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I may have broken an arm. This may slow down updates by one handed typing. It may speed them up as I can't do exercise or any other hobbies now. These two things may cancel each other out. We'll see.
Padraig was really getting on Declan's nerves now. He had been sulking ever since Dad and Ste had visited, and that was months ago now. Though Declan understood a bit, he couldn't see why Paddy didn't just get on with it and do what he was told, like Declan would have done at his age. And he was sure, if he'd been lucky enough to have an older brother, he would have been much politer. Every time Paddy was rude and selfish (which was all the time) he felt a little less guilty about being rude back. The hours alone with him today, at the airport, on the plane, were nearly driving Declan mad.
"Cheer up, will ye?" he exclaimed, when they were told to fasten their seatbelts to land in Liverpool. "Dad was well excited when I rang. He's taking us loads of places. And Cheryl's friend Lynsey lives with them; she's well fit, and she put a psychopath in prison. And they've got this friend, called Mitzeee, and she's like, a glamour model. Well she said she was. I haven't seen her in any magazines, but she's well fit too. And Ste's great fun, and he's much better at football than Dad. It's much more fun than Granny's."
This didn't seem to cheer Paddy up at all though, just make him a little more worried.
"Are we gonna have to see Ste?" he asked.
"Yes," replied Declan, in the voice you would use to talk to an idiot, because Paddy was being stupid "he is Dad's boyfriend."
Paddy pulled a face.
"Oh, get over it," Declan said, "Ste's great, and Dad really cares about him."
Paddy scoffed.
"Oh, whatever." Declan gave up and instead watched the ground get closer through the windows.
Their Dad was to meet them at the airport, and Declan found himself rushing Paddy along in eagerness, but as soon as they spotted him, on the other side of a barrier, they tried to look cool.
Dad didn't bother though. Instead, he opened his arms wide and shouted. "My boys!" and pulled them both into a bear hug the moment he could reach them. "God, it's good to see you two!" he said, and Declan wondered if he'd ever let them go. This was probably not doing his image any good.
"Gerrof!" Paddy said eventually, but Declan was relieved when it sounded purely like teenaged embarrassment rather than any sort of genuine revulsion.
"What, can't I cuddle my big boys anymore?" their Dad grinned, "Come on. Is all this yours? Jesus, how long ye here for? A year?"
Between them they got the two suitcases and their hand luggage out to their Dad's car. Declan and Padraig had a scuffle over who got the front seat (while their father just smirked and watched) which Declan won, naturally, and they all got in.
"Where's Ste?" Declan asked.
"Oh, Steven's at work. But we can have fun, just us Brady men, ey Paddy?" He grinned into the rear-view mirror. Declan couldn't see Padraig, who had sat in the seat behind him, but he could imagine the face he'd have made at the mention of Ste. His Dad didn't seem to notice anything wrong, though, and drove them home to drop off their stuff before taking them all out for a burger.
It was a relief how fun it was. Dad was a lot more relaxed than he had been last time Declan had visited, and Declan couldn't help but find his happiness contagious, even though his vegetarianism was the butt of a lot of the jokes. Even Paddy laughed along.
Declan wondered how long that would last. Maybe until they saw Ste? He hoped it wouldn't be too big a fuss.
Quite suddenly, during a joke about U2, Paddy stood up. He looked down at the other two strangely, and said "I've got to go to the toilet."
Their Dad didn't think any part of this was strange, just pointed him in the right direction, then put his full attention on Declan. "How are you doing, Declan?"
"Yeah," said Declan, "I'm alright."
"Breaking hearts?"
"Dad!" he exclaimed, embarrassed.
At that moment, Brendan's phone rang. He pulled it out and checked the number. "Ah, it's Steven. Give us a moment, Deccy."
He turned slightly in his chair, away from his son and answered it. "Hey you."
Declan couldn't really hear Ste over the noise in the restaurant, but he could hear his father's half.
"Oh, we're just having some lunch, so."
Declan skirted his eyes around the room, checking out some local girls. Some of them really were fit.
"They're fine," he heard his father say, "Declan, say hi."
"Hi Ste," Declan called at the held up phone.
"Did ye hear that?" Brendan asked back into the phone. He waited briefly for an answer. "He's just gone to the toilet. Chill out Steven, everything's fine!"
Declan smiled. That was such a normal sort of conversation. He hadn't been sure his Dad was capable of making normal conversation.
"Nope, not one healthy foodstuff in sight, Mr Hay."
Declan laughed along with his father.
"You know, I'm gonna miss you tonight," Brendan continued.
God, flirty conversation.
Declan looked away again as his father insisted it was 'fine' to talk like that in front of him to, he imagined, a very embarrassed Ste.
He spotted Padraig returning, hands in pockets, customary scowl in place, and knew something was wrong. He was walking from the front doors, not the toilets.
Declan had a moment of indecision. Should he point that out to Dad? Did it matter? What could he possibly be doing outside a fast food place in Chester? He didn't know anyone here.
Maybe Declan had imagined it. It wasn't far off the course from the toilets. He'd ask Paddy before he mentioned it to Dad. There might be nothing to it.
Dad ended the call to Ste just as Paddy sat down. "You took your time," he said, not unkindly.
"Yeah," Paddy said, "there was a queue."
Declan didn't buy that – the restaurant was half empty. His Dad didn't seem to see a problem with it though.
"Never mind. Eat up, we've got tickets to the cinema in half an hour."
They all dug in to their food. Dad didn't seem to notice the slight shift in atmosphere. Declan didn't mention it either. After a while, Declan said "Is Ste coming to the cinema?"
"No," Dad replied, through a mouthful of chips. "He thinks we should have father and son bonding time."
"That's nice of him," Dec said, glancing at Paddy, hoping he noticed Ste's thoughtfulness.
"Yeah," Dad replied, "just the three of us today, but tomorrow we're all taking Leah and Lucas to the park."
"Who are Leah and Lucas?" Paddy asked.
"Ste's kids," replied Declan, "They're like, a baby and a toddler."
"Leah's five, Lucas is two. We'll have a kid swap; Steven'll play footie with you, and I'll make sure they don't fall off anything too high."
"Why does Ste have to play football? Why can't you play with us?" Padraig grumbled, and Declan laughed.
"'Cause Dad's rubbish at football."
Their Dad frowned, and Dec quickly corrected himself, "I mean, Ste's better, that's all."
Dad's frown didn't exactly disappear, but it seemed to diminish.
"It'll be fun!" Dec tried.
Dad hummed.
