Meredith hadn't felt too comfortable leaving the next morning. Both her and Mark had sat down and had a long conversation with Macaulay about the events of the evening, which had also included a long catch up on what exactly went down between the young couple.
There had been tears, there had definitely been tears, which was something Meredith wasn't exactly accustomed to when it came to her son. Macaulay had never been one to really cry. If anyone was a crier out of him and his brother it had definitely been Elijah who had dominated the tears and screams between the two from a very young age.
After eventually getting through his whole experience, Meredith couldnt help but hate Amelia a little for her actions. The young woman who was like a niece to her had broken her sons heart and had only returned because she had a baby on the way.
She thought back to the when her and Mark were in their early days. Their relationship had been eye opening for her, and she had fell hard. If it wasnt for Richard proving that love could survive over time. Their relationship had been challenged by so much, and yet they had survived, even when things looked like they wouldnt. From her hesitation at first, to her car accident, she was sure that everything had been thrown at them, and yet they had managed to survive. A relationship that was so young and yet proved to be so strong. She really wished for that her sons would find that. Unfortunately it seemed that so far either Macaulay hadnt found it - or Amelia was just fighting to see it.
Mark had to encourage her up to bed, he had picked her up from her chair and carried her up the stairs, proving to people that he still had the strength to care for his wife.
Macaulay had looked on longingly. He had thought that this thing he had wiith Amelia was much like what his parents had, but he couldnt help but doubt it now. Things had been so great this past year before she left, now he didnt know what was goingon or where they were at. A baby, he still couldnt get past the fact that they were going to bring one into the world.
Forcing himself to stand, after watching his parents disappear out of view, he moved towards the back yard, and down the ramp. He needed to talk this out. He really needed to talk this out, and there was only one person he could talk it out with, someone who could make him bouce his thoughts and help him make sense of them.
He looked back up to the house, to see his parents light switch off, and hear his mother giggle at something his father had obviously done.
Elijah had already gone home, and Chelsea was currently listening to music through her rather large headphones. He could see her through her window, sitting in front of her computer, obviously doing this latest thing that she's addicted to – fanfiction. He had heard her talk about it with their grandmother, telling her about how she is exploring her writing abilities by writing stories based on television shows. Their Grandma Ellis had said something like it being a "silly pointless activity" but Chelsea had argued that being able to express yourselves with words was just as important as slicing someone open.
Macaulay turned back to the corner of the yard, following the cement path to the seat that was there. The seat had been there from the time they were 3. It was explainedto them when they were five that if they wanted to talk to Michael that all they needed to do was sit on this seat and his spirit would sit beside them and he would hear everything that they had to say, and help them work out what they right thing would be for them to do.
Looking down at the plague on the back rest of the seat, he then proceeded to sit down, hoping that his brother would join him soon.
Closing his eyes, he rested his head back over the top of the seat, waiting a moment before he started talking.
"I dont know what to do?" he sighed. He felt his body relax, he had stopped feeling silly about doing this after a few years of thinking it was weird when he was a teen, and had returned to the easiness of it that he had experienced when he was younger.
"When we were in our uni bubble, it was working, everything seemed perfect and easy." He voiced as he then moved to lean forward, his head now resting in his hands. "a baby... mike... how are we supposed to bring a baby into the world when she doesnt even want to be with me...ahhhh where did i go wrong?"
Moving to stand he begins to pace back and forth. His eyes on the seat as if Mike is there watching him.
"How do I fix this. How do we do this. A baby Mike, a baby with her is excellent... is something i had dreamed... just not for now...not like this... how do i know she wont leave again... what does she even want from me now?" he asked as he again looked at the seat, moving back now to sit down.
He laid his head back on the seat again. Closing his eyes, he willed for Michael to give him an answer.
.............tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp...............
Macaulay woke with a start, feeling the morning chill wrapped around him, and the sound of the back sliding screen door slammming.
Pushing himself up, he wiped the drool from the side of his mouth and looked up to see his father walking out, two cups of coffee in his hands.
He barely had a chance to wipe the sleep from his eyes when the cup of coffee was held directly in his face.
Gratefully he took the mug from his fathers hands. He didnt bother to look up at him as he was sure he would see disappointment in his eyes.
He felt him sit down beside him moving to sit in a very similar way to which he was already sitting.
"You figure it out yet?" his father asked before taking a sip of his coffee, before letting out a refreshed "ahhhh"
Macaulay shakes his head in response before moving leaning back. His body was hating on him for having slept on Michaels bench.
"Do you know the last time you camped out here with Mike was when your mother had Chelsea. You came and sat out here to tell him how stupid it was that she had another kid, but then went on to decribe how cute she was." His father told him. "The next morning, you came running inside demanding that i take you up to the hospital and get Chelsea because she needed to meet Mikey right now." He added, a smile present on his face as he lost himself for a moment, remembering the insistent look on his sons face. Elijah having just been completely defiant in regards to having a sister at all. He had stomped his foot, refused to go to the hospital and then stated that "he didnt want a sister" and she needed to "go back to where she came from." He remembered wincing at the implications that of that thought.
Macaulay turns his head to the side to look at his father, he could see the reminsce look on his face. "What would you do?" he asked, hoping that his father would give him some guidance.
"I cant answer that." Was the reply he recieved, and he almost wanted to yell at his father. "But i do know that you obviously love her, and that while this kid isnt planned, its something you will do right by, so maybe you should, i dont know, see what she expects from you first."
Macaulay studied the look on his fathers face for a moment, before giving a nod.
Both moved into silence, as they continued to drink their coffee.
In mutual respect both finally stood, empty coffee mugs still in their hands. "I hope Mike helped you." Mark told him as he rested his hand on the top of the bench, remembering the many times he had come out here to sit and talk with his son. It seemed just talking about his situation, and being able to clear his head, assisted in making his decisions in a more easy – stress free manner.
"Yeah... i think he did" Macaulay replied, as he felt his fathers hand rest upon his shoulder.
"Come on, lets get you cleaned up so you can go sort this out." Mark said, giving his shoulder a slight squeeze. He knew that this was a hard position to be in, but could only have hope that this will only be one of the many challenges that the couple will overcome and that it will truly make them a stronger couple.
tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tp
Amelia sat on the park bench, looking out towards the ocean. She had always come here to play, and had to wonder whether her child would be playing here too. She had always loved this park, for the swings. She would always imagine swinging so high that she could maybe jump off the swing and fly over the ocean.
She looked at her watch, quickly checking the time. She had expected Macaulay to be here early. He had sms'd her half an hour ago to tell her that he was ready to meet her, and she had come straight here thinking that he would probably be eager to get here too.
Looking towards the car park, she could not see him, and with a great sigh, got up and moved towards the swings. She figured that while she still fit she should embrace the opportunity.
She sat down carefully, her slightly wider hips catching on the chains. She waited for a moment, letting her body adjust to the swing, and again looking around for Macaulay.
On giving up waiting for him she began to swing, pushing off of the ground. The seat moved slowly at first, before gradually gaining momentum.
So caught up in swinging, she didnt see the yellow jeep wrangler pull up in the car park, or the young man who climbed out from behind the wheel before reaching into the back for a parcel.
. - .
Macaulay looked at her with concern. He wasnt sure that this was really something she should be doing. He knew that women were not supposed to fly in their first trimester, and was clearly worried that this would be a similar thing.
He moved towards her quickly, wanting to stop her from swinging, especially if it could harm the baby.
Putting the parcel down on the ground, he quickly moved behind the swing to grab the back of the swing and quickly bring her to a stop.
"What the" Amelia cried, in the shock of the jolt, almost losing her balance on the seat.
"What are you doing?" Macaulay promptly asked, as he moved out from behind her to stand in front of her.
"Waiting for you." She said as she looked down, her eyes avoiding his.
"How... how do you want to do this?"he asked, as he reached to help her off of the swing.
"I... i dont know." She murmurs, only now bringing her eyes up to meet his.
"What do you want from me?" he asked her, leading her away from the swing, towards the bench.
"I dont know." She said quietly as she sat down on the bench.
"Do we... why did you..." he started but couldnt quite work out how to piece together the rest of the question.
"I dont know." She sighed, cutting him off.
"Well while you dont know, we have to work out what we are going to do now." He told her as he sat down beside her. "But i can tell you what i do know." He added, as he reached for her hand again. "I do know what i want. I want you. I want this baby. I want my life back. You can decide whether you want it too, and i will give you some time to decide. But ... Mom gave a speech at the start of my internship about how this is my turning point, and i'd like to think this." He said, as he moved his hand to rest on her stomach, his eyes coming up to meet hers. "this is ours." He told her earnestly, and was surprised to feel her lips suddenly upon his.