Look East | A Hozier Fanfiction |

13

"Andy, could you grab that bag for me?" his mother called from the driveway.

"Yeah, coming Mum!" he replied, pushing through the door and picking up the bag on the porch with his free hand. He covered the distance to the car in three large strides and helping his mother put the back in the boot of the car.

"You know, I am so glad you decided to join us on the trip," his mother said, shutting the boot. "I was beginning to think I'd lost you to that lovely girl you've been with all summer."

He stiffened slightly but played it off with a smile. "Of course not!" he said, putting a long arm around his mother's shoulders.

"Speaking of, why don't you invite Molly to come along?" she offered. "There's plenty of space."

"Its a two bedroom cottage, Mum," he said with a nervous chuckle. "Where would she sleep?"

Raine stopped and looked at him. "Andrew, I wasn't born yesterday," she said with a knowing look and a pat on his chest.

He felt his face heating up and looked away. "I actually didn't want to invite her," he lied, clearing his throat. "I wanted to enjoy my time with you guys. And support you, obviously."

He was actually suffering as much as Prometheus begore Hercules freed him, constantly feeling like part of him was being ripped away. But when his mother told him she was having an art showing at a gallery in Galway, he jumped at the chance to go with them. In his continued bid to create distance between himself and Molly, he was hoping that a weekend away would make her think he was okay with moving on when she left. Now he just had to convince his parents that he'd rather be with them instead.

He had purposefully not told her he was busy this weekend. No, this weekend would be completely Molly-free. It was all about his mother and her art. She had worked a long time on her current series and this gallery opening was a major step for her. He was more than happy to play Supportive Son.

"Andy, give us a hand, will ye?" he father called from the front stoop.

Andrew rushed over to the older man and helped him across the grass. He'd been doing better lately, which was why he wanted to come along on the trip.

"Passenger side," John said. "Your mam's driving."

He had just managed to put his father in the seat when a bicycle bell rang at the end of their driveway. He looked up and saw Molly climbing off her bike and wheeling it up the gravel, an overnight bag slung across her shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized, allowing his mother to hug her. "There was an issue at the main house I had to deal with."

"Molly - what are you...why are you here?" he stammered, confused.

"Your dad invited me," she answered, putting her bag in the car.

"Lovely to see you, Molly," his father called from the car. "You can just put your bike round the back in the shed."

"Yeah, I - Let me help with that," Andrew said, trying to catch up to her. She was halfway around to the garden before he caught her.

"Thought you could sneak away?" she asked, a playful look on her face.

He took the bike from her and propped it again the wooden side of the shed while he pulled the creaking doors open. "I wasn't trying to sneak," he grunted with effort. The doors swung open, letting out the smell of earth and mustiness. "I just figured you would have something better to do than come with me and my parents to Galway," he said, wheeling the bike into the darkness.