Lost Souls ~ Phan

Chapter Thirty-Two

The spring and summer went by quickly and soon Max was in primary school and Lily was crawling and sleeping full nights. As mid-October came around, people started to see the two immature guys from Youtube and Radio 1 actually controlling a real family. They were growing up.

"Max, can you help me take the plates to the kitchen?"

"No thank you."

"Max."

"Okay." the boy grumbled and got up from the couch, traipsing over to Phil who was stacking plates at the table.

He handed a few down to the boy and they took them across the hall to the kitchen. When they finished cleaning up, they went back to the living room where Dan was sitting on the floor with the baby and a magazine. Lily was sitting on her play mat with Dan beside her and she was staring wide eyed at the houses in the magazine as she chewed on a toy block.

"That one is nice." Dan pointed to one. She looked up at him with her amazed expression. "What are you doing?" he laughed and gently closed her mouth. He kissed her head and she laughed.

"I don't wanna move." Max whined.

"We're not going far. Only just outside the city." Dan said, flicking through a few more pages.

Max crossed his arms and frowned. Lily threw the block onto the floor and clapped, very pleased with her overhand toss. Phil sat down on the mat with them and leaned over the baby to see the magazine. Lily looked up at the blue fabric of his shirt above her and grabbed the buttons lining it, pulling them into her mouth.

"What are you doing?" Phil laughed. She ignored him, chewing away at the buttons.

"Lily, stop that." Dan reached over and pulled the shirt off of her so Phil could sit back. She reached out for him and made grabby hands.

"Dada!" she whined.

"God-you're just the cutest." Phil picked her up and brought her to his lap. Pleased once again, she went on with the buttons. Max stopped out of the room and slammed his bedroom door. Lily looked up at Phil. "I'm just as confused as you." he said to her.

"Max hasn't been himself lately." Dan spoke up. "I'm a little worried about him."

"Why do you think it is?"

"I don't know. A lot went on these past few months; maybe it's all catching up to him now." Dan sighed. "I'll go talk to him." he got up, setting the magazine on the floor and headed down the hallway.

He let himself into Max's room where the boy was laying under his bedsheets, silent. Dan called him and when there was no answer he walked over, sitting on the bed side the lump of the boy.

"Go away." Max mumbled.

"Don't you want to talk about what's bothering you?" Dan asked.

"No."

"You know, whatever it is, you can tell me."

Max didn't answer.

"Max-"

"You like the baby better than me." he blurted out.

"I wouldn't say that is true." Dan answered.

"It is! You always help the baby and do nice things for her and...stuff, and you don't do anything for me anymore! I don't like her!" Max threw the sheets off of his face so Dan could see how angry he was.

"Max, she's only little. We can't really let her do things on her own." Dan tried to explain.

"Well then make her leave!"