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Lucille and all six kids had travelled home to Australia to return back to their life and back to reality days after the argument with Thomas.
John didn't.
The fact that he had decided to stay in Small Heath made Lucille feel happy, angry and sad all rolled into one.
On the one hand; she was happy that he wanted to spend more time with his family after having zero form of contact with any of them for years and years.
On the other hand; she was upset and angry that he didn't want to come back to his life now with his future wife and his kids and, instead, wanted to stay in Small Heath and be around the same life that he had told her he didn't want anything to do with.
Lucille had to ask Helen if she could help out more for the next couple days since John wouldn't be home and insisted on paying her extra since Helen had politely argued that she didn't need any more than she already got paid.
Of course Lucille didn't listen to her and paid her extra anyway.
Tiny feet could be heard padding down the hallway and stopping outside the bedroom door late during the night and that's what stopped Luce from scribbling away in her little notepad.
"I heard you walking." She called out quietly but loud enough for the child on the other side of the door to hear. "Come on in, sweetie."
Little Dayna quietly and warily entered the bedroom of her parents and closed the door gently behind her before she clambered up into the bed with her mother and snuggled up close to her side.
"Mummy... When will Daddy be coming home?"
The answer was unknown and that's what had caused the unsettled feeling to reside in Lucille's stomach over the last few days since John hadn't been in touch.
"Soon, baby. He'll be home soon." Was all she could answer without crying.
Two days later was when every person in the Shelby/Sheldon/River household got the fright of their lives when the front door slammed open and closed again.
"Daddy's home!" John sang as he entered the house a week after he had originally told Lucille that he would be home, arms outstretched and a big smile on his face. "Come 'ere you lot!"
As she suspected, each and every child ran towards their father and tackled him in a hug. They'd missed him dearly while he was gone; as had Lucille.
As he fussed over the kids, Lucille watched and could feel nothing but anger as she looked at the man she loved so dearly.
'Why would he stay an extra week and not tell me?'
Of course she had her doubts and her own thoughts and scenarios ran through her mind every single night whilst she lay in bed alone, missing the warmth and the feel of having him beside her.
The kids eventually let go of their dad and stopped asking questions and decided that playing outside was more fun than their father returning home and ran off.
"Did ya miss me?" John was smirking (as he always did) and thinking that Lucille was going to run and jump into his arms and welcome him home in the sweetest way possible.
She didn't.
Instead, she began to pick up the decorative pillows from the sofas and arm chairs and began throwing them at him one by one.
"Miss you? Fucking miss you?!" She was yelling as she continued to throw the pillows at him. "You're a fucking dick, John!"
It's safe to say that John's smirk had vanished by now and his arms were trying desperately to protect himself from the incoming pillows but he missed a few and was pelted on the head with them instead.
"Oi, oi!" He shouted as he tried to stop her. "Stop it!"
"Don't you fucking shout at me!" The pillows kept coming. "I'm pissed off with you, Sheldon!"
"Luce, stop." Once there were no more pillows to throw, she stopped and stood defeated as she ran her hands through her hair. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" When she chuckled dryly he knew he had fucked up by asking that question. "What do you think is wrong?"
"Uh," He stuttered and mumbled over his own words. "Mmmm..."
"I'll fucking tell ya what's wrong. You stayed there for an extra week, John. You didn't come home with your family when we had had enough. You didn't come home with me when I was hurting because your arsehole brother brought up my dead child!" Her voice had slowly but surely began to raise and crack as she spoke. "You let me leave on my own with the kids and you didn't bother to fucking call to see how any of us were or to ask if we got home safely. Then you didn't call to tell us that you wouldn't be home for another week. You just let us leave, John."
Tears were welling up in her eyes and John could see from a mile away that she was more upset with him than she was angry and he absolutely hated making her upset.
He began slowly walking towards her which was a bit of a struggle since he had to try and avoid tripping over the mountain of pillows that had been launched across the room at him only minutes prior.
Cautiously he pulled her into his chest and cradled her body against him.
Despite the fact that she was angry and upset beyond words with him, she still melted into his embrace none the less.
"You just let us leave, John." Luce whispered against his chest. "Why did you stay there?"
John wanted to tell her that he had an excuse but he honestly didn't. He just wanted to stay to drink more, catch up with people from his past and have time to himself before he had to return to the chaotic life of being a father.
"I'm sorry, love." He whispered into her hair. "I really am sorry."
