Chits and Chats [ #2]

Talk [The Other Side]

Talk  [The Other Side]

"So your friend has come to stay over for a few days?" William Lawson asked.

"Yes," Jacob nodded.

"With his tiny sister who has decorated my bedroom walls with crazy colourful cartoons?"

"Y-es." He had no idea what his uncle was talking about.

"Is this even legal?" the older man asked with a distraught look. He had only recently begun to feel that he was somewhat competitive at looking after a difficult teenager going through a phase and now another difficult teenager who had not moved from the bed since he had come in had arrived with a hyperactive kid. "Can I have Charley's father or mother's number at least?"

Jacob took a deep breath, "Connor."

His uncle raised his eyebrows in question, looking very confused.

"His name is Connor," he repeated. "Look, William, he is my friend-"

"And I am so happy that you're finally mixing with the people at school and Connor is a great guy from what I have seen from his couple of visits before but I would freak out if it was so late at night and you weren't home. Think of his parents!" William implored.

His nephew sat down with his head in his hands, trying to pick a side, to choose what was right without understanding what right was in this case.

Jules ran into the room, "Jakey! You have got to see my artwork!"

He raised his head in response and gave a tired smile, "Of course. Let's go see."

She jumped around, immensely happy, "I want to show it to Connor too but he's asleep." She took Jacob's hand or rather just held on to his pinkie finger, "Is he okay?"

Jacob exchanged a worried glance with his uncle and looked back at Jules, "Yeah, he's alright, just a little tired. Don't worry too much."

"I want him to be happy again," she said as they climbed up the stairs.

He swallowed, "Me too."

She dragged him to William's room and he had to stifle a gasp as he saw her artwork. The white walls were covered from floor upwards to wherever Jules' hands had reached. Every shade of colour in the crayon box and weird stick people with Medusa hair caught in what seemed like whirlwinds of green and red were now adorning the walls.

"I told you I didn't need paper," she giggled. "You like it?"

He was at a loss for words, "Uh...its...its amazing. I love it."

"Yeah, right?" she laughed. "Connor said we're staying here for a few days so can I choose this room?"

"How about you share with Connor in my room? I'll take the couch downstairs because this is-erm-William's room..."