Elliott
I’ve barely seen her tonight, we’ve been so busy, well, apart for the five minutes we spent together in the back room and at least we cleared the air a bit. I slipped the keyring into her bag so I’m not sure when she’ll find that. I’ve done everything I think I can to prove to her that I want us again but I’m not sure if she getting the hint or whether she really is just scared to maybe try again. If she doesn’t want me back, then I’ll keep going until she does.
Packing up all my stuff, I slip through the door and place my guitar on the floor to wait for her. She smiles at me from the other end of the bar as, ‘Wherever You Will Go’ by The Calling plays through the jukebox as I mime every word across to her.
“Oh, for fucks sake. Will you two sort your shit out, once and for all?! You’re like a pair of lovesick teenagers again. It was bad enough the first time around. Ugh. Go home both of ya. Get out of here.”
Laughing at Carson’s rant just makes him worse.
“What’s wrong with you both? You love each other... so you’ve hit obstacles, you’ve had a kid... so what! What you two have is real and if you can bridge a gap of ten years you’ll get through anything.” He gives me a shy smile, one I never thought I’d see from Carson anyway. “I’m serious Cass, go home. I’ll do the rest.”
She smiles, hugging him as she flings her arms around his neck, his arm hooks her waist. Once she’s released him she walks to the staff door, her hand brushing along my jean clad leg as she walks past me.
Carson comes to stand in front of me with a frown creasing his forehead, looking serious.
“I’m trying you know. It’s harder than I thought,” I tell him with a heavy sigh.
“I know, but remember this, she loves you. She’s never stopped….”
“Carson, bud, I’ve done everything I can, I’m stumped I don’t what else to do.”
“I think it’s worked.”
“How do I know though?”
“She’ll let you know.”
He points his head towards the door, turning my head I see her coming towards us.
“Well she needs to hurry up. I’m impatient,” I whisper shout to him before she reaches us. Carson’s lips form a straight line, giving a tight-lipped smile.
I hold my arm out to her.
“Your carriage awaits, milady.”
She hooks her arm through mine and smiles at me.
“It’s a pity you’re not driving. I like the idea of a chauffeur.” She winks playfully. Reaching the car, she unlocks it as I open her door and wait for her to get in. taking my seat, I wrap the belt around me and we head for my house. Turning off the engine she turns her head to look at me.
“I’m not going to come in, just in case Cam is still awake.
Nodding I turn in my seat.
“Cass. I meant what I said earlier tonight. I do love you. I’ve laid all my cards on the table and I have no more trick cards up my sleeve now. I want to look after you and Cameron, I want to look after my family.”
A strand of hair falls into her face, I brush it out of the way, tucking it behind her ear.
“There’s no one else for me but you.”
Her big blues watch me as I lean in towards her and gently kiss her lips, pulling back an inch she still watching closely as she licks her lips, I kiss her again applying a little more pressure, a gasp catching in her throat.
“See you tomorrow, beautiful.”
Getting out I hear her call me as I’m shutting the door. Ducking under the roof of the car so I can see her, I wait for her to speak.
“Erm... Cameron goes to his nan’s about five if you want to bring him back before that and we can talk properly then.”
I nod telling her alright before watching her pull away and head home. Pulling my keys from my pocket I let myself in, kicking off my boots before going upstairs and finding Cameron lying starfish across my double bed. Smiling to myself and shaking my head, I grab the spare bedding from the cupboard and make my way back downstairs, making up my bed on the couch.
Slipping my clothes off I lie back in my makeshift bed, arms behind my head thinking about Cass and Cam and how I’m hoping that one day we will be a family again.
As I’m beginning to wake up I feel something drop on me.
“Ahhhh.”
“Wake up Dad.”
Now that, is probably the best thing I’ve ever heard said. My boy waking me up, even if the little shit has just dropped himself on me.
“Are you awake?”
He waits a second, but I don’t answer, and my eyes stay shut.
“DAD. Wake up!” He shouts as he throws himself on top of me again. This time though I grab him and tickle his sides. His giggles fill the quiet house as they echo around the room making me laugh with him. Grabbing the remote control, I switch on the telly and pass him the remote control.
“Can I lie with you Dad?” I open the quilt for him and he slips himself inside, turning himself on his side snuggling into my body, his back flush against me so I pull the quilt back over us as he watches the telly.
I just start to doze off again when I hear Dales’ voice. “Is he asleep, Cam?”
“No, I’m not. I’d murder a cuppa though.”
Opening one eye and peeking at my brother’s face, he’s looking at me in shock.
“I’m not your maid.”
“No, but we’re comfy.” Rolling his eyes, he goes off into the kitchen mumbling, but it falls on deaf ears and within minutes I hear the rumble of the kettle boiling. Smiling I wrap my arms around my boy and hold him close to me…
“Daaad, you’re squashing me.”
“I got a job for you later.” I whisper.
His head snaps to mine. “What?” he asks eagerly.
“Want to help wash the car?”
“Yeaahhh.”
“After breakfast then and we’ll do it.”
“Okay.”
He focuses back on the telly again as Dale brings me a cuppa in. I take it from him after pulling myself up to an upright position.
“So, what did you two do last night?”
“We played a board game annnnd we played FIFA.”
“Did you beat Uncle Dale?”
“Yeah he did!” Dale whines frowning. “I’m usually good.”
“I’m not the only one who’s rubbish then.
“Oh no. He’s better than you Dad.”
My eyes widen with apparent shock and Dale bursts out laughing at Cam’s innocent but scathing remark.
“Thanks.”
“Right then Cameron,” Dale says still laughing, “shall we get Dad cooking breakfast ooor, do you want to go out for breakfast?”
“Can we go out?”
“I opt for cafe, saves me cooking.” I clap my hands to get Cam moving.
“Right then, up you get. Let’s get this put away and us dressed and we’ll go and grab something.”
Cameron jumps up and runs back upstairs. Within record time he’s dressed and back downstairs before I’ve finished my drink.
“Cam? You have had a wash and brushed your teeth, yeah?” Looking sheepish, he nods.
“You haven’t have you?”
My raised eyebrows at his guilty face answers my question, “go on back upstairs and do it. I’ll be waiting for an inspection when you come out.”
Huffing, he wanders back up the stairs, I listen out until I hear the door shut and the lock turn. He can’t outdo me I was the master of doing things like that when I was a kid.
“Chip of the old block, huh?”
Giving Dale the evil eye, he laughs and goes into the kitchen while my head shakes in disbelief at just how much he really is like me.
Once breakfast is done and we’re back home I start filling two buckets of soapy water and take them outside to the car while Cameron brings out the sponges.
“You do the bottom and I’ll do the roof and stuff, okay?”
Nodding, he dunks the sponge into the water and starts his job while I do the same. Once my side is done, I dip the sponge again in the water creeping around the car.
“Cam, here.”
He looks but can’t see me, I can see everything from my crouching position at the front. Walking towards me, I jump out on him covering him with the suds from the soap on the sponge. Dale laughs from the front door but calls him over. I go around making sure he hasn’t missed anything and do both windscreens when water hits my back.
“Oh shit! That’s cold.”
Spinning around Dale and Cameron have the hose and it’s pointed right at me. The water hits me smack bang in the face and my chest soaking me from head to foot. I try to open my eyes; the water is dripping from my hair into them and my t-shirt is sticking to me like a second skin. Shaking off some of the water, dithering, I turn back around and pick up one of the buckets and walking closer to them. Cameron runs away from Dale, so I go after him first.
“You ready?”
“You gotta catch me first.” He laughs. He goes one way, I’m mimicking his moves to stop him, but once he’s grounded to the spot still wondering which way to go, I attack. Throwing the whole contents of the bucket right at him, he moves just as most of it hits him, covering him from head to toe at the front soaking him too. He giggles but jumps up and down because it’s cold.
“You’re lucky that waters warmer, I had the hose, buster.”
“Yeah, but it was funny seeing you scream like a big girl…”
“Oh, was it? I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I chuckle. “Come on get this soap rinsed off the car, then we can get changed and get you home.”
Wiping the droplets of water from the face of my watch I see it’s almost four now.
“Oh, do I have to go home?” Cameron grumbles.
“I’m afraid so and anyway your nan will be coming to pick you up.”
“Ugh, but it’s boring. Can’t I stay here again?”
“Not tonight bud. I have to work and Dales going out tonight.”
I don’t have to work, and I hate lying to him, but Cassidy will kill me if I break his routine, plus I need to spend some time with Cass tonight.
“Another night you can.” I ruffle his hair then grab the other full bucket while Cam grabs the empty one.
“Let’s get Dale, yeah?”
He nods excitedly trying to stifle a laugh. Walking towards the front of the house Cameron calls for Dale to come outside. With the bucket behind me, he walks out and around the side where he’s gone to hide. As soon as he’s away from the open door I throw the water at him getting him square in the face.
“Gotcha!”
Cameron laughs loudly until he’s holding his side with stitch for laughing so much.
“I should have seen that coming.”
Tapping him on the back of his wet t-shirt I just wink at him with a smirk, walking on past him into the house.
An hour later once we’re changed again, I’m pulling up outside Cassidy’s. Cameron jumps out of the car as soon as I’ve cut the engine and runs towards the door, straight into the house. A car I don’t recognise is sat at the kerb. Walking past, I look at the white Mercedes S class, fifty-seven plate wondering whose it is. I walk straight in just tapping the door as I walk through it and into the front room. Sitting on the couch looking towards the doorway with the normal scowl on her face is Cassidy’s Mother. The She-Devil herself.
“Mrs. Summers. What a nice surprise.” I grin.
“Still around then. So, how are you going to break my daughter’s heart this time?” She fires back.
“If it hadn’t have been for you I wouldn’t have left that day. I have a second chance to fix that... can you turn back the clock and not deceive your daughter? I don’t think you can.” I smugly tell her.
“Okay guys that’s enough.” Cass says from the other side of the room, with a smug look on my face and an even deeper scowl on hers, Cameron runs into the room.
“Mum, guess what? We went for breakfast this morning at the café, we washed Dads car and then we had a water fight!”
Cassidy can’t get a word in edgeways as he shouts everything out without taking a breath.
‘Mature.’ Cassidy’s Mother whines out. My eyes stare daggers at her. Cass doesn’t hear it, or she chooses to ignore her...
“Wow. Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yeah and Dad said I can stay another night.”
“That’s great.” She hugs him and touches his wet hair. “Get a towel, rub your hair up again and change your clothes so you can go with your nan.”
I smile at him as he runs towards the stairs shouting ‘alright’ as he gets to the top. I sit back in the chair, relaxing.
“I’ll go make you a drink.”
I point a smile at Cass as the enemy narrows her eyes at me and Cass walks out. Knowing it really pisses her off I smirk and wink at her.
“It hasn’t taken you long to get your feet under the table has it?”
“I don’t know what you mean. They’re my family and no one will come between us again. I won’t let them. So, have at it and try again because it won't work.”
“Really. Well maybe when she’s realised what a waste of space you really are then I won’t need to say anything. I told you ten years ago, you aren’t good enough. You weren’t then and you’re not now, even more so as a failed rock star. Pfft, rock star…”
Instead of replying to the evil bitch, I let her have her moment and let her degrade and mock me because I know who’ll come out on top.
“If I have anything to do with this Cassidy will have the sense to send you packing before anything even starts between you. I intend to make sure of that.”
“Wow. Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise. Your Mother isn’t here to save you anymore Elliott…”
My foot taps wildly on the floor as my knee bounces, the feeling in my stomach making it churn. I feel my nostrils flare as my mother’s name is mentioned… I’ve never hated a person more than that nasty bitch.