A/N: Sorry for mistakes, I didn't get the time to check before uploading. I will come back and edit this chapter as soon as possible though :)
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LOOMING DOOM
Shortly after midnight, Declan and I decided to call it a night. While I went to lock the back door and grabbed a water bottle to take upstairs with me, my brother took care of the living room and the front door.
“Look what I found,” he startled me, appearing behind me out of nowhere. With my hand over my heart, I turned around to see Declan holding a stuffed animal in his hands. “I bet Matt misses it already. Nick said it is one of the only things that will calm Matt enough to fall asleep.”
“Then he’s in for a long night.” I replied compassionately, shaking my head a little at the thought of having to look after a child that refused to sleep. Been there, done that, and it wasn’t exactly something I wished upon anyone else.
“Do you think you can drop it off tomorrow? I have work and already made plans afterwards as well.”
That does not sound like a good idea, I thought to myself. Out loud, I said something entirely different. “Sure, no problem.”
A note was taped over the doorbell, asking to knock because the bell didn’t work. So, that was exactly what I did. After three quick thuds, I waited. As I heard no movement inside the house, I raised my hand to knock again but the door opened before my knuckles met the wooden door.
Groggily, as if I just woke him up, Nick appeared before me.Despite the fact that he looked exhausted with his messy hair and small eyes, he smiled at me anyway. I noticed his black shirt was all wrinkled up and the jeans he wore had a hole in the left knee – he looked even more handsome than I anticipated.
“Uhm, hi…” I quickly lowered my hand that was still stuck mid-air. I opened my handbag and retrieved Matt’s teddy. “Sorry to disturb you and showing up like this, but you forgot this at our house yesterday. Declan said Matt was rather keen of his blue teddy and because Declan had to work, he asked me to drop it off. So yes, here I am.” I smiled awkwardly after I finished my rambling. Just to have something to do, I held out the teddy to Nick.
“Thanks,” Nick took the teddy from me. “As grateful as I am, you shouldn’t have come all the way though. Did someone drop you off or –“
“I came with the bus. Don’t worry about it though, I was on the verge of losing my mind at home. There really isn’t much for me to do to pass the time between now and when I get the results of my exams.” Half an hour had been all it took for the nice weather to do a one-eighty. When I left at home, the sun had been out and the temperature was nice. Now, however, the sun had disappeared completely and a nasty, chilly wind had come up. I wiped some curls out of my face and crossed my arms to get a bit warmer. Nick noticed.
“I’m sorry. My mind’s still not fully functioning. Come on in. You don’t have to stay outside.” He opened the door all the way and stepped aside.
“Thanks,” I smiled when stepping inside. As I passed him, my arm brushed his chest and I shivered again, but not quite from the cold. He seemed to think so, though.
“Go ahead, it’s warmer inside.”
Leaving the small hallway behind me, I entered the living room and thought this room to be rather small, but cozy – at least, when overlooking the clothes and toys that covered every piece of furniture and most of the floor. Several pictures of Nick and Matt decorated the wall on my rightand next to the television, hungfour paintings that seemed to belong together, each a part of something bigger, but I couldn’t tell for sure. Nonetheless, they didn’t look bad. Before I could try to figure out what they referred to, Nick spoke from right behind me.
“Sit down, please, and do as if you’re at home.”
“Thanks,” I replied in a quiet voice, hesitantly sitting down on the nearest couch after moving some toys and a towel aside. While on my way to Nick’s house, I hadn’t expected him to invite me in. Once again, I found myself torn between the same old feelings. I deserved a break, some happiness at the least but at the same time, I couldn’t let myself give in to those feelings, at least not if I didn’t want my messed-up life to become even messier.
“Sorry for the mess. I haven’t gotten around to cleaning up. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Sure. Whatever you’re having is fine.”
Nick tried to stifle a yawn, but failed miserably.“Coffee it is, then.” He chuckled amused, and headed to what I assumed to be the kitchen. When he returned, he held two steaming mugs.“You take yours with milk, right?”
I nodded, making space on the coffee table for Nick to place the two mugs. He let himself plop down on the other end of the couch I was seated on, and yawned again.
“Did I wake you? Or am I keeping you from catching some shuteye?” I asked apologetic. He looked plain right exhausted, and I didn’t want to be the one keeping him from catching up on some much-needed sleep.
“Sort of,” he replied and quickly cut me off when I started to apologize. “Don’t worry about it though. I’m glad you stopped by. I could use a bit of a distraction.”
“How so?”
“I’ve been up all night, slowly going insane with every passing hour. Against all odds, Matt fell asleep about half an hour ago. He must have tired himself out – finally. After checking up on him a couple of times, I had just drifted off myself, but then you knocked on the door. Again, don’t worry about waking me. After the past twelve hours, I appreciate the company of someone who can talk and doesn’t wail my ears off.”
“Glad to be of service, I guess.” I smiled at Nick, when I suddenly remembered Matt’s Teddy wasn’t the only thing I brought with me. “I was up early this morning and by lack of anything better to do, and figuring it was still too early to come over, I prepared dinner for tonight. It’s nothing big, just lasagna, but I brought some for you as well.”
“You shouldn’t have, but thank you. Some decent food will do me good. I don’t know how you do it. Taking care of everything at home, I mean.”
I shrugged. “I got used to it, I guess. But hey, you’re doing a great job as well.”
Nick burst into a loud guffaw, as if what I had said was the funniest thing in the world. “Have you taken a good look around? This place is nothing short of a dump.”
“If that’s how you want to see it. But seriously, I saw you and Matt yesterday, and how you look after him. Messy house aside, you’re doing a great job, believe it or not.”
“I think – “ Nick let his head fall back at the sound of Matt’s sudden cries. “You have got to be kidding me!”
When he started to get up from the couch, I jumped up. “I’ll go.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Nick protested, but I wouldn’t have any of it.
“Just sit back while I go see if I can put him back to sleep. I think you’ve done enough of that last night. Where is his room?” I wondered while picking up Matt’s teddy, but then I chuckled. “Never mind, I’ll let my ears guide me.”
In Matt’s bedroom, I was met by a flustered, red-faced boy.
“Come on, little boy,” I cooed as I picked him up. I rocked him gently, while handing him his teddy. “Look who’s here. I bet you missed your teddy, didn’t you?”
A few minutes, that was all it took for me to sooth Matt back to sleep. Careful as not to wake him, I placed him back in his little bed. I placed his teddy beside him and quietly made my escape.
“He’s back asleep,” I spoke quietly when I entered the living room. However, my announcement was left without a reply. I walked around the couch and smiled to myself. Nick had fallen asleep as well. Coffee didn’t always work miracles, after all.Still seated upright, he had his head rested awkwardly on the back of the couch. His neck was bound to hurt by the time he awoke. Instead of waking him up to tell him to change his position, or to go to bed even, I covered him with a plaid, which I found draped over the back of the other couch.After staring at Nick’s peaceful face for too long, I picked up my handbag and tiptoed out of the room, to the kitchen where I put the lasagna in a nearly empty refrigerator. I shook my head at the sight. If their mom would stay on vacation for much longer, I decided that I would have to start sending Declan over with food or else Nick would starve. I found a piece of paper in my handbag and scribbled a short note for Nick. I let him know that I had gone home and where he could find his dinner. I left the note on the coffee table, next to his untouched coffee.
A little over half an hour later, I finally made it home, however, my mood had dropped far below zero. While waiting for the bus, I really regretted not bringing my jacket because the wind had picked up even more and it was too chilly to be comfortable. Secondly, the bus was late and I really had to pee. Then again, none of that could be compared to the dreadful feeling I had after receiving that text from Declan. The knowledge that Mom had resurfaced was a relief, but to learn that she had important news to share with us was beyond unsettling. Needless to say, I dreaded finding out what doom awaited me at home.
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A/N: I know I said there wouldn't be an upload until the 14th, or 15th, but easily distracted as I am, while planning my uploads for the next few weeks, I messed up my upload schedule for this story and thus you get another chapter :) Next upload will be at the beginning of the week of the 21st.