Beautiful Storms

chapter nine | hayes

"Hidden truths are unspoken lies."

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beautiful storms | chapter nine

Hayes grumbles as he makes his way into the kitchen, his eyes scan across the kitchen and he shakes his head sighing. He runs his hands through his hair as he turns on a pot of coffee. He yawns and he rubs his eyes. He blinks slowly, the morning sun shining through the window over the sink. He closes his eyes, savoring it.

He leans against the counter, watching the coffee as it drips into the pot. The aroma of the coffee, relaxing his restless mind. It was Saturday morning and he didn't have anything to do but stay home with the kids. His hair falls in front of his eyes and he rests his hand over the mug.

"Good morning."

He glances up and sees Jude as he walks into the kitchen, a Spider-Man pajama shirt covering his chest and grey sweatpants. Jude smiles over at him and Hayes nods at him before pouring coffee into his mug.

"I'm gonna be out late ah-"

Sadie strolls into the kitchen and Hayes cuts himself off to look at her but she ignores him as she grabs an orange before leaving the kitchen.

"You should eat more than an orange!"

"Shut the hell up, Jude!"

"Late tonight."

"Don't drink so much."

Jude's concern for him, bothers him and he sighs, turning away from him. Stop caring about me.

"I can't promise you that." He says. He drinks the steaming coffee and he leans his back against the counter.

"Did mom leave anything before she left for college?" Hayes's body tenses and he quickly rubs it off. He drinks the rest of the coffee and he puts the mug into the sink.

"She left a few things, why?"

"Do you have boxes of her stuff from our old house?"

Curiosity burns in Jude's eyes and steps more into the kitchen. He leans on the counter across from Hayes who wears a blank face like he is trying not to show any emotion.

"There's a few things but I'll...bring it out myself."

He grumbles once more before going into the master bedroom. He shuts his door then he rubs a hand over his face. Just take it out and put it somewhere else.

He ambled to the closet and turned on the light. He pulls one of the boxes off of the top shelf, he sits on the floor with the box in his lap. He opens it and pulls out all of the pictures and other belongings.

Then he finds it, he folds the paper before shoving it into his pocket. He then grabs a picture of his sister when they were younger and places it on top of the box.

He brings it out to the living room and Jude sits on the couch, he sits the box on the coffee table.

"Look away." He mumbles. He sits on the other couch on the side of the living room.

"Thanks."

Hayes returns to his room with a frown on his face. He locks his door before returning to the closet. He pulls down the rest of the boxes. One by one. All of Rachel's belongings.

"Why'd you even leave with him? and leave me with them."

"Why do you have to leave?-you know how they are, Rachel."

He follows her into her room, he shuts the door. He rapidly scans her room and sees boxes everywhere.

"You aren't leaving I won't let you." He sneers.

He moves her from the boxes and he dumps everything on the floor.

"You aren't leaving." He spits out in anger.

His hands turn into fists and Rachel steps away from him, her body trembles and she backs into the wall.

"You have to let go."

"Why would I let go of you?" He whispers.

He smiles, staring down at her photos. I wouldn't do that. He spreads her clothing on to the floor as he searches for something he couldn't find.

"Where is it?"

There was a knock on his door and he groans, annoyed. He gets off the floor and he shuts the closet door.

"Uncle Hayes," Sadie calls from behind the closed door. Hayes doesn't answer and stares at the door. His eye twitches and he leans his forehead on the door. Go away, kid.

"We're gonna go." She says before he hears her voice go quiet but she says at the door.

"Alright."

He clenches his fists and raises him to sides of his head. Why are you like this?- you are the reason why she left, it's no one's fault but yours. It's not Dad or mom's. It's yours. You hurt her.

He finally hears her walk away and he moves away from the door. You know what you did. He slams the closet door and returns back to the boxes on the floor. Pushing aside all of the clothing and photos.

He comes across Rachel's wedding photos and her dress.

"Why can't you just be like your sister?"

"She's so much better than you, she's perfect, the perfect child."

He mumbles the exact words his father said to him. He clenches the wedding dress in his hands.

He glares at the white lace dress before throwing back in the box.

"Pepperoni pizza."

"That's literally the only thing you want to eat."

"No it's not, I eat cheese pizza and meat lovers,"

Sadie glares at Jude and they continue to argue about dinner. Hayes pinches the bridge of his nose and mumbles under his breath.

"Theses fucking kids."

"You're the one that decided to get us, we could have stayed with grandma."

He closes his eyes and he has to stop himself from saying something back to Sadie in front of Jude. He runs his hands through his hair and he huffs.

"She's not coming, Sad."

He says, calling her by the nickname Jude gave her, opening his eyes and he looks directly in her eyes and she pulls her eyes away from his. She struggles to pay attention to Jude as he talks about the different things you can put on pizza.

Her mind jumbles. You need to stop before you make him mad. She leaned into the couch, she wanted her body to do more than sink into the couch; she wanted to disappear. She stares at Jude with an uncomfortable look as she still has Hayes's gaze on her.

"Pepperoni pizza is fine."

"Pepperoni it is then, so he can shut up."

Jude pushes Sadie away from him with his hand and she slaps his hand away. "Dipshit."

"Little shit." He shots back.

"At least, I'm not adopted."

"Oh, grow up. Think of a better comeback."