All the Stars (Modern Ham AU / LAMS)

Chapter Eleven: A Visit from John's Dad

{AN: SORRY THIS IS SO LATE!!!!!! The writing gets so bad towards the end, but I didn't even bother to check it because I'm tired and just want to get this published... mehhhh...}

John's pov:

As I open the door to my aunt's house I am surprised to see my younger siblings, Henry, Jamie, and Mary sitting at the kitchen table, reading and coloring. As soon as they see me, I'm ambushed with hugs and greetings and screaming from Mary. At the sound of the commotion my other sister, Mat, sticks her head out of the kitchen and smiles at me.

"Hey John! How was school?" She asks cheerily. Then she spots my black eye. "What happened?"

"I just got in a bit of a fight, nothing much. Why are these guys here?" Henry, Jamie, and Mary are my younger siblings, and I haven't seen them since August. My father wanted me to go to school here, instead of in North Carolina. He really wants me to go into law, and he thinks I'll be more inclined to go to one of the prestigious law schools here if I have a life here already. So he decided to move the whole family. Unfortunately, there was some sort of environmental law scandal thing and he had to go back, taking my three youngest siblings with him. Mat got to stay here with me, since she is fourteen and able to take care of herself.

"Daddy said the bad lawyers were gonna get smashed and we could visit!" Mary, who is almost six, speaks up.

"The lawyers aren't bad, they just have different ideas than dad does. Okay?" I correct her gently. I hate when our father tries to impose his opinions on the kids. They're really impressionable and when he tells them things like that, they think it's the truth.

"Okie!" She replies brightly. "I drawed you a picture!"

"You just scribbled with the crayons auntie gave you," Henry tells her. I forgot how annoying he could be. Mary's drawing is pretty messy, but she has drawn pink flowers and a cow (I think).

"I think the drawing looks lovely, Mary," I say, shooting a look at my little brother. "What have you two been up to?"

"I'm reading Charlotte's web for school," Jamie is eight, very quiet, and likes to read. The four of us talk for a while, then Mat called me into the kitchen. She's mixing up some sort of batter and is surrounded by chopped veggies and a cloud of flour.

"What's going on? I thought you didn't have to cook dinner anymore," I ask her.

"I know," she replies, defeated, "But Aunt Lydia is working late, Henry can't cook, and I wanted to make something nicer for the kids than pizza."

"Dad's here?"

"Yes," she says with an eye roll. "He's the one who brought the kids!"

"Crap."

"Stop overreacting. He still likes you, and I think he's being nicer to Mary now."

"That's good. What about the boys?"

"I don't know. James and Henry haven't told me anything, but you could try asking."

"Okay, I will," I turn to leave, but then look back over my shoulder. "Hey Mat?"

"Hm?"

"Don't try to be mom again, we have Lydia to take care of us, and you have other things you need to do."

"Okay, fine."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Mary and Jamie are singing something when I come back out and Henry is desperately trying to ignore them.