Love Your Neighbour

Chapter 18

Song: I want you to know by Zedd and Selena Gomez.

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"Mike, you're here."
"Hey, mum." Mike smiled sheepishly.
"Hello, Mrs Landers." I said, faking a smile.
It's such a LOVELY surprise... I thought evilly.
"It's Marie! Lauren, you look taller than when I last saw you!" Mrs Landers said. I didn't feel comfortable saying her first name.
I just smiled serenely. I watched silently as she hugged Mike.
"Well, I have some news, Mike, Miles, you have stayed long enough here I think, and I suspect Lauren is getting tired of you hanging around...!" She laughed. I really did not like her. This could not be happening.
"Where's dad?" Mike interrupted her hastily.
"He's been called away for a meeting. He'll be back in a week."
"A week? Where is this meeting?"
"It's in Wales. And it isn't just a meeting, it's an event. Anyway, this is beside the point." Marie shook her head.
"Alright. We'd better get going. Thank you so..."
"Wait, woah, who said anything about leaving?" Mike said, looking from my mum to his mum, feigning confusion.
"Mike! We have to leave. I'm back, and you don't want to trouble Mrs Nettle anymore." Miles said, rolling his eyes as if Mike was stupid.
"But surely he, I mean, they don't have to go yet?" I said.
"Yes, of course Mike and Miles can stay longer." My mum sighed. She obviously wasn't pleased with my contribution to the the conversation.

At that moment, Marie's phone rang. And frankly I couldn't have been more relieved! Mike leant closer to me and whispered, "I just, I want you to know that I don't want to do this. And I'm sorry we have to leave. We'll always be..." He was interrupted by Miles tugging on his sleeve and pointing at Marie.
"What are you talking about...?" Miles asked.
"Sorry! I have to answer..." She whispered then pressed the button.
"Tony! Hi, how are..." She was cut off by the voice on the other end of the line.
She glanced at us. "Oh, that's terrible."
I was immediately alert. I knew when someone said that, it wasn't a good thing.
"You want me to... Oh, but Tony, the children... But, it's okay.... No I'm sure, I insist, really. I'll sort things out, then I'll be right there. See you guys soon." Marie hung up and sighed deeply.
"My friend Susan has just gone into labour, and I'm so sorry, but I'm the godmother and I have to be there for her." She looked really sad. Susan had gone into labour? That meant that she wouldn't be able to take Mike and Miles yet... Yes! I mean, I wasn't happy that Susan was in pain and having a baby right then but I couldn't help the smile that was on my face. I quickly wiped the smile off my face when Marie glanced at me.
"I am so sorry. I know I have asked you for so much already, but I really need to ask you a favour. Please could the boys stay for another two days?" She pleaded my mum. She looked like she was in pain. Torn, between her friend and her children.
"Of course! In fact, they can stay for another week, or even two weeks! We would be delighted. Just until you've sorted everything out with Susan."
"Thank you so much! You are such a darling!" Marie jumped up and down. I wanted to throw up. Seriously, 'darling'? Was her vocabulary that limited?!
She hurtled out of the door two minutes muttering apologies. I just stood there at the door grinning.

When she had left, I realised how lucky I had been that she wasn't taking Mike away yet...
"I'll be upstairs..." I said awkwardly to my mum and then I ran upstairs.

About five minutes later I heard a knock at my bedroom door. Mike. It had to be.
It was my mum. And I was so disappointed. Why hadn't he come up after me? I needed to talk to him.
Sometimes you need to go get that you want, Lauren. You can't expect everyone to come to you. I rolled my eyes.
"Lauren, Celine's on the phone, she wants to speak to you." She gestured to the phone in her hand. Why hadn't Celine called my phone...? Oh, because I had switched my phone off ages ago.

I held my hand out reluctantly. I would rather have been left alone.
"Hey, Cel..."
"I am so depressed, literally... James broke up with me! I can't believe he could do something like this to me. He told me that we didn't suit each other! How could he say that? It's as if..." I heard Celine crying into the phone. I sighed. James was Angela's brother and James and Celine had been going out for two months.
"Don't worry. Do you want me to come to..."
"Can I come over? I really need to get out of the house." She sniffled as if to back up her request.
"Of course! I'll see you soon." I hung up and sighed yet again.
Well, it seemed as if I wasn't the only one who was having problems...