Kevin closes the door, and I get two plates. We split the pizza between us and began eating. It isn't very often that we have a pizza, never mind a pizza to ourselves. Buzz normally steals it and leaves Kevin and me with nothing.
After eating, we change into our pyjamas and watch TV on the bed. Kevin looks upset. He must be missing our family, still thinking he made them disappear and not that they were in Paris.
He takes out the family pictures from underneath one of the pillows. "I didn't mean it. If you come back, I'll never be a pain in the butt again. I promise. Goodnight." Kevin looks at me, so I look the other way and pretend I don't see what he is doing. He leans down and kisses the picture before hiding it once more.
I turn off the lights, and we go to sleep.
~~~Present~~~
The next morning Kevin is once again in the other bathroom with some Christmas music going. While Kevin is getting ready, I go into my bathroom and get ready myself. I change into a white top, black leggings, a thick scarf (red, green, brown and blue) and ankle brown boots.
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I hear Kevin scream again as I walk out of my bathroom. He just used Dad's face stuff again, even though he screamed when he used it the first time. Today, we are heading over to the supermarket. We need to get some food. I am letting Kevin do it himself this time, so he knows how to do it.
I am waiting on the other side of the checkout as Kevin puts the items on. Kevin is looking through a magazine. "Are those microwave dinners any good?"
"I don't know." The woman admits.
"I'll give them a whirl," Kevin comments.
The woman holds up the toy soldiers that Kevin had picked up. Kevin smiles. "For the kids. Hold on, got a coupon for that." Kevin says, handing over the coupon for the orange juice. "It was in the paper this morning."
"$19.83," She says.
"Okay." Kevin hands over the money.
"Are you here by yourself?" She asks.
"Ma'am, I'm eight years old. You think I'd be here alone? I don't think so." Kevin denies.
"Where's your mom?" She asks.
"My mom's in the car," Kevin says.
"Where's your father?" She asks.
"He's at work," Kevin says.
"What about your brothers and sisters?" She asks.
"I'm an only child." Kevin lies.
"Where do you live?" She asks.
"I can't tell you that." Kevin denies this without hesitation.
"Why not?" She asks.
"Because you're a stranger." Kevin points out.
With that said, she finishes putting the money in the till. On the way home Kevin wants to carry both the bags so I allowed him, but on the way home, both bags ripped, and all the stuff fell to the floor. I carry half while Kevin carries the other half and we slowly make it back home.
After packing the shopping away Kevin asks something he hasn't ever done before. "Bella, can I put the washing on?"
"You are willing to go to the basement? The same basement that you are scared of?" I query.
Kevin nods his head. "Very well." I pass the laundry basket and the fabric softener over to Kevin. I watch as he walks down to the basement. I lean on the stairs, watching him.
Kevin puts in a small amount of fabric softener before closing the lid and turning it on. He then takes out some clothes from the tumble dryer. After closing the tumble dryer door, he freezes and stares at the furnace. He looks scared for a few seconds before he snaps out of it. "Shut up!" Kevin nods his head and smiles before walking back up the stairs.
"Kevin, do you want to help me pack the clothes away?" I ask.
"Yeah!" Kevin agrees happily.
"I'll fold the clothes, and you can put them away in the right room." I offered.
I fold up the clothes and put them in separate clothes for each person. When the piles were done Kevin walks back and forth until they were all packed away. We then head into the kitchen where Kevin washes the dishes while I dry them and pack them away.
We hear the door rattling. We turn to see a shadow on the other side. The doorknob is rattled again. Kevin and I share a look. We look down at the cat flap when a foot is put through. The person's shoe falls off. "Shit!" His hand reaches through and picks up the shoe.
Kevin quickly turns off the water and switches on the TV to the video from before. I go over to the pots and pan and quietly get down a pot that I pass over to Kevin. At the same time, Kevin enters one of the draws and takes out the firecrackers and a lighter.
Kevin puts the pot in front of the door making sure not to make any sound. Kevin lights up the end of the firecrackers and drops it in the pot before hiding behind the counter where I was. Kevin puts his fingers in his ears, and he mimics laughing along with the person on the TV. "Keep the change, you filthy animal." Kevin lip-syncs.
It wasn't long before Kevin spoke up. "Bella, I want a Christmas tree."
"Hmm, I'll go get the decorations if you go outside and cut down a tree. Be careful using the saw, though. It is sharp." I warn.
Kevin nods his head and puts on his coat before heading outside. I go upstairs to the cupboard and get out the big box filled with all the Christmas decoration that we have. I take it to the living room at the same time Kevin brings in the tree.
We begin decorating the tree. I look to see that I have forgotten some of the decoration, so I headed back upstairs to get them. I come back down to see that Kevin looks scared. He takes a hold of my hand and drags me over to a window upstairs where we can't be seen. We peek out to see the same men from the van. We stay quiet as we listen to their conversation.
"Let's take it one step at a time. We'll unload the van, get a bite to eat and we'll come back about 9:00. This way it's dark." The first man comments.
"Yeah, kids are scared of the dark." The second man says.
"You're afraid of the dark, too. You know you are." The first man points out before they start arguing.
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"Not, not, not."
"You are so."
They walk off, and we can't hear them talking anymore. "Mom, where are you?" I hear Kevin mutter before he closes the window. We go back into the living room and finish decorating the tree and the fireplace.
~~~3rd POV~~~
Their mom is sitting inside the back of a van with a group of men who offered to drive her home as they were going past the same area anyway. They are playing Deck the Halls, Polka-style. The man tries offering Kate to have a go at one of the instruments, but she denies, and he goes back to playing.
/Thank you for reading this chapter. Please leave a review. Your opinions are appreciated.\
