Two days later, Ben walked in the living room to find someone searching through some cardboard boxes.
"Oh God," he said. "Susan! It's back!"
"Hi dad," Nick said, taking his head out of the boxes. "Miss me?"
"What are you doing? Or more correctly, what are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for anything valuable," Nick said, searching through the boxes again. He pulled out a plastic bubble-wrap bag and slid it on his hand. "I'm a genius."
"Yes, you'll make millions," Ben said, uninterested, sitting down on the sofa.
"You think?" he asked, pleased. "You see, dad, bubble wrap is the ultimate protection. If everyone wore these on their hands, papercuts and bruises on the hands would never exist again! I'll make a fortune!"
Ben stared at him in disbelief. "You haven't changed much, have you?"
"They might even elect me Prime Minister!"
"Oh no." Ben jumped up. "Nick; give me that!"
"Ah, so you're interested now?"
Ben stopped reaching for the bag and sat down again. "No, I was trying to test your bruise theory." He flicked on the television. "Put it over your head and..."
"Nick! You've arrived!" Susan said, entering the room and hugging him. "You got our letter?"
"No, I had a vision that you wanted me back," he announced proudly.
"Well, you're back. Goodbye," Ben said.
"You brought all your things..." Susan continued, looking worried.
"Not all of it," Nick corrected. "Just things that might be of sentimental value." He waved a lottery ticket and kissed it. "Five-hundred and fifty-sixth time lucky!"
"Oh Nick," his mother said, hugging him. "You're still as innocent as you always were."
"Oh, that reminds me. Dad, your car was towed earlier for parking outside the chip shop."
"I haven't even been--" Ben said, furious.
"Hi Nick," Michael said as he walked past and up the stairs.
"Ah, Michael... You're still the same young man..." Nick said after him. Then: "It's great to be back. I missed this sofa." He bounded on it, next to Ben.
"Get... off."
"Nick, you do know that we're going on holiday soon?"
"Home alone!" Nick said, punching the air.
"No, you're coming with us, dear," Susan corrected him.
"No he's not," growled Ben.
"Home alone!" Nick said again.
"Fine, fine, fine. You're coming, but we keep you on a tight leash." He glared. "Literally."
Nick is brilliant... unfortunately he's incredibly hard to recreate, but I tried. Please review this chapter too!
