14

Thank you to islandsandstars and Cantanatova for your lovely comments, your support means a lot and I am glad you liked the previous chapter! I thought it might take me a while to update but I was pleasantly surprised by this chapter and I managed to pull some time back to write!

Scott could hear hammering in the distance, he groaned, rolled over and ignored it. Then the door smacked open, bouncing back off the wall as a blonde whirlwind ran in and snapped the curtains open. The sunlight burned Scott's retinas as he delved further into his pillows.

"Scott Damnit! Get up will you!" John shouted exasperated.

"What's up?" Slurred Scott.

"Well there's a Taxi coming down the driveway and I'm pretty sure Grandma is in it!"

"Fuuuccckk!" Scott bolted upright before wincing and cradling his hand. It was all coming back to him last night…. the boys… drinking… the fight. He'd forgotten Grandma was coming today! He scrambled out of bed at a rate of knots. He glanced down and realised he was still wearing his red dirt, dust stained clothes from yesterday. He swore again as John threw a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt at him with a grin. He knew it wasn't funny but - it kind of was. He'd never seen Scott so flustered in his life. His hair was stuck at all angles and he'd already buttoned up his shirt wrong twice before he realised what he was doing.

"You can stop grinning! Where the hell are your brothers?"

"I banged on all the doors on the way here, Virgil said he would get them ready."

"Well go check! you know Virgil's a heavy sleeper he's probably dropped back again!"

John's face blanched as he realised Scott was right before running out of the room. He heard the doorbell as he crossed the landing. Scott had one leg in his fresh jeans now, jumping up and down to shimmy into them quicker. The doorbell went again. By the time he had done up his belt and folded down his collar his grandma had used her own key to open the back door.

"Hello?" She cautiously called from the kitchen (No one ever used the front door in this house). She peered over her glasses. The kitchen still had plates from last night on the counter but the table was clear, where were they all? It was nearly eleven thirty! she'd made sure she wasn't too early. She started to walk towards the lounge to look out of the window, abandoning her suitcase by the back door as she did so. Maybe they were all out on the farm and she missed them on the way in?

The living room looked fairly tidy apart from the old patchwork quilt blanket that spilled on the floor from the brown leather couch. Grandma picked it up and folded it neatly before setting it down on the back of the couch which was set against the panelled wall. The coffee table had a few of the lad's devices sprawled across it, she wasn't sure who owned what. Her eyes roamed over the walls seeking her favourite pictures of her son, his wife and their boys. She tried not to well up at the sight of Lucy in the photo taken last Christmas. She was mid snow fight with the boys and Jeff had just crushed a snowball in her face. Frozen in time she gasped at Jeff her blue green eyes full of joy. Each of the boy's faces captured somewhere between mid-shock and amusement. Well except for Gordon and Alan who were engrossed in their own snowball fight just in front of their mom and dad. Alan was running for his dear life across the front of the scene and Gordon was slightly out of focus as he chased him down. Scott was crouched down with his arm around their old Golden retriever Bertie smiling at his family's shenanigans. John peeked over a massive bank of snow that he had been using for protection and Virgil was stood, snowball forgotten in hand. It was her favourite picture. She tried not to weep, her husband Grant had been the one to capture it. She sniffed; she promised she would be strong for Jeff and the boys. They didn't need her crying. There was a bang on the stairs which made her jump.

Scott crashed down missing the last step and almost breaking his neck in his rushed decent. He skidded into the kitchen before seeing his grandma's suitcase. He took a deep breath and walked into the lounge.

"Grandma!" Scott rushed over to give her a hug and stooped to give her a kiss. All the boys exceeded her height now. "How was your journey, can I get you a drink?"

"It was fine thankyou and I'll have a coffee please. Where is everyone else?" Grandma asked as she sat in the old armchair.

"Erm I don't know actually; I was just checking my emails and time ran away with me." Scott called over his shoulder as he poured out the hot water and busied himself with the coffee. He shouted in his best commanding voice "Guys! Grandma's here why don't you come down!"

Scott slammed the spoon on the counter with a bit more force than needed. It bounced on the floor. Dammit! He was nervous. He had meant to get up early to plan how to discuss this with his grandma and now she was here and there was no time! How on earth was he meant to tell her his dad, her son had been missing for four days? John hurried into the room. "Where are they?" hissed Scott under his breath.

"Well Gordon is with Alan in the bathroom…. it's pretty bad. Virgil is trying to get Alan to take some meds and water." John whispered. Well that's just great! Thought Scott. "Right take this to grandma." Scott thrust the mug at him.

"But-"

"No but's go! I'll be there in a minute!"

"What do I do if she asks about dad?!" squeaked John.

"Tell her he's gone away somewhere and that I'll explain once I've seen to Alan."

Scott ran off before John could utter another worded. He shuffled around the corner. "Grandma!" his face lit up with a smile as he saw her.

Scott got to the top of the stairs out of breath. He could hear the dry retching from where he stood. As he approached Virgil was stood outside leaning on the banister with his legs crossed at the ankles.

"How bad is he?" Scott questioned.

More vomiting sounds and a faint cry.

Virgil just looked at Scott out the corner of his eye, whilst Scott rolled his. "For fucks sake today of all days!" Scott looked stressed. He peeked around the door. To his satisfaction Gordon was cleaning up and nursing Alan as Scott had asked. Scott looked back at Virgil surprised.

"You said it was Gordon's responsibility, I only made sure Alan was given some meds and reminded Gordon of his duties."

"Its ok buddy, get it all out. Trust me give it an hour and you'll feel so much better for it. Then a nice greasy breakfast will sort you right out." Alan hurled into the toilet again. Gordon wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Maybe not the breakfast then." Gordon added.

"Have you got this?" Scott gestured to them.

Virgil just nodded not bothering to move from his position outside the open door.

Scott gently rubbed Alan's back. "It's alright Allie, I know it doesn't feel like it but Gordon's right. It will pass."

"I'm never drinking again." Alan replied weakly. Scott raised himself up throwing a knowing look at Virgil (Haven't we all heard that before?) Virgil chuckled despite of it all. If they didn't laugh today, they'd cry. Scott made to leave but Virgil grabbed his good arm. Scott looked at him confused.

"Your hair" Scott pushed past Gordon and looked in the mirror. Oh, wow what a mess! He quickly ran the tap and tried to smooth it down with some water. It would have to do.

Meanwhile in the lounge John was regretting getting up early, if he had stayed in his room like the others, he wouldn't be trying to make small talk with his grandmother who was quite obviously noticing something was off. She sipped her coffee with a measuring gaze directed solely on him. He was just debating prank calling his own phone when Scott walked back in. He sat back in relief.

"Sorry Grandma, Alan woke up feeling a bit rough this morning, I just had to go and check on him." Scott sat down on the sofa next to John.

"Oh no! is he ok? Does he need anything?"

"It's ok grandma, Gordon is keeping him company he'll be fine."

"Well if your sure…." She wasn't convinced. Both the boys looked strained and tired. Something was wrong here. Where was that son of hers for starters? Surely, he hadn't gone back to work already, he wasn't ready.

"Look Grandma I have to tell you something and well there's no easy way to say it but I need you to promise me that you'll hear me out. Let me get to the end, then I will answer any questions you may have." Scott leant forwards his forearms resting on his knees, hands awkwardly clasped together.

She set down her coffee and jumped off the chair with more agility than Scott had seen her muster in years. She had pulled her hand towards him before he had even had a chance to move it. "What on earth happened!" She turned his hand over and saw the old blood that had seeped through the heavy bandage. Crap! Scott internalised. He had just got the balls to say what he needed to say then the moment was ruined by his stupidity.

"It's nothing I just cut myself."

"It doesn't look like nothing, what's got into you boys? Is there anything else I should know?" she frowned. How could so much happen in less than a week?

"Please Grandma sit down and I'll explain everything." Scott pleaded. Now she knew something was wrong her eldest grandson never pleaded with anyone. She did as she was told. John was back to tapping his leg anxiously and twisting his hands together. He was nervous, he didn't like conflict. Grandma was definitely worried now.

Scott sighed How the fuck do I begin? "Grandma, Dad has been struggling since…. Well you know…. We tried to talk to him, get him to come out with us but he said he just wanted to be alone. So, we gave him space but called a doctor for advice. He talked to dad and dad obviously also told him he just needed time and space. So, the Doctor advised us it was quite normal after such a trauma and signed dad off work." Scott's palms had gone sweaty, the additional perspiration causing his wound to burn painfully.

"Grandma there's no easy way to say this and that's why we wanted to tell you in person but dad…. dad left and he hasn't come back." Scott delivered the news in the kindest way he could. He didn't have to tell her he had a breakdown. Not yet anyway. She looked so small sat in that armchair stock still, her expression unreadable. The old grandfather clock chimed twelve as the uncomfortable silence continued to chasm between them all. John couldn't take it anymore, he jumped up and embraced his grandmother. She remained unyielding for a moment before suddenly collapsing under the weight of her grandson and hugging him fiercely back. He perched himself on the arm of the chair and released his grip. He looked devastated. "We're so sorry Grandma we wanted to tell you but so much has happened lately we didn't want you to worry we hoped we could find him and bring him back before causing you more pain." A silent tear slipped down his cheek.

"Dad took off in the plane, he didn't say where he was going but we figured he just needed to clear his head. We tried to contact him but he'd left his phone here. We honestly thought he would come back." Scott supplied morosely.

Grandma's voice was shaky. "How long has he been gone?"

"Four days. I traced his plane to the Pacific Ocean not far from Malaysia and Indonesia. I've filed a missing persons report and been working with the local embassies to try and set up a search but they haven't been very forthcoming. I got dad's friend Captain Lee to fly out with a squad but they couldn't find anything. If nothing has come up by the end of the week, I'm heading out there myself and will finance our own rescue mission if we have to."

Grandma was crying she couldn't hold it in anymore. She'd been lost since Grant died her life was empty without at home without his presence, she had wanted to be strong and go home to give her son time to process his own loss with his family. Then she realised she just felt lonely and hoped her son may have her at his for a time, at least being around her grandkids would bring her comfort and save her from the loneliness. She realised she had been seeking reassurance by coming here being with people who knew exactly how much she had lost but now, now her only son was gone too! it was too much to bear. He must have been so depressed to just leave his sons like this, he couldn't have been well at all. She knew he had wanted space and Jeff had always known his own mind, there was no telling him when he had decided on a course of action. Her thoughts were broken by John offering her a box of tissues which she gratefully accepted with a shaky hand.

"You boys have been on your own all this time?" She looked at them in concern.

"It's ok Grandma, Scott has been looking out for us all and we are all adults. We can manage." John replied.

"But you shouldn't have too! Not while I'm still here! why didn't you ask for help Scott?" She looked hurt and Scott felt guilty, despite his best intentions he had upset her. It had been his overall decision not to tell her.

"I'm so sorry. We … I was just trying to protect you, losing grandpa…. We knew you'd be suffering enough and I really didn't want to worry you if Dad did come home after a while anyway and then you were delayed so I thought we'd just wait a little longer….it's not something I wanted to tell you over the phone." He swallowed uncomfortably.

"In the future promise me you'll tell me right away." He nodded.

"Now where are the rest of my grandsons?" At that point Virgil took it as his cue to enter followed by Gordon and a sickly pale looking Alan.

"Oh, my Alan! Your poor boy, you should be in bed!" She tried to get up again.

Virgil headed over and patted her arm. "Its ok grandma. He's not sick as such…. Just drank something that didn't agree with him." There! that wasn't exactly a lie! Closer they could stick to the truth the better. Scott's look said he approved. One mess at a time.

Alan caught a whiff of the fresh coffee which had him running out of the room to the downstairs toilet. "Excuse me." apologised Gordon as he dutifully left to see if his brother had made it in time.

"Right I want to know everything that's happened since the funeral." She sat up straighter in her chair.

Virgil looked worried; Scott looked anxious. They were going to be here for a while. John was glad for once that he wasn't the eldest.