the subject, and hope Archie doesn't bring it up again. It's something I'll have to deal with anyway.

"Oh wow. She's staying in England then? Laying down roots," he jokes. 

"Sounds like it. It'll be nice, but she's still like three hours away... so not exactly local." I sigh as I sit on the bed.

"It's good she has you guys though. Even if you are a couple of hours away. At least being in England means she can be around a bit more," I can hear him smiling and my mood is nearing normal now. "Less travelling?" I can hear him rustling under his duvet and a pang of longing ricochets through my chest. I'd much rather be snuggled up with him right now.

Although that feeling quickly disappears when I hear a pair of footsteps coming towards our room.

"Arch, I have to go. I'll call you later if I can."

Before he can protest or say anything, I hang up and seconds later Matt comes through the door without knocking to change into a clean shirt and jeans.

I don't say anything, but I can tell he wants to say something. I'm not in the mood, so before he can speak, I put him in his place as much as I can.

"I don't want to hear it now, Matt," I grumble assertively.

"I wasn't going to say anything," he shrugs defensively. "I'm just getting a shirt. Jeez."

"Whatever," I spit in disgust, grabbing my wash bag on my way to the bathroom. When I come back, I can hear him in the kitchen, so I pack my clothes away neatly and put my bag in the hallway before joining the others at the table.

Everyone's now dressed, and Matt has put his hair in a neater bun. Mark and Mum have  got old clothes on, which look like they have paint on, although Mum's wearing what Mum always wears, a comfy-looking three-quarter length denim dungarees with Puma trainers, looking as cool as ever.

"What time are we heading out?" I ask before tucking into my second bacon sandwich.

"Ten minutes. Do you guys want any more bacon?" We both shake our heads in response so she gets up to wash the pan, putting the last few pieces into a tupperware. We really were leaving here in ten minutes, and given they were packing everything as they go, I doubted whether we were coming back here at all.

"Is this new place far?" Matt asks, wiping flour and butter from his cheeks with his sleeve.

Mark shakes his head. "Nope, maybe a five minute drive? It's on this beautiful country estate... only house around for miles."

Mum tuts at him, and his cheeks redden. I think he may have just spoiled one of the surprises, but I bet it was too beautiful not to brag about, knowing Mum. She doesn't do things by half measures. Where we are now is stunning enough, and knowing her, the grounds will have been chosen at the new place to quench their thirsts for nature and the outdoors. After speaking to Mark briefly at dinner, he's very into photography same as Mum, and said he had a story or two, which was what I was looking forward to. 

"Are you guys all packed in there?" Mum asks. "If you're not, can you grab it?"

Mine's at the door, so I don't move, but Matt jumps up and returns a few minutes later with his bag in his hands. Then, once Mum has finished cleaning the pan and left it on the draining board, we head out the door and bundle into the car.