daylight\\5 seconds of summer
Luke tapped his foot on their wooden floors. He was standing only inches from their downstairs bathroom as Michael took a few tests.
He could see Nick and Alex watching something on the television set from the corner of his eye. He kept getting more and more nervous as the time went on. When the timer on Michael's phone let off a terrible noise, Luke knew it was time.
He opened the golden door handle, stepping in without a single word from either man. Michael was sitting in the bathtub, unwilling to stand up and look at the results. He watched Luke stand at the countertops, the six tests placed in a row. He watched his husband's silhouette, his sloped nose breathing in and out deeply, his blue eyes scanning of the six small screens. He bit his lip as he looked over at Michael, "Positive," he said, "Every single one."
Michael had no reaction, he was not happy nor sad. He was maybe relieved—no meds plus he knew he wasn't dying of kidney failure, now.
Luke picked up the white and purple tests, throwing them in the side garbage can. He clenched his jaw as he left the bathroom. He was stomping up a storm as he made his way to the living room, plopping own on the couch in a huff. He grabbed the remote for the television, clicking it off, then grabbed Michael's journal.
"Come on, Mike," he called, "Let's get this over with."
Their two kids looked at them with large, scared eyes. The last time those words were spoken, it was to tell them Michael was going off his medication. Luke couldn't figure out why the older man hated those few pills so much.
Mike had his head down as he came into the living room, he sat on the couch, his entire demeanor upset. He was like a four year old kid, Luke wouldn't be surprised if he crawled under a table in a few seconds.
"Are you gonna tell them?" Luke asked, one eyebrow raised, both arms crossed.
Nick furrowed his eyebrows as he clicked off his phone, "Are you guys getting divorced?"
"He's pregnant," Luke responded.
"Ew—but you're only a few rooms down from—ew, oh my God, I'm going to throw up," Alex said in a rush. She didn't want the thought of her father's doing it in her head.
Michael's back was bent as he leant forward, putting his head in his hands. "It was Ashton," he tried to defend.
"Ashton is you," Luke responded. Any sympathy and patience he had quickly left.
Nick corrected him, "Actually, Ashton is only a part of his mind. That means that it could be the bad part that normal brains can control. No offense, Dad."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Mike, I don't know what we're supposed to do."
Michael shrugged his shoulders, he didn't have an answer. He never had an answer. He was always floating through life lost.
"I hope it's a girl, I always wanted a baby sister," Alex said, off in her own world.
Luke looked at his family, he was the only one angry. Nick was deep in thought, Alex was dreaming of a baby sister, and Mike was crying. Typical night in the Hemmings-Clifford household.