Spitting Image • TFC 3.0 • l.t. au

Chapter Forty One

41

He comes home that afternoon with the kids. I try to make out what he looks like and how he feels but there's... Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The only thing I realise was he doesn't dare meet my eye. Not in the kitchen, not at dinner and not even when we've gone to bed.

We've had lots of similar arguments and we piss each other off like crazy all the time but this is... Different. He's distancing himself away from me. He looks detached as he worked on his game plan. He looks detached and fidgety at the same time.

From where I sat, I notice that the slightest noise from the window made him jump and every time his phone rings, he'd curse under his breath and snaps at the caller. He's very agitated tonight.

When I woke up the next morning, it was a little past 7. Louis was not beside me already. I got up and didn't see him at his desk. I got up and went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

I went downstairs to make myself a bowl of cereal for breakfast when I saw that the lampshade's on. There he was, sat at the dining table with papers scattered all over the place.

Has he been awake all night?

That's not surprising but it doesn't make it okay. I know we weren't talking much last night but I put my pride aside, laid it low and stood beside him, turning the lamp off. He jumps and looks up at me.

The dark circles under his eyes tell me he has been up all night. He yawns as he checks the time on his phone. I jump when he slams the phone on the table. "Sorry..." He mutters before standing up and walking upstairs.

I took a peek at his work and my eyes widen. The papers have scattered all over the table and most of them are his plans, crossed out and crumpled. He's been devising all night.

I only moved from my spot when Blaine comes down the stairs. "Morning..." He says tiredly followed by a yawn. His eyes widen when he sees the table covered with papers.
"Whoa... That is crazy." He says in awe, scanning the recent ones.

"Your father has gone mad..." I mutter and turned my back to go in the kitchen.

The thought of him going mad from his work has crossed my mind but I never thought it would happen at all. It's one of the things I wish that could be wrong but seeing him earlier, looking dead tired and zombie-looking, it might just happen.

I ate my breakfast quickly and told them all to do the same. It looks like I'm driving them to and from school today, taking it from Louis' situation. After they've finished eating, they rushed up to the bathroom to brush their teeth. They come running down the stairs like mad men and raced for the best seat in the car.

Blaine sits in the passenger seat like he always does. He was fidgeting and grumbling something under his breath that's inaudible. "You've got something to say, spit it out." I say as I buckle my seatbelt.

He flinched when I spoke. I can feel the twins leaning forward as well to listen to the conversation. I turned around and gave them one look, they sunk back in their seats. Turning to Blaine, I saw him pale and almost sickly. "You've got a bug or something?" I ask him.

He shakes his head then ran a hand through his hair. "N-n-nothing... I'm fine." He says, taking a deep breath.

I can't help but smirk. "Really? Because my son doesn't normally jump like a mad bunny..." I tell him. I hear Louise stifle a laugh behind me, making Blaine shrink back into his seat.

The drive consisted of Seth and Louise arguing. It started when Seth asked her opinion about one of the textbook stories that he hates but Louise loved it when they took it up. Then they went on arguing about their contradicting theories and the plot the whole ride.