risk// 5SOS

13

Calum

"Alright bud, this is the shampoo, and this is the conditioner. This is your own body loofah, and there's some showergel. You need to scrub your hair with shampoo, then wash it out, and do the same with conditioner. Then wash all over by putting the shower gel on this,"

"Okay,"

"If it gets too hot you can turn it down,"

"Can Sage sit in here?"

"Yeah, they can this time,"

"Every time,"

"I think it will be good to eventually do this independently, but that doesn't have to be today,"

"Sage has to guard the door,"

"Okay," I said quietly.

"Okay,"

He wrapped his arms round me and I held his small body, rubbing his back. Not even Gia was this affectionate with me on the average day, and I really hoped that he was comfortable with this, and naturally someone who was clingy.

I called Sage up and showed both of them how the shower worked, then shut the door and headed down the hall to find Gia.

Sudden shifts like this could be a lot to handle, and as I suspected, as soon as she had some space she had retreated to her bed and hidden herself. Mike had just gone home, so I could imagine she was quite drained.

"How are you doing, angel?"

She flicked the duvet up, gave me a frown, then covered her face again.

"It's a lot of change to handle, shall we have a chat?"

"I am happy, but scared,"

"Me too," I whispered, "But we will all work it out. I love you so, so much, and that is not going to change,"

"You're gonna spend all week with them, not me,"

"We have already spent a year together, and some of their week is going to be tough. I won't love you any less,"

"Promise?"

"I promise. You are doing so well angel, and we can still work on our things together. I will make time for all of you, which is going to feel strange because you're used to just me, but we will be okay,"

Quietly, she broke into tears and I sat down, putting my arm around her. I kissed her cheek and she covered her face, wiping her tears.

"Sorry,"

"Don't be sorry, I know you're happy, but it's overwhelming too,"

"We can still hang out, can't we?"

"Of course, but things might be as a family now. You wanted an older sibling,"

"I do,"

"Yeah. I'm so proud of you,"

"My head hurts,"

"Shall we go and get a drink? And a cuddle,"

She nodded and crawled out of bed, grabbing my hand; I took us downstairs and lifted her onto the kitchen counter, grabbing her cup.

I filled it with water and passed it to her, then leant beside her.

"What are you going to do without me?"

"We are going to go to the shops to make sure they have enough clothes, socks, pants, shoes, everything like that. I'm going to get their eyes checked, their teeth checked, make sure they have had their jabs, and see if they want their hair done. And I am going to talk, and get to know them as their new adult,"