Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter I hope you enjoy, please let me know your thoughts as always, thanks, Kayxxx :)
Home for the holidays – Chapter four
"Ethan, what's your favourite Disney movie?" Lachlan asked from the back of the car.
"I'm not really a Disney fan" Ethan replied keeping his eyes on the road.
"Cal said your favourite is Frozen" Lachlan told him.
"It's the only recent one I've seen I think" Ethan admitted.
"Didn't you see it with Honey?" Lachlan asked.
"That's right" Ethan replied again baffled by how much this child knew about him.
"Have you ever seen Peter Pan?" Lachlan asked.
"Ah yes I think I have, what a load rubbish, a boy who never wants to grow up who can fly and lives with a fairy and a load of little boys who spent the entirety of their time fighting a pirate with a hook for a hand who is scared of a crocodile that tics. I don't know what the writer was on when he came up with that but I can imagine these days we'd end up treating him in the ED" Ethan joked to Cal who didn't seem amused, "the true story behind it though is rather disturbing" he stated, Cal gave him daggers as he parked the car outside his flat.
"What do you mean?" Lachlan asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Well Peter Pan is actually the Angel of death-" Cal cut him off.
"Yeah well Lockie is talking about the Disney movie not the true story." Cal snapped.
"The Angel of what?" Lachlan asked confused.
"The Angel of-" Cal cut Ethan off again.
"Nothing Lockie" He said as they made their way up stairs with their bags.
"Peter Pan is my favourite, he's awesome" Lockie grinned.
"Is it true that you slept with your comfort blanket until you were thirteen?" Lachlan asked with a smirk.
"Is there a thing Cal hasn't told you about me?" Ethan huffed as he put the key in the door.
"Nope, Cal's the best big brother ever" Lockie replied as he high fived Cal.
"And you're the best little bro" he replied as he ruffled Lachlan's blonde hair.
Ethan's blood boiled instantly, it was as though they had set out on their travels to purposely make Ethan seem so small that they could trample all over him.
Ethan walked in first and switched the light on, Cal followed closely behind and placed the bags on the floor but that was the furthest he got before he completely froze on the spot, "Ah I it's good to be...back" his voice trailed off slightly as he scanned the room.
"Why is your living room pink?" Lockie asked confused.
Realisation grew over Ethan instantly, he'd began to become blind to the feminine colour on his living room walls "Ah I um, haven't got round to decorating after-" Cal cut him off suddenly.
"It's fine" He told him.
"If you gave me some warning of your visit I would've painted" Ethan explained.
"It's fine, really" Cal replied unenthusiastically.
"You never answered my question Nibbles, why is your living room pink?" Lockie pushed.
Ethan looked towards Cal for him to explain but he shook his head at him, meaning he didn't want Lockie to know about Matilda and cause Ethan to think on the spot, "Well, um, that's because, um..." he struggled to find an answer.
"Honey's favourite colour was pink" Cal butted in.
"Ah so she lived with you?" Lachlan asked.
Ethan looked at Cal confused, "No she-" Cal cut him off.
"Yes, yes she did" Cal pushed.
Ethan was as confused as ever, "Right I'll go and get your bedroom ready" he said changing the subject.
"I've never been so tired in my life" Lockie yawned, "we've been awake a full day, do you reckon that's a world record?" He asked.
"Here" Ethan tossed him is phone; "sit on the couch and Google it whilst I sort out your room" he suggested.
"Cheers" Lockie smiled as he took a seat on the couch.
"Cal do you fancy giving me a hand?" Ethan asked giving Cal daggers; this would be the perfect opportunity to have a conversation with Cal about Matilda alone.
"Actually, I'm just going to run down the shop" Cal stated.
"What? Why?" Ethan snapped.
"I don't think we packed our toothbrushes" Cal explained.
"Yeah we did! Mum bought us new ones remember?" Lockie called over from the couch.
"I can't remember packing them" Cal shrugged.
"I packed them that's why! And before you ask I definitely did!" Lockie told him.
"I'll go get some just in case" Cal decided as he edged back towards the door.
"Cal I've got spares in the cupboard in the bathroom you can have, there's no point in going out now you need your sleep" Ethan replied.
"Look I'm going out!" Cal snapped and stormed out of the flat slamming the door shut behind him.
"What's wrong with him?" Lachlan asked not taking his eyes off Ethan's phone.
"I have no idea, anyway, did you find out what the world record is?" Ethan asked changing the subject.
"No I'm playing minecraft on your phone instead it's like my favourite game ever!" the boy replied, sticking his tongue out in concentration.
"Try and get me past that level whilst you're at it" Ethan joked and hurried out the door after Cal, "Cal!" he shouted after him.
"What?" Cal shouted back.
"Have you seriously not mentioned Matilda? You've lived with them six months!" Ethan stated as he caught up to him.
Cal held his head down, "I didn't know how" he admitted.
"What but you managed to tell them everything about me? What have you told them about you?" Ethan asked concerned.
Cal shook his head at him and turned to walk away, disappearing down the stairs he'd not long come up.
"Caleb!" Ethan shouted after him and then walked back to his door with a sigh of disappointment.
"Where's he gone?" Lachlan asked.
"Probably gone to get drunk somewhere" Ethan scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous Nibbles, Caleb doesn't drink" Lachlan laughed at the thought.
Ethan looked at the boy confused, "Cal? Not drinking? Why Cal has been drinking since he was about your age" he thought to himself but he kept his mouth shout there was obviously a reason why Cal had told them he doesn't drink and remained sober for six months...It didn't sound like the brother he knew, though he didn't have a brother anymore so maybe he didn't know him as well as he figured. He shrugged it off and went to fix the spare bedroom for the two to stay in for the holiday knowing how little time it would take if Cal would have just informed him of the visit in advance.
A good half an hour later, bedding changed, the place dusted and ready for guests Ethan walked back into the living room, "Right everything's sorted-" he was cut off when he noticed Lachlan slumped down on the couch flat out, "...Lockie?" he called but this only caused the boy to mumble something in his sleep and bury himself more into the couch, "Great" Ethan sighed and took his phone from his gentle grasp, "level 25? Maybe he's not as annoying as I thought" Ethan joked to himself before walking into the kitchen and opening up a new text to Cal.
"Cal, where are you? The last time I checked the shop was a two minute walk to the bottom of the road...I'm not here to be a babysitter for Lachlan during your stay, please bare that in mind. Ethan."
Just as he hit send he head a phone beep from the table "Oh, great." Ethan muttered as he found Cal's phone. It was evident he hadn't gone to get new toothbrushes; perhaps his texts could point him in some direction. Straight away he found out off Max,
"Come round to ours for a few drinks and a catch up – Max"
To which Cal replied to the text with: "I'll be there"
"Well, Cal's definitely back" He huffed and looked over at sleeping Lockie. He actually felt slightly sorry for him, he grabbed a blanket he had just laid out in the spare room and gently placed it over the boy on the couch.
Ethan decided to make himself some dinner, which he sat at the table and ate whilst Lachlan slept. A good hour later he put on some music as he started the washing up, he'd actually completely forgotten about the sleeping ten year old on his couch as he turned up the volume of the song "please come home for Christmas" by Charles Brown and joined in singing as he dried the plates.
It was only when he heard a voice shout "Cal!" did he realise he wasn't alone, however hearing this startled him half to death and he dropped the plate he was currently drying causing it to shatter beneath his feet.
"Lachlan?" He called as he hurried to the living room, "Did I wake you?" he asked.
"Where's your bathroom?" Lachlan asked frantically.
"Through there to the left" Ethan pointed, "what's wrong?" He called after him followed by the sound of Lachlan heaving into the toilet.
"Knock knock..." Ethan said as he entered the bathroom to find Lockie kneeled down before the toilet, "everything okay?" he asked as Lachlan vomited again into the toilet bowl "...perhaps it's the jet lag? I've known cases like this before, some people feel it more physically than others, I'm sure you'll be fine. I'll go and get you a glass of water" Ethan explained reassuringly.
"The doctors said I was getting better" Lachlan cried.
"What doctors?" Ethan asked confused, the boy didn't reply "Lachlan?" he asked as he kneeled down beside him.
"I want Cal" he cried as he backed away from Ethan.
"He's not come back yet and he's left his phone" Ethan explained "Lachlan are you ill?" he asked concerned.
"No I'm better; the doctors said I'm better enough to fly" Lachlan whimpered as tears poured from his eyes.
"Are you on medication?" Ethan asked.
"...Yes" Lockie replied reluctantly as he heaved once more into the toilet.
"Do you know what it's called Lockie?" he urged.
"I want Cal!" He cried.
"Okay I'll try and get in contact with him" Ethan promised and pulled out his phone.
"Max? Is Cal there?" He asked.
"Nooooo, why would he be here?" Max slurred in reply followed by a few drunken giggles in the background and a "shush" which obviously belonged to Cal.
"It's an emergency" Ethan continued.
"Well he's not here I'm sorry" Max continued his act, but the giggling in the background stopped.
"It's Lockie" Ethan told him.
"What's up?" Cal was at the phone instantly now sounding completely sober.
"He's vomiting, but he keeps talking about how the doctors say he's better and that he's on medication but he won't tell me anymore, he's crying for you Cal but I don't know whether I should take him to the ED or-" Cal cut him off.
"No just keep him there I'll be home now" he told him frantically.
This meant going against his gut and this was something Ethan never felt comfortable doing, "But Caleb-" Cal cut him off again.
"Tell him I'll be there with him" He spoke determinately down the phone and the line went dead.
"Don't worry Lockie, Cal's coming home now okay?" Ethan smiled as he rubbed the boy's back.
