Im sorry this update is so long overdue! Im Nearly at the end of my A Levels! So come Wednesday I will be done and regular uploads will resume! But here is the next chapter enjoy! Madeleine
Chapter 24
It was half term and Rob's teenage nephew Archie was staying with them for the week. His mum, Kate was really struggling at the minute with raising a teenage son, holding down a job as a single parent and dealing with the loss of her husband. Rob had always had a strong bond with Archie so had happily helped Kate out. However Archie wasn't being the considerate eldest nephew who would play with Harry or help out Rob with lunch or the gardening, even feed Darcy a bottle. No. He had definitely been taken over by the teenage devil. Karen had been woken up by Darcy early and they had both fallen back to sleep, darcy snuggled in her mummy's arms.
Rob as usual was a saint and sorted out Harry and Jess who were in a much more hyper mood with it being the holiday's and the presence of Archie, except being a teenager he wasn't actually up yet.
"I want to go play with Archie!" Harry muttered through his mouthful of toast.
"When he's up bud I'm sure he will" rob looked at the clock, 10am. He didn't want to wake him up because that would mean grumpy teenager and bossy uncle, but it was getting on a bit now. Rob decided on some quality time with Jess and Harry, so he made up their den in the lounge and told them funny stories. Distinct teenage stomps could be heard coming down the stairs.
"Really what are they, babies?" were the first grunts out of Archie's mouth this morning. Rob scooted out of the den.
"Slightly uncalled for no? There's some toast for you in the kitchen"
"Nah. Got any bacon?"
"If you make it yourself" rob replied back quickly. He'd always had a strong relationship with Archie but he was really beginning to test him today.
"I think Rob's dens really cool" Harry got up and sweetly but lately defended his little hangout.
"Well you would" snapped back Archie before running up the stairs, slamming the door of Harry's room shut (Jess and Harry having been forced to share while he visited) followed by the distinct sound of his blaring iPod.
Karen woke to the sound of a screaming baby in her ear.
"Ok Darcy, come on you" karen sat up her head banging, as she soothed Darcy whilst making her way out of their bedroom to see what was going on. She noted Archie's music and headed down to find Rob. Karen was close to Archie , they got on but she didn't feel it was her place to discipline him.
"Mummy!" Jess wrapped her arms around her mummy's waist and squeezed her little sister's hand.
"Didn't know you were awake?" Rob asked shocked, feeling bad for not having made her breakfast.
"Well I wasn't, can you honestly not hear the racket?"
Rob sighed
"That boy is seriously testing my patience this morning" rob went to storm out of the room and Karen quickly grabbed his wrist.
"Wait, calm down"
"He's already been horrible to Harry this morning and rude to me. He knew you were asleep."
"Rob, calm down. I think this may just be a bad day" Karen tried to get rob to understand that the grumpy teenager may be having a day where he really missed his dad.
"I'm gonna go sort him out"
"But don't be too hard on him yeah" Karen called after rob as he mounted the stairs.
Karen turned round to see her children playing sweetly, Harry in his den pretending to be a dinosaur in his cute dressing gown and Jess dancing around Darcy's strawberry shortcake to make her little sister giggle. Karen lay Darcy down under her play gym and she instantly kicked out with excitement. Jess and Darcy sweetly played together, Jess even sweetly tickling her belly as Karen nicked the cup of tea rob had made for himself. Serves him right for not leaving her any breakfast she thought.
Rob burst open Harry's bedroom to see Archie sprawled across his bed with his headphones in his phone.
"Really! So we are going to play how quickly can we piss off uncle rob this morning then?"
Rob's buttons had well and truly been pressed by Archie, who hadn't even heard his annoyance. Rob turned off the iPod that had been blaring out and removed his nephew's headphones.
"What's going on with you today Arch? Seriously it's one thing after another, why don't you just come and chill with us in the lounge"
"I'm not going in their den!"
"Fine, you don't have to! But don't be so horrible. Harry's only little, you're usually so calm around them all what's gotten in to you today"
"Well maybe if you all got off my back!"
"Don't bother even leaving this room till you've dropped this attitude. Ok" rob left the room abruptly sick of the sight of Archie. He jumped in the shower just needing time to himself.
Karen had sat Darcy up on her knees facing her, as she blew raspberries on her belly. Darcy was in hysterics.
"Is that funny? Is it?" Karen kissed her little cheek. Jess had sat down next to them holding her Minnie Mouse as she watched some morning cartoons snuggled into mummy as her little brother ran destruction on the living room. Minnie Mouse was just high enough for Darcy to snatch in her hand.
"I think that one might be Jess's Darcy." The little girl used all the concentration to pull it towards her mouth.
"No Darcy, not Jess's toy. Sorry Jess think she may be a bit slobbery" Darcy grunted in dissatisfaction of not getting her own way.
"Aye you, you've already stolen one of Jess's toys. We don't want you to think you're spoilt!" Karen kissed her little girls cheek before placing her back in one arm so she could also cuddle Jess. As she enjoyed this peaceful moment Harry decided to start throwing out the remaining toys followed by army sounds.
"Ok I think mummy would actually quite like it if she could still see the living room floor, Harry" Karen tried to deter him from his carnage making.
Suddenly one toy came in the girls direction, narrowly missing little Darcy.
"Harry stop, you'll hurt somebody." Karen stayed calm knowing Harry was playing and she was rather enjoying watching his imagination flow. Darcy grumbled a little,
"You're ok, it was just a bit of a shock. Shall we go see where your daddy's got to aye" Karen got up to leave the living room.
"I want the living room to be clean by the time I get back, that means all of the toys go back in the den and the pillows on the sofa please." Harry grumbled as he threw his toy up in the air dramatically.
She reached their bedroom to find Rob having got dressed and now lying on top of their bed covers looking visibly stressed.
"What's up?" Karen perched down laying Darcy next to her daddy.
"Archie"
"What happened?"
"I don't understand what's up with him today. He's rude, he boisterous"
"He's a teenager whose lost his dad Rob"
"But he was never like this not even when he first lost his dad"
"Well sometimes we can take a while to process everything. You still have your days where it's tough and you feel angry that he was taken from you."
"I just don't know how to reach him, Kate said he was looking forward to this week, to seeing us all" rob was so fed up.
"Well why don't you ask him what he wants to do?"
Darcy interjected with an abrupt sneeze. It made rob laugh which Karen was relived. Rob scooped up his little girl above his head making her giggle.
"Careful rob"
"Mummy doesn't trust me Darcy"
"Oi, you know I do" rob teasingly threw Darcy a little way into the air and caught her
"That wasn't even funny" Karen replied looking at rob seriously, but her eyes still brimming with the love she had for rob.
"Think that means we need to hold out on the somersault for later, Darcy"
Rob loved teasing Karen
"Don't even joke about it." Karen had managed to calm Rob down so he could try to get through to Archie one last time.
He knocked on the door before hearing the distinct grumble of teenager.
Archie had gotten dressed and seemed a lot calmer.
"Sorry for snapping at you" rob said with crossed arms stood in the doorway.
"Sorry I was rude, I just. Sometimes." Rob could see how suddenly Archie's facade was being let down and all the feelings Archie was really feeling were being fought. Rob closed the door and sat down next to Archie.
"I'm sorry I didn't realise how hard you are finding this all. Grandma said you were doing well"
"I can hide it from Grandma pretty well too"
"noted" rob understood that he didn't want people to see him upset,
"I know how hard it is for her, I just don't want to make her sad"
"Aye, you need to let out whatever feelings you've got bottled up, because the longer you leave it the worse it's going to be."
"I know it's tough. It's not going to be easy, but we are all here for you, wherever and whenever you need us. I made a promise to your dad that I'd always be there for you, but you've got to help me out a bit"
"I'll cut you some slack Uncle Rob" Archie tried to tease before opening up to Rob once more.
"I just don't feel I can tell anyone how I'm feeling"
"Try me"
"You won't understand,no one does"
"Try me" rob insisted.
"I hate that dad dying has meant that mum's lost, she's not coping Rob. I've heard them Rob"
"Heard who?"
"The guys she brings home" Archie replied repulsed, scared and was shocked.
"I hate that she doesn't want me around when I really need her"
"Does grandma know about any of this?" Rob asked concerned. Archie shook his head.
"Sometimes she doesn't even get out of bed anymore, let alone make tea"
"Wait so you have to look after yourself?" Archie didn't respond knowing rob knew and could see his uncle's distress.
"You're telling me that you're having to deal with your mums grief and that means fending for yourself. What do you do when you get sad Arch?" Rob was so worried.
"I go to the skatepark"
"Does she worry?"
"She doesn't notice I've gone. She doesn't want me around Rob, that's why she sent me here."
Rob didn't reply he simply put his arm around his nephew and comforted him.
"Listen to me Arch, you have to phone me when this happens again. You're grieving too, your sadness is just as painful as your mum's. She loves you more than anything but she's finding it a bit hard at the moment. I think I'm gonna speak to Grandma, you need support around you at the minute, your mum needs help herself she can't do that for you at the minute."
"What are you saying Rob?"
"I'm jus saying that I think we may need to work out some kind of living arrangement with Grandma when you go home, just short term, till we help your mum get herself back on her feet" rob felt awful. He felt like he'd let them down, Archie especially.
"You know you can always call. I mean if you need me I'll be there." Archie nodded and squeezed his uncle, a hug was something he so desperately needed right now.
"Anyway let's make the most of the time you're here, karen says you can decide what we do. That's very rare, believe me" rob joked around with his nephew
"So what do you fancy?"
"Can we go over to the skatepark? We can take Harry! You have a cool skatepark that's not really rough" rob laughed at his nephews persuasion.
"Yeah I've taken Harry there before. So you up for a boys day yeah?"
"Yeah and then can we all have take out, pizza!"
"A boy after my own heart"
Rob ruffled his nephews hair before getting downstairs to tell Harry.
"I've been waiting in my den for you for AGGGGEESSSSS Rob!"
"Sorry bud was having a chat with Archie, who wonders if you want to go to the skate park with us"
Harry's eyes lit up.
"I'll teach you some tricks" Archie who was much more like his normal self, then turned around to Karen knowing her heart may have just reached her stomach
"Only basic tricks, he's got his elbow pads and his helmet, I'll look after him" Karen smiled.
"Thanks Arch."
The boys raced around getting ready, Archie was ready first and waited patiently in the hall whilst Rob went to grab Harry's skateboard and help him with his elbow pads and helmet.
"Oh Jess, my grandma gave me something to give to you" Karen hovered in the hall bouncing Darcy in her arms.
"Jess, Archie was talking to you" Karen called for her daughter.
"Sorry" she said sweetly brushing the hair away from the front of her face that had fallen out of her French plaits.
Archie reached into his bag that was in the hallway to pull out a sweet Angelina ballerina teddy.
"She hopes you get to keep this one, she even gave me the dvd to give to you"
"That's very sweet of her, we'll have to watch that while you boys are out" Karen replied as Jess swung the sweet teddy around,
"I want to be a ballerina"
"Well I'm pretty sure it helps if you actually do ballet" Karen replied sweetly to which Archie also laughed.
"Can I go to ballet?"
"If you'd like to" Karen smiled. Jess bounced off to the lounge sweetly, twirling round in circles.
Karen took the moment to have a heart to heart with Archie.
"I'm glad you're here"
"I'm grateful for you both having me"
"Don't be silly! You're always welcome! We are only ever a phone call away" Karen rubbed his shoulder as Harry charged through looking quite a sight bless him. "Let's go let's go let's go" he chanted,
"Careful Harry" Archie commented as he opened the door and led the way.
"Be careful won't you" Karen caught Rob before he followed.
"We will" he stroked his little girls cheeks endearingly.
"See he just needed a chat with uncle rob" Karen commented trying to show rob that Archie would be ok.
"Yeah we need to talk about that"
Karen looked at him concerned.
"I'll tell you later, once this lot are all in bed. Oh and I promised Arch pizza"
"Sounds good to me, always like the idea of not cooking" he gave Karen a loving kiss and gently tickled Darcy's belly before following the boys out. Karen was left with the company of a sweet gurgling baby and a hopeful ballerina, but she couldn't quite get rid of the worry that Rob had left her with. What was wrong? What was wrong with Archie?