Spitting Image • TFC 3.0 • l.t. au

Chapter Thirty Nine

39

It's 3 in the morning and I really want to go to sleep but there's a lot to do. Not for me, for Blaine.

He's got a project for his literature subject that requires a short animation of a scene from Don Quixote. I'm one who doesn't do my children's projects directly but instead I'm there in the back teaching them what to do.

And Blaine's by no means a digital artist so it took a while before he got the hang of it. When he did, he kept experimenting on the special effects and now, he's just gone through half of it.

"Blaine, get some sleep please. You have class in the morning." I tell him. His eyes are glued to the screen that he barely glances at me.

I was rolling on the' bed while Blaine sits on his dad's desk with my laptop. The software I use for minor video editing is what he's using now but he's still hasn't got the hang of it.

My phone vibrated on the bedside drawer. I grabbed it and surprised to see Louis' message on the screen.

'Hey, Meg. I'll be home in a few minutes.'

I was surprised and puzzled. Does that mean he left at midnight? Curiously, I stood up. "Mum, where are you going?" Blaine asks, diverting his attention for once.

"Downstairs... Go to sleep, Blaine, please." I tell him before going out the room. He's not going to sleep.

I went downstairs and flipped the light switch on. I jumped when the door opens and Louis walks in. I didn't realise I was holding a breath. He drops his bags and walks over to me, wrapping his arms around me. I feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I hug him back.

"I'm so glad you're home." I murmur into his jacket. I don't even care how cold the material feels on my cheek, I'm just happy he's home.

"I'm happy to be home, how are you?" He asks, staring into my eyes. He laughs as he wipes my tear away with the back of his hand.

For two weeks I haven't seen him and his gaze feels so foreign already. "I'm all right. I'm better." I tell him. He smiles and leans down to kiss me.

My chest beats like a drum. I wrap my arms around him. His hand holds me on my waist-

"Mum! I'm done!"

Louis pulls away when we hear Blaine's voice. He's running down the stairs but stops halfway through when he sees Louis. "You're home..." He says, his face free of expression.

"Yes, I am." Louis says hopefully.

For a second they just stare at each other then Blaine turns to me, "I've shut your laptop off, mum." He says, now standing beside me. "Goodnight..." He says, kissing me on the cheek then running back upstairs, completely ignoring his dad.

"He's still mad at me, huh?" Louis asks me. I smile at him and cup his face. "Did their team win?" He asks sadly. No, don't be sad.

I nod with a smile. "Yeah, they won. You would have been proud if you saw him." I tell him. He smiles but it's a weak one. Not very genuine, almost forced.

He turns around and picks his bag up. He walks upstairs and I just had to follow him.

~~~

I woke up early the next morning. I woke up at sunrise, still groggy and tired but I had to get up to make breakfast for everyone.

A mother's worst nightmare, really.

Somehow I managed to get downstairs without hurting myself, considering my eyes were shut the whole time. I walk into the kitchen, turning on the lights as well as the exhaust pipe in case I burn something.