Chapter 4: Back to the Present

14th December 2021 (Back in the present)

Freddie sighed as he looked up from the television screen, he turned when he heard the loud screech from downstairs. "Hang on Zac, someone is killing someone down stairs," He spoke down the headset. "Won't be long, feel free to carry on without me." He went to stand but Zac shot a quick reply.
"I'll pause it, need my buddy to get through this level. I'm rubbish at this game."
Freddie laughed. "Won't be long." He ripped the headset off his head and threw open his bedroom door before he traipsed downstairs.

Troy was stood leaning on the door frame watching as Gabi tried to pull Ella-Grace off McKenna who had just walked into the room to grab a book. He chucked as the two girls screamed at each other.
"Ella let go, I was just grabbing a book." McKenna cried. "There was no need to bite me!" She tried to grab Ella's hair but Gabi pulled her back.

"McKenna Rose, we do not, I repeat, DO NOT pull hair!" Gabi yelled.

"SERIOUSLY?" She shot back. "ELLA BIT ME, AND YOUR YELLING AT ME."

"I didn't see it, but because you answered me back. You can have a time out young lady."

McKenna bent down and picked up her book. "Gladly Mother." she responded as she strolled out of the room and passed Troy, who was stood trying not to laugh. She passed Freddie on the stairs as she made her way into her bedroom.

Gabi sighed as she heard the bedroom door slam. "McKenna Rose Bolton, Laundry room, you know the rules!" she called. She sighed again as she collapsed onto the sofa. Ella-Grace attempting to climb into her lap.

"Cuddle Mommy," she stated as she pulled herself into Gabi's lap, throwing her arms around her mothers neck and burying her face into her shoulder.

Freddie stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Everything alright Dad?" he asked. "Anyone dead?"

Troy turned to look at his eldest son. At 11 years old, Freddie was the spitting image of Troy, and he truly had the Bolton blue eyes. "Everything is alright buddy, I think Ella-Grace had a misunderstanding with McKenna."

Freddie nodded. "She has a misunderstanding with everybody once a week."

Troy chuckled. "Can you do me a favour bud?" Freddie nodded. "Can you go tell McKenna to go sit in the laundry room for 6 minutes before your mother loses her mind."

Gabriella appeared at the door. Ella-Grace hanging off her hip. "I'm not going to lose my mind." she calmly told Troy. "McKenna!"

McKenna slowly walked down the stairs. "Alright I'll sit in the laundry room, but I'm keeping the book." She told them. Gabi just pointed in the direction of the room and followed McKenna, as she began to walk to it.

"How does Mom do it?" Freddie asked Troy who shrugged in response. "Right. I'm going back upstairs to finish playing with Zac." he turned to climb the stairs as Troy turned to head back into the kitchen. "Actually, I need to ask you guys something." Troy stopped in his tracks as Gabi re-emerged from the kitchen, Ella-Grace being switched to her left hip, and was playing with Gabi's dark curls.
"What do you want sweetie?" Gabi asked.
"Well I was um, wandering if I could maybe go to Zac's instead of going to the party?" He looked hopefully between the two parents, but it was Ella-Grace who gave the first reply.

"No!" she called as she tugged on Gabi's hair.
"Ella, please don't tug on Mommy's hair or I'll put you on the ground." Gabi said softly to Ella.

Troy turned to his wife. "Well, what do you say sweetheart?"
Gabi shook her head. "Sorry buddy, but it's a no, I need you here to help out."
Ella gave an evil like chuckle, but Gabi bounced her gently to silence her.

Freddie hung his head. "It's not fair." he mumbled as he began to climb the stairs, stopping half way to turn back and shoot "Logan's got Vanessa coming round."
Gabi nodded. "Yes, so does Zac want to come over as well?"
Freddie looked hopeful. "Can he?"
Troy nodded. "We'll need the extra help."
Freddie smiled. "Thank you so much!" he cried. "I'm gonna go ask him now." and he rushed off up the stairs.

Ella-Grace squirmed within Gabi's grip. "Go Play Mommy." she cried. "Want to go play." Gabi only tightened her grip on Ella.
"How about you come help Mommy cook tea?" She tried to sound enthusiastic, but she really didn't want Ella to start up another argument.
"No help Mommy," Ella whimpered. "Cuddle Mommy," She turned and rested her head on Gabi's shoulder. "Love Mommy," she whispered, then she picked up her head. "Play with Mommy?"

Troy smirked. Ella-Grace was sucking up to Gabi to get her to play. Troy held out his arms. "How about, you come play with Daddy, whilst Mommy sorts out McKenna and dinner?"
Ella thought for a moment before she leaned forward and Gabi transferred her into Troy's waiting arms, before Gabi turned and went back through the kitchen into the laundry room where McKenna was sat on the wooden chair reading a book.

"You know the whole idea of time out is to sit there and think about your actions for the time limit right?" Gabi asked the girl as she came to kneel down in front of her.

McKenna shrugged and closed the book, lowering it to rest in her lap. She looked up at Gabi, her brown eyes searching her mothers exact same ones. "I'm sorry Mommy," she leant forward and threw her arms around Gabi pulling her into a tight hug.

Gabi pulled back and looked at McKenna. "Do you want to help Mommy with dinner?" McKenna nodded eagerly. "Great, can you set the table for me?"

McKenna jumped off the seat and rushed to the draws. 'At least I have one helpful child...' Gabi thought.

*Upstairs with Freddie*

"Back," Freddie stated as he put the headset over his ears, and pulled the microphone down to his mouth. He picked up his controller as Zac un-paused the game.
"What took you so long dude," Zac said. "You were gone for ages."
"Oh, I asked Mom and Dad about coming to yours, they said no but they invited you over here."
"Awesome!" Zac yelled down the phone.
Freddie chuckled. "Does mean that'll you'll have to dress up. It's Disney theme this year. Ella-Grace's request."
"Of course it was." Was Zac's reply before the two boys fell silent.

10 minutes later Zac spoke. "Freddie I've got to go, I'll talk to you later. See ya." with that he logged off.

Freddie sighed and turned off his television screen and got up to turn the gaming system off. He stood up as Logan appeared at the door.
"You busy?" she inquired. Freddie shook his head.
"What can I do for you little sis?"
"I'm bored." Logan admitted. "Mom did put a movie on downstairs, but I've seen it like a million times and I was wandering if you would do something with me?"
Freddie smiled at Logan and went and picked up his basket ball. "This what you had in mind?" he asked as Logan smirked and nodded.

He threw the ball over to her and she caught it. "Shall we see if Dad will play?" she asked.
Freddie shrugged, "He might," he offered. "But I think he's with Ella-Grace. Either that or Mom's still got her."
"Oh right," Logan said a little disappointed. "Well, in that case, we can have a one on one match." She twirled the ball on her finger. "I'm so gonna win." she challenged as she rushed off down the two flights of stairs and out the back to the tarmacked area with the basket ball hoop.

Freddie laughed and followed his sister, but he ran into Maebh at the back door. "You alright Mae?" he asked his younger sister.
The girl just shrugged and sighed. "I can't find Ella-Grace, Freddie" She looked up at him. "She's got my Elsa doll, and I want it back."

Freddie looked at Maebh and went to reply as Ella-Grace emerged from Troy's office. "Maebh!" she called. "I've got your Elsa doll!" she chanted as she stuck out her tounge.
Maebh stuck out her bottom lip, and Freddie knew she was about to cry. "Daddy," she wailed before she burst out into a round of horrible sobs. Troy ran out into the hall, swiftly taking the doll from Ella's grasp as he passed her. He handed it to Maebh, who stopped crying and walked off into the lounge, before he turned to Ella, who too was about to cry.

"Ella, that was Maebh's dolly, where's your Cinderella one?" he asked. Ella shrugged and stuck her thumb in her mouth and held out her other arm, indicating she wanted to be picked up. Troy bent down and lifted Ella-Grace into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Daddy thinks your getting tired baby girl." he said to her before turned to Freddie, who was heading towards the back door. "You alright?"

Freddie nodded. "Yeah, going to go play some basket ball with Logan." He turned and opened the back door but stopped when Troy called his name.

"Freddie!" Troy called to his son, who turned to look at him. His Bolton blue eyes searching his. "You guys get started. I'll be out in a few when I've got Ella settled either in the lounge or with your mother."

A big smile spread over Freddie's face. "Great. thanks Dad!" he called before he ran out to Logan, who was practising shooting hoops. "Lo!" he called. "Lo! Dad said he'd come play. He actually said he'd come play!"

Logan caught the ball as it dropped through the net and she turned to him. "Are you sure, I mean he never has time to play with us. He's either away working or the little ones are keeping him and Mom busy. It's so hard to spend time with them." she moped.

Freddie went up to his sister and batted the ball out of her hands. "So, whose going to have Dad on their team?" he asked as he dribbled the ball up to the net. "How about a 5 minute game, and winner gets to have Dad." Logan raised and eyebrow before she tackled her brother.

"You are so on."

*Back Inside*

Troy carried Ella-Grace through into the living room, where Cameron was still sat watching the film and Maebh was sat in the corner by her Frozen castle, playing with her frozen dolls. He walked over to the sofa and sat down on it before he shifted Ella so she was sat on his knees. She leant into him and Troy gently rubbed her back. "Mommy," she mumbled quietly and Troy sighed. Shifting Ella to his hip, he stood and carried her into the kitchen where Gabi was leant up against the counter with a bottle of water.

Ella-Grace rubbed her eyes as Troy passed her over to Gabi. She snuggled into her mother as Gabi kissed the top of her head.

"She's getting tired." Troy told his wife, as Ella let out a contented sigh. "Anyway, I said I'd go play basket ball with Logan and Freddie for a bit." He gave Gabi a quick kiss. "Call us when dinners ready." Gabi nodded as he left and she turned to McKenna.
"You can go watch T.V now sweetie, the table looks lovely."

McKenna nodded and skipped out of the room.

Gabi kissed Ella-Grace's temple as her eyelids began to droop shut. "Come on baby girl. Let's finish getting dinner ready, then you can eat and finally you can go to bed." With that she held onto Ella with one arm whilst she turned and finished getting the dinner sorted, for the hungry family she had to feed.