Fresh out of the orphanage

16| Stood up

No one in particulars POV
Ed hung his head low before he whipped it up having heard the front door slam.

Axl walked through the door and was about to have it out with Ed for lying. But his eyes soon softened when he saw his troubled state.

"Uh, how was your date" Axl said, emphasising the word 'date'.

Ed heard the difference in tone so racked his brains for a suitable answer.

"Yeah, about that, I uhh got........stood up!" He said proud of the quick thinking.

Alright, enough was enough, thought Axl.
"Dude i barricaded myself upstairs, I heard"

All the colour drained from Ed's face as he looked up in horror. But he soon realised he had enough problems without having an argument about Axls eavesdropping.

"What are we gonna do?" Axl said with a crack in his voice, trying to stop himself crying.

Ed was about to answer until he heard the phone, but Axl pulled his hand back.

"What if it's court? We have no arguments!"

"Axl, it's fine. They didn't give us enough notice. For the love if god, pull yourself together" Ed said a lot more harshly than intended.

Ed picked up the phone and composed himself.

"Hello?"

"Hi honey, I hope the house is still standing!" His mum joked.

"Uh yeah" he awkwardly laughed. "How's Auntie Brielle, getting better?"

"Oh yes she seems fine, how are the children? How's Alexa?"

"Um, yeah they're all fine but this lady came round and- You know what? It's fine. So when are you coming back?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about"
Ed's face fell as Axl tried to work out the conversation.

Axl looked at his brother in hope as he hung up.
"Soooo, what, when's Mum coming home to help?"

"She isn't"

"What?" Axl said shocked, there mum has to. She always makes his problems go away!

"Germany has gone into lockdown. Again. And I don't think it will be coming out anytime soon. I am her legal guardian, so we'll have to fight this ourselves."

"Fight what ourselves" said a voice from behind them.

Axl and Ed flinched and turned around to see Alex with Alexa on his back, followed by Josh and Simon.

Ed held his breath before explaining the whole story.
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"Wait, I can go back to Daddy?" Alexa grinned at her brothers.

She wondered why they looked so upset, this was a good thing, right?

"Alexa, do you want to go" Simon asked not wanting to hear the answer.

"YEAH" she yelled excitedly.

Everyone looked at each other in shame. How were they going to win this battle of Alexa didn't even want to win. Josh was about to say something to Alexa before they heard her running up they stairs shouting: "IM GOING HOME"

And that stung.
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Alexa shoved every earthly possession despite her only having her tiny owl rucksack to put everything in. But as she was failing to shove her pillows into the side pocket, she heard a knock at the door.

"Lex, Can I come in?" Simon said, awkwardly coming in with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah sure" she smiled.

"Still no sign of those teeth huh" he laughed, signalling her missing front teeth.

Alexa giggled before turning back to her packing.

"Alexa, do you mind hearing me out before you decide anything"

"What do you mean? There's nothing to decide. I'm doing home!"

"Yeah, but please, can we talk?" He said with clear hurt in his voice that even Alexa could sense.

"Yes" she said, holding her arms up so Simon could lift her onto his lap.

"Have you ever heard of something called 'nostalgia'?"
Alexa furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head.

"It's usually when you think back to the past. But you remember all the good things. But forget about the bad things" he started, studying to see if any of it was sinking in.

"When you were with your dad, he was clearly an amazing man" he breathed heavily before continuing.

"But ever since your mum, I don't think he has been himself. So sweetheart what I'm trying to say is, I don't think your Dad is ready to take you on."

He held his breath, praying to god that it was sinking in.

But she didn't say anything.

Instead she put down her owl rucksack and left the room in pure silence.

Did it sink in?

Or were they going to be up against her at her own custody trial?