"Vince!" exclaimed Howard with a mix of anger and delight "Get off me. You're too big to be jumping on people. You'll hurt me."
"No I wont." Vince laughed, taking another run up and landing softly on Howard's belly.
"Vincent!" called a woman's voice from down the hall "You had better not be disturbing Daddy."
"Of course not." the five year old shouted back happily as he took another run up launching himself high into the air and landing on the sofa next to Howard.
"You." Howard grinned grabbing the child and tickling him mercilessly "need to go and get ready."
"But I don't want to go to Aunt Shelia's" moaned Vince "She ain't even my aunt. She's just mummy's best friend from school. Why don't we ever visit your friends from school, daddy?"
"Ummm," Howard cleared his throat uncomfortably "Me and him, we lost touch." This wasn't completely a lie. He hadn't spoken to Vince since the argument at his wedding, that wasn't for lack of trying. Howard had gone to find Vince back last year, after being forced to watch a tragic chick flick with Maria, which had ended with two lovers who had been torn apart. He hadn't known what he would have done if he'd have seen Vince (probably argued), but it didn't matter because when he got there he found that the Nabootique had been replaced by a sweet shop. The shop owners had no idea what had happened to the previous owners but Howard had expected nothing more. Naboo had probably just upped and left one day after deciding he was bored with the shop. But Howard took this as a sign to tell him to give up on the hope he still had of finding Vince, it was obvious that wherever Vince was, he didn't need Howard and Howard was just about getting used to not needing Vince. He didn't need him, but he still thought about him everyday.
"Why did you lose touch, daddy?" asked the child, bringing Howard back from his daydream.
"Misunderstanding."
"Huh?"
"We stopped being friends." Howard explained.
"Oh, why?"
"I don't know, sometimes people just aren't meant to be friends." Howard sighed sadly.
"Oh. What was his name?"
"Ummm, Vince." Howard smiled, as the five year olds face lit up
"That's my name!"
"Yes it is." laughed Howard "Mummy liked the name." This wasn't a lie as such, Maria had liked the name so she hadn't put up much of fight when Howard had suggested it. "Would I have liked Vince?"
"Yes, you definitely would have liked Vince, everybody liked Vince."
"Except you?"
"Uhh," Howard stalled.
"Ready to go?" Maria asked popping her head round the door "Howard! He's not even dressed in his proper clothes, God you can be useless sometimes."
"Sorry" said Howard sharing a wicked glance with Vince.
"Mummy?"
"Yes darling?"
"Can I go on the karaoke machine at Aunt Shelia's?"
"I'm sure that will be fine." smiled Maria
"When I'm older I'm going to be a famous singer."
"Maybe you could sing Jazz like your mother." Howard suggested, bemused by Vince's announcement.
"No. I'm gonna rock like Jagger."
"Your five!" exclaimed his mother, "How have you heard of Jagger?"
"A teacher in school." explained the small boy "He comes in to teach us art once a week. He says that Jagger is his hero. But we didn't know what Jagger was so he took us on google to find out. Jonny thought it was a car but it's not it's a man. Jagger's so cool, he's my hero now too."
"Okay," chuckled Maria taking the child's hand "Let's go get you dressed."
Howard smiled to himself as Maria led Vince down the corridor towards the bathroom to wash his face. Vince was still babbling away.
"I love art mummy, it's my favourite subject and Mr Noir is so cool!"
I don't usually beg for reviews - but this is long so I'd just like to know if people have read it! Please review - it'll give you good Karma!
Love ya all!
Sisi…xx