𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

47

"Thanks for watching him for me," Ewan says, both of us walking along the hallway to the game room. "I heard over the car radio what happened, are you okay?"

I look over my shoulder, smiling at him as I reach for the handle. "Yeah, he didn't get out during the riot. We're safe."

"He killed a guard and tried to escape, are you sure you're okay?"

I smile at him, the fakest ever. "Yep. I don't want to talk about it."

He nods, following me into the noisy room. It's far too big to only accommodate a tv, couch, and PlayStation, the corner having an arcade game and the walls all painted geometric styles for Jason.

I'll give my parent's some credit; they have kitted the house out for him and his bedroom here is huge. I think it sometimes makes Ewan upset, seeing something he is desperate to be able to provide for his son.

They may be stinking rich, but from my own experience, having as much money as my parents, it can get you a lot of things, except the presence of the ones you love and happiness.

Ewan hops over the back of the black leather couch, messing up Jason's hair while he groans that he's going to make him lose the game, slapping his hand away. "Stop it, Dad!" he whines, shifting along the couch to put some distance between them.

"Hey, did you not say you had a video call with Ivy's mum today?" Ewan asks, turning with his arm over the back of the couch to look at me. "I remember you telling me yesterday."

"Yeah..." I trail off, my eyes flitting from his to the window, the sun already starting to vanish behind the trees. "She's bringing up a lot of fluids, but they said that's a good sign. Her energy levels have risen by twelve per cent too."

"That's good, I think..." I smile and nod at him to confirm it. "And what about the bairn?"

I'm thrown off guard, fighting back the emotional fear of loss, making me stare at him in silence for a beat too long before finally answering him. "I have another scan tomorrow, because my HCG levels tripled, so that's a positive sign."

"That's good. Gabs going with you?"

"No, she's been called into work all night and doesn't get off her shift until ten minutes before my appointment," I reply, walking over and sitting down next to him, my knee bumping his.

We chat away for the next hour, mostly about Jason's school, his friends, how much he destroys Ewan in his game. I always feel so chilled out and relaxed when I'm with them. I almost forget the last few months, enjoying the peace and quiet in my head while Ewan and I pretend we know what the fuck Jason is talking about.

"We should go, buddy," Ewan says, patting Jason's back as he stands. "We can grab a chippy on the way home."

Oh, chip shop food. I would kill for a fried pizza and gravy, two pickled onions on the side. Too bad Mum hates takeaway food and insists on eating meals that I don't even know the name of.

Groaning, Jason turns off his game and runs to put on his trainers and coat, giving us privacy for a moment. I want to say something to him, but I don't know what. I want to apologise for the way I've been with him, that I shouldn't have ever taken out my anger on him when all he was doing was looking out for me.

I don't speak though, no... I give him a faint smile and follow them out of the room, down the hallway, coming to a halt when I spot my mum standing at the entranceway.

Here we go.

"Ewan!" she begins, her eyes narrowing at me momentarily. "If you need Jason taken care of while you're working, come to me and not Aria. I don't think she's fit to watch him anyway. Seriously, boy, you should do the both of you a favour and cut her out of your lives. She's nothing but a knocked-up junkie."