Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 14 - The Baseball Bat

“I wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school... I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy...”

“She doesn't even go here!”

“Do you even go to this school?”

“...No... I just have a lot of feelings...”

“Ok, go home...”

As usual this movie never seems to fail to make me laugh. Both Claire and I are laughing so hard that we’re on the floor (I’d put Sam down with his little hippo beanbag before).

“Why. Are. We. Laughing. So. Hard?” Claire gasps in between giggles.

“I. Have. No. Idea!” 

Soon enough the ending credits are rolling and we’re still on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. We’re still in that position when the boys finally come home, shoving, chanting and talking over one another.

“Well I can see you two ladies had a ball while we were gone.” Wes says, standing over us.

We both sit up, grinning. I shrug, “We did actually. It was a nice change from dealing with all of you.” I see Seth walking in with a bag of frozen peas pressed against his face. I leap up as Claire rushes over, “Oh my God. Seth! Are you ok?”

He looks at me blankly as Claire carefully removes the bag and gasps at the prominent bruise blooming on his jaw.

“It’s nothing.” He says flatly.

“Some guy punched him in the face.” Jake says from behind him.

Our eyes meet but I quickly look away, I’ll tell him. Just not right now...

Everyone trudges up the stairs, the need to sleep suddenly looming over them. Tristan takes Sam up at Claire’s request.

I follow Seth, Claire and John into the kitchen, “Why’d he punch you?”

Seth just looks ahead, his jaw clenched. John scratches his head, “Seth accidently knocked this guys drink over and... well, the guy was already drunk so he just socked him. He got arrested though and was taken away.”

“Asshole.” Claire mutters, dabbing at Seth’s face with a wet cloth. “My poor baby. Why would anyone do such a thing?”

“It’s because I’m f**king blind.” Seth says quietly. We stand there staring at him, absolutely shocked. “His stupid drink was near my left hand and as I got up I knocked it over.” His hands curl into fists, “How was I supposed to see it? How can I see it if I’m f**king blind.”

Tears start to spill down his face and Claire hugs him hard, stroking his hair. “Shhhh, sweetie it’s not your fault. It’s ok.”

“Why?” he sobs, “Why does it have to be me? I can’t drive, I can’t go to bloody football games, I can’t do anything I want to do because I can’t see anything out of my f**king left eye.”

I stand there, stock-still, unsure of what to do. John leans down and whispers in my ear, “Maybe you should head on up to bed.”

I nod and quietly make my way out of the room, glancing back to see Seth clutching at Claire like a little boy.

Once I’m in my room I get changed for bed. I’ve never seen Seth act like that before. I never knew he felt that way...

I pull on some sweat pants and I’m just slipping on a tank top when someone knocks on my door and abruptly opens it without waiting for a reply. “Hey!” I shout, pulling my top down quickly.