The Rusty Old Minivan

Chapter 34

Another three days had passed when Louis got the call. It was a grey-weathered, half-raining, half-just-on-the-brink-of-it-sort of day; the first day that actually gave a proper excuse to stay inside. Niall was off on his first day at the mechanic's and Louis was home with the children, as per usual.

Then he got the call.

"Louis," said the deep familiar voice. "I need to talk to you."

Louis' stomach dropped. He'd known this was coming. He'd been anticipating it, somewhere in the back of his mind, but it hadn't mattered, not since things had become so confusing and crazy and sad all at once. He'd almost begun to believe it would just go away by itself if he didn't think about it. But of course such things didn't. Real people with real jobs and real bosses couldn't just leave everything be and expect it to stay so.

"Frank," Louis said, after clearing his throat so hard it stung, "I know what you're going to say. Do I need to come down there in person? I've got the kids with me and-"

"I'd really prefer it if you did come down here. I need to see that you're all right. We've been worried about you. Zayn's been a champ for covering your shifts, but even he says hasn't heard a peep from you in weeks. And what with the frantic state you were in last I saw you... we were beginning to think something terrible might've happened."

Well. "No. No, no, I'm fine, I'm really- I'm good. I'm fine."

"All right. Then you'll have no problem popping down here for a quick chat. I won't hold you for long."

*

Half an hour and five cigarette's later, Louis had the toddler's packed in the double-trolley that Tabatha had bought them - he still didn't know how to thank her or how to feel about the gesture at all - and Freddie strapped to his chest. Dustrain tapped their rain-hood covered heads as they strolled down the pavement. Louis' hair and sweater clung to his body. He hadn't bothered to put on a jacket, because, well - he couldn't bring himself to care enough. The toddler's were happy, catching rain-drops in their chubby little hands and trying to grab them on their tongues. Freddie was calm as well, chewing idly at Louis' collarbone. The kids were all right and that was all he could manage to worry about these days. Since they seemed quite content, today was an all right day.

Or, it would've been, if not for the fact that Louis was now on his way down to Frank's to get formally sacked.

The shop was busy when he arrived, or as busy as it got on a rainy day, and Zayn was nowhere in sight. Louis made a beeline for the backrooms, not bothering with formalities or reacting to the odd look the girl behind the till gave him.

He headed into Franks office with his gaze pinned to the floor and spoke before he even looked at the man before him; "let's get this over with."

"Louis," Frank replied, and then didn't speak for so long that Louis was forced to look up and meet his patronizing smile, "please sit down."

"There's really no need, is there? I know what you're going to say. Just get it over with."

"Hi, you little piglets," Frank said, turning to the toddler's and pointedly ignoring Louis' pleads, "do you like candies?" he pulled a few hard-candies from his desk-drawer, waving them at their curious little faces.

Louis tugged on both their hands to hold them back. "They can't eat those, are you mental? They'll choke, for flip's sake."

Frank finally ripped his gaze off the kids, then glanced at Louis and nodded. He put the candies away, much to the toddler's dismay, and beckoned for Louis to come sit. "Please."

"Please yourself," Louis replied, because he couldn't be bothered with politeness when he knew he didn't have to, "just fire me already. How hard can it be, I was a bloody barista, not a partner in a lawfirm or summat."