The sun was starting to rise by the time Declan leaped off the couch. Alicia hoped she knew what Declan was about to do, but he had a way of surprising people with things they least expected. Even when you thought about the most outrageous ideas, Declan still found a way to surprise everyone.
But when Alicia heard the screams coming from above her, she knew that Declan had done exactly what she had anticipated. A smile crept on her face and she raced up the stairs to save her daughter from the commotion.
She was too late.
As she stepped onto the second story of the house, Alicia noticed the damage around her. Her night owl husband was half awake and throwing whatever he could find at his younger brother who had unceremoniously woken him up from his beauty sleep.
Alicia wasn't sure she wanted to find out how Declan had managed to wake her husband. Instead, she lifted her daughter who stood outside their bedroom, palms placed tightly against her ears, annoyed at the commotion her father and uncle were causing.
Placing Aria on her hip, Alicia quickly made her way down to the ground floor and into the kitchen, no doubt that the family would soon descend on them, scrounging around for some coffee.
True to time, the family made its way down a few minutes later, each one grumbling about being woken up by the 'annoying boys'. This was not a family that did mornings. Alicia wondered how Declan was a part of this family – the boy barely slept, but was rarely asleep past 6.30 a.m.
Her own upbringing had ensured that she never slept a lick longer than 6.00 a.m. It wasn't until Derek and her started living together that she appreciated the calm and quiet of the early morning. Once the entire family was up, it was usually nonstop chaos till Alicia went to bed.
"Did you two make up?" she asked, smiling at the brothers who were still tangled together.
"We're good," was all Derek said before plonking down on the kitchen stool and wrapping his palms around the steaming mug of coffee his wife had placed in front of him.
"So, what now?" Alicia's pointed stare reminded Declan that he had a lot of making up to do still.
Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "Well, I expect to be doing a lot of groveling with Clarisa. I'll go after the wedding."
"There's still a day to go, Dec. Don't put it off. Tonight's just the rehearsal dinner, and that's a long way off. I'm sure you can make things right before then."
"I can't do it over the phone, and she's at the other end of the country. I won't make it back in time," Declan shook his head, convinced that now wasn't the right time to do this.
"Let me put it this way – Clarisa helped put this wedding ceremony together. I'm not doing it without her here. I leave it to you to make that happen, and remember, we have over 100 guests coming today. I don't think they would appreciate being told to go back," Alicia gave Declan a pointed look, and he groaned.
"Fine! Let me figure it out," he said before sprinting up the stairs.
The family could hear Declan's loud voice through the walls. He seemed to be arguing with someone. They looked at each other, hoping someone else had an idea of what was going on. Just as Derek opened his mouth to say something, Declan's door opened, and he came barreling down the stairs.
"Okay, so, my jet is on its way. It was docked in a hanger in LA, so it should be here in about 40 minutes. Trevor's getting clearance for me to take off and land on emergency. It's only about 7.00 a.m. I can be back by 7.00 p.m. It's going to be close, but I think I can make it to the rehearsal dinner. I apologize in advance, in case I don't make it," Declan said to no one in particular as he continued to fiddle with his phone.
YOU ARE READING
Surviving Home | Completed
General Fiction"There is great power in being the calm at the centre of a storm." These were words that Declan Blake lived by, when he was bullied as a child and when he was shipped off to live with his brother on the other side of the country. Now, seven years l...
