The Colour Of Sound /LARRY/

8 - Bad news

When Louis got home that night, he was so tired that he fell asleep on the couch. He slept for hours and didn't notice his mum coming in. She quietly laid a blanket over the tiny boy and kissed his head.
"Sleep well, my little boy," she whispered and went to the kitchen. As she sat down, she took the letters that came in the mail that day. They were all bills. After reading them, it turned out they had another 500 pounds debt. It was too late now. Mrs Tomlinson didn't know what to do anymore. She didn't have money to buy groceries and there was nothing left in the fridge. It wouldn't take long before they came for her house and then she, and sweet little Louis would have to live on the streets. Mrs Tomlinson grabbed her hair and cried for hours, until she heard little footsteps on the cold tiles.
"Mummy?"
Mrs Tomlinson quickly dried her eyes.
"What is it, sweetie? Don't you have to go to school tomorrow? You need to sleep, baby."
"I know mummy, but I woke up and my belly rumbled and then I walked to the kitchen and heard mummy crying," Louis rambled and he frowned. "Why is mummy crying?"
"Oh it's nothing baby. Tell me, how was your trip to London?" Mrs Tomlinson was a great actor. She knew perfectly how to hide her tears from her boy.
"Oh! We had so much fun!" And Louis was off. He told her everything about how he saw the Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, how Niall almost choked on a candybar, how Harry bought him a book and how he made a trip in the bus.
"But don't worry mummy!" Louis squealed. "Niall payed the bus and then I let him choose where to go next! And tomorrow we're going to build the Westminster Abbey!  I sketched it! Do you wanna see it, mummy?"
Mrs Tomlinson smiled, being happy that her boy had a nice day. And that he made friends. "Of course baby. Show me!"
Louis squealed again and ran off to his bag. He took the sketchbook and smiled widely.
"Look mummy!" He shouted as he ran back.
Mrs Tomlinson laughed. "Baby, you have to open the book. Otherwise I can't see anything."
"Oops! Right!" Louis quickly opened the book, showing her the perfectly detailed sketch of the building he had made.
"It looks beautiful as always, baby. You really have your fathers gift," Mrs Tomlinson smiled.

Louis father was gone. Sixteen years ago when Mrs Tomlinson found out she was pregnant, times weren't as bad as they were now. Mrs Tomlinson was in love with an artist. They hung out every day. But then suddenly the odds were against Mrs Tomlinson. The lovebirds found out they were expecting a tiny baby bird. Louis' father couldn't handle the news and he left. Mrs Tomlinson never heard from him again. She was all alone and no one supported her throughout the pregnancy. Nowadays she was still alone, and she still loved the man.
"Just like father?" Louis asked and shifted in his chair to look at his mum. "Mummy never talks about him."
"I know baby, and maybe that's for the best. It's always been us two. We don't need anybody else, do we?"
"Yes mummy," Louis blushed. "Is father still alive?"
"I think so. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that you go to bed now, because you have an exciting day tomorrow."

And that's how the day ended. Louis went to bed and made sure his alarm was on. He had agreed to go to school early with Niall, who had insisted he'd pick Louis up with the car. Before he went to bed, Louis made sure his sketchbook, his book about London and the book Harry gave him were in his bag. Then, he took the book Harry gave back out of his bag and laid in bed with it. Carefully, he opened the cover and smiled as he saw a picture of the metro map. It didn't take him long before he fell asleep, the book opened on his blanket