In the Twist of Separation

The T-Shirt

Since Robbie left the house Gary had no clue what to do. Oscar was playing on the iPad as Taylor sat with Gary on his knee as he looked through his emails on his phone. He could sense something was up with the kids because they're being quiet, they're never normally quite. Or has Gary been away that much he's forgot how his kids are?

"Oscar you okay mate" Gary called over to the small boy who was more focused on the car game he was playing on the piece of technology than what Gary said to him. The man just looked at his son wondering why he wasn't responding to him. Oscar has a tendency to be vacant from situations but he usually replies. He surveyed his daughter who was on his knee what her arms around his upper chest, he let out a sorry sigh as he realised she had missed him. He missed her too. He missed them all, he just hasn't shown it. The silence that fell over the house wasn't a comfortable silence it was more of a 'whats wrong' silence. Gary was worried about his marriage to some degree, Robbies been more snappy recently and they'd been bickering and almost arguing more often. Even in front of the kids.

A few hours later

Gary was sat in front of the telly; not paying the blindest bit of attention to it. He'd put the kids asleep after much struggle, Oscar was being...well Oscar and Taylor was more clingy to Gary than usual. He just thought it's because he's been away a lot, she asked him to stay so he cuddled her while she fell asleep in his arms, then tucked her in and left them in their rooms. Each had a little night lamp making them feel a bit more safe in the night

He couldn't help but think about where Robbie is as he laid lifelessly on the couch

Gary's thoughts

Where is he? He's been gone for hours now. Something is wrong with him, with us. The way he is around me is different, there isn't a look of love anymore it's almost a look of emptiness, have I cause that? Am I the reason he's so weird lately? Have I been leaving him alone too much? I have been working a lot more recently but I've got to there's no way around my work load at the minute, with the new album and everything with the band maybe I've been, subconsciously, leaving him not realising what it's doing to him

Gary felt something behind the cousin his head was resting on and got confused. He lifted it up and found one of his old tops, he picked it up and seen it was stained with a clear substance that can only be described as tear stains. Was this the final piece in the jigsaw for Gary? He has just found a old top with tear stains on it and not from him so they must be from Robbie.

Has he been crying when I'm not around? Has he been using my top to cry into? Fuck this is bad

Back at the shop

"I better get back" Robbie slurred going to stand up but then falling on the girl. She gripped his arms as he just lifted his head up and met her equally drunk eyes, she softly smiled at him. He just looked at her, he can't remember the last time he was met with a soft, welcoming almost loving smile. He felt broken. He'd resulted back to drinking and he could punch himself for it but he can't cope

"Look" the women starts and moves so she's more comfy, sitting on a floor can only be a certain amount of comfy, Robbie managed to sit up straight again but rested his head on her shoulder "I don't know what to do" he basically whispered "I've gave my whole life to my career, to everything I've ever dared to do but this I just don't know how to continue" he sadly confessed as she listened carefully taking the bottle out of his hand and taking a swig herself, feeling the burn in her throat wasn't a pleasant burn but she dealt with it well "he doesn't love me anymore, it's that simple"

"What a load of shit"

"Excuse me" he lifted his head and looked up at her as she drank even more "he loves you anyone can see that"

*buzz*

Rob got his phone out his pocket but his vision was blurred due to his drunken state, he made out that it was a text and probably from Gary "I think he's asking where I am" Robbie giggled drunkenly and the women rolled her eyes at his reaction "you can't go home in that state"

"Well I've got nowhere else at last minute"

"I have a sofa"

"What here? No way that's fuckin cool!"

"No no" she laughed at his drunk response "at my house, unless you want Gary to go ape seeing you drinking again"

"Me? Stay at yours?...okay" Robbie smiled slightly, he's not able to even think straight and couldn't handle Gary going mental right now so this is the best solution, well that's what he thought anyway as he and the women he still doesn't know the name off walked out, well more like stumbled, out of the shop and down the street to the house that was only a few minutes away