Family Secrets - Part 8
When they got home Archie was still fuming, Duncan ran to his room and Shelley went to her visit her friend down the road. Archie dropped down into the lounge and stared straight ahead, Lexie sat softly on his knee and tried to read his thoughts.
Suddenly he spoke " You know I thought this was going to work out Lex. Moving to Australia, raising the kids here away from Glenbogle."
" It has" Lexie reassured him, rubbing her hand up and down his back
" I believed that, until this afternoon." Archie declared
" Archie, he's a teenager, he's just trying to find his place in the world. It was only one silly episode, I'm sure it'll pass."
" Hmm" Archie deliberated " I hope so. Why did he have to do it at the hotel?"
Lexie shrugged " Attention? I think he just got fed up Arch. He's been out of sorts lately, maybe we should just give him some space for a bit- not be too hard on him."
" I felt like throttling him" Archie replied, a slight chuckle in his voice
" I could tell" Lexie smiled
Archie looked at her sheepishly
" We'll talk about it more after tea." She declared, " Let's go for a walk to clear our heads"
Archie nodded and took her hand " We can grab a video and watch it later as well"
Lexie grinned, glad that her husband was starting to calm down " Okay"
" Let me just grab my top out of the beach bag, I don't need to get more burnt today."
Archie smiled and gazed at her still in her bikini top, with a pastel blue skirt.
" I like that look, I always have."
" You just like it because I can show more skin and still be considered decent," She teased
" Exactly" He agreed grabbing her around the waist and dragging her out the door without the shirt.
Duncan waited for his parents to leave before coming back down the stairs. He had a bag packed and grabbed some money from the spare change bowl on the bench, quickly scribbling a note and leaving it on top.
Carefully he snuck out the back door and walked down the hill towards the bus stop. When the bus came he paid the driver and sat down at the back.
He got out his mobile and wrote a message to his friend Rob, that consisted of- ' Hey mate- u home?'
Five minutes later a reply came of 'Yeah, wanna com ova?'
Duncan smiled, brilliant – 'I'm on my way. Meet u Pommy Hill 1:45'
He had just finished typing his reply as the bus pulled up to the station. He hopped of, thanking the driver, and waited for the 140 to Raymond Terrace,
40 minutes later he stood on the path leading to Pommy Hill with Rob.
" What's up?" Rob asked as the walked back to his place
" Not much" Duncan replied, " I just had to get out of the house you know"
" Yeah tell me about it" Rob agreed as they rounded the corner.
The dog in the yard they walked past started barking and Rob yelled out " Ah shut up" before continuing " So you staying for a bit or what?"
" Yeah if that's okay"
" Fine by me. Got nothing better to do"
They walked up the street and stopped outside Rob's house as he pulled out his keys and opened the door.
" Do ya parents know you're here?" He asked, leaving the leaving the door open but shutting the screen to let in the breeze and keep out the flies
" Um, not really. I left them a note." Duncan answered
" You can ring them later. Mum'll probably make you."
" Yeah I spose" Duncan groaned, dumping his bag in the hall
" Carn" Rob declared, " Let's go down the park and play some cricket with the boys"
Duncan smiled " Yeah, that'd be beaut"