The Space Between Us | L.S

Introductions

(((Authors Note: With respect to the real Tomlinson family, I've switched the narrative surrounding death, family lines and slightly altered their names.)))

The entire car ride to Doncaster was spent rubbing my sweaty hands on my cherry printed dress. 

Louis had complimented my dress three times, and grabbed my fidgeting hands twice but nothing could ease my anxiety. Why did I agree to this? Of all things I could be doing this weekend, meeting Louis' entire family was not one of them. 

Ah, yes entire family. When he said he had a family thing I thought it meant his sisters, maybe an cousin or two. But no, he clued me in thirty minutes into the drive that it was every branch in the family tree apparently. I almost forced him to turn around or drop me off on the side of the road. 

"They'll love ya'," he said as we pulled into the neighbourhood where the house was located. "they'll be wondering how I scored you, to be frank." A small smile graced my lips that instantly disappeared as we pulled alongside a brick home. 

As we collected our small bags from the boot, I took in the house. 

It looked like it's neighbours, a simple, two story home with perfectly aligned bricks. A thatched roof that was in need of some maintaining, as pieces of water reed was escaping its confides. The street was quite, except for the sounds of children skateboarding in the distant. We had passed them on our way to the house, and Louis gave them a small wave to which they yelled that "Louis" was back in town. 

I knew for certain that he had not grown up in this home as he mentioned his mom and step-dad had bought it years after he had moved out at eighteen. But knowing Louis, he always makes an impression wherever he goes. 

I escaped my thoughts as Louis' hand snaked around my waist pulling me in. 

"Ready sugar drop?" he smiled down at me, and I burst out giggling at the surprising nickname. 

"Yes, plum....drop." I said, failing at thinking of a funny nickname. But it still earned a wide smile from him. One that made me forget of the events about to unfold. 

He had my backpack over my shoulder and held his small duffle in the other hand that wasn't rubbing small circles on my hip. 

We walked right in, and I took a large inhale. 

It smelled different than my own family home, looked different too. 

From the doorstep I could see the the family room. The living space was clearly meant for comfort rather than beauty. My eyes scanned the worn out sofa and reclining chairs centred around a brown coffee table that was home to magazines, disregarded playing cards and tea rings soaked into the faux oak wood. 

Through an arched passageway overtop of the counter top, I got a glimpse of the kitchen. 

The kitchen tiles and cabinets were a  sombre browns with c pale grey grout pinching them together. A cabinet door was left open and I almost grinned at the content inside — mismatched plates, bowls and glasses were stuffed messily in the wooden cage. But I smiled as my eyes landed on the memorabilia, plastic cups that sported 'The Spice Girls' and 'Peppa Pig'. Cups I would have killed for a child, but I always had to drink from the glass cups that my parents imported from Sweden or Italy yearly. The walls lined with hooks that held pots and pans of all sizes. Just as my eyes were about to leave the kitchen, a head of blonde hair shot up. A women around my age was holding a casserole dish and moved it to the kitchen island. Two dish towels protected her hands from the apparently hot glass. 

Louis dropped his duffle on the ground, and the blonde's attention darted towards us. "L!" she said, a giant smile smacking onto her face. "You're early." 

Before he could reply, a bellow slapped through the room, "Uncle Lou!". A small brunette boy wearing jeans and a Doncaster Rovers jersey raced from a room that was out of my view. He threw himself into Louis' awaiting arms and held onto Louis' neck like his life depended on it. 

A warm feeling ran over my arms as I watched Louis swing him back and forth gently. His inked hand grasping the back of the boy's head pulling him closer. 

I did not want children, nor particularly liked them that much but seeing the man you are sleeping with being so caring with a small human was cute no matter who you were. 

 I leaned in, whispering; "Uncle?"

Before he could respond, the mysterious blonde woman approached us. 

"Hey Soph," Louis said, extending his arm that wasn't holding up the boy to pat her shoulder. "Wendy, this is my sister Sophie and my nephew Oscar." He set the boy down and looked between us two women smiling. 

I turned to Sophie, who was already staring at me. Her facial expressions entirely unrecognizable. She looked so much like Louis though, grey-blue eyes, small nose, puckered lips and feathery hair. Although hers was clearly died to be a lighter shade, almost white-blonde highlights weaving in and out of her hair. 

I raised my hand to shake her hand because that is how my parent's taught me to introduce myself but before I could she looked at Louis. I dropped my hand instantly, pretending my intention was to pick a fluff off my black dress. 

"Wendy?" She questioned Louis. I instantly flushed but my eyes narrowed. That was quite rude, I was standing right here. 

"Yes," Louis said, his eyes narrowing slightly in challenge to the woman who was almost the same size as him, "Soph meet Wendy, my girlfriend."