A Bad Boy's Gift

Chapter 20

After eating my pizza, and having given two slices to Archer, we are back to watching the film we had started. 

"I need to tell Hudson about our parents tomorrow. I just don't know how to tell him." I say, as though talking to myself but knowing I have Archer listening next to me.

"It will come naturally to you, it won't feel right at the moment, but you'll be okay and you'll just say what you need to at the time." He rubs his thumb along my arm comfortingly as though he's done it all himself.

I nuzzle my head into his neck knowing that this is going to be my happy place.

When the movie is over and we've eaten our way through a whole packet of bourbon biscuits, I realize it's nearly 10 pm. 

"Do you need to go to sleep?" Archer whispers in my ear, soft and gentle.

"Yeah, I suppose." I smile at the contact.

"Hey, I forgot to ask, are you on contraception?" He looks a little concerned when I turn to look at him. "Sorry, it's just that everything was so quick, I didn't think about it until I'd finished. I can get the morning-after pill for you if you'd like?"

"Hey, hey, it's fine, I'm on the pill. I just don't broadcast it. I get checked every month too, I have a full MOT, so you have nothing to worry about on that front either." I hold my hand to his cheek, a smile on my face with an aim of comforting him. He smiles. A soft, shy, sweet smile. I lean up to give him a gentle kiss. 

"I'll come tuck you in." He tells me. I'm almost disappointed that he's not going to stay. Maybe he has somewhere to be?

"Don't worry about tucking me in, I have to lock the front door." I take his hand and lead him out of the room, turning off the lights as I go. 

I check the kitchen, it's alright, I don't have too much to leave myself for tomorrow. 

I notice the boys aren't there, they must have gone up to Hudson's room to play Xbox.

We walk to the front door where I expect a hearty kiss. I'm disappointed when it's only a small peck on my cheek, leaving me yearning for more. 

I force a smile as he says a quick "See Ya" and hurries down the steps to his car. I watch him drive away, down the driveway, and watch on as his car lights flicker out down the road. 

Why do I feel so lost? So disappointed? This isn't like me! 

I turn in the direction of the kitchen, flick the light back on and hunt down a bottle of wine, switching my Spotify onto the Sonos speakers we have strewn around the kitchen and downstairs of the house, I put on my loud beating music, and have a party for one.

***

The next morning I get up, shower off the staleness from my deep sleep, and proceed to fulfill my list of chores. When Hudson and Alfie come down the stairs, I make them some sausage and bacon sandwiches. They of course lather them in tomato ketchup, making me smile at the childish grins they have on their faces, knowing their innocence. 

Alfie's Mum and Dad come to pick him up at 9:30, giving me enough time to talk to Hudson about our parents.

Here goes nothing...

"Hudson," I call from the living room. 

"Yeah?" 

"Can you come into the living room please, we need to talk," 

He comes strolling in with a cookie in his mouth. "What's up?" 

As he sits down, I can't help but release a tear. I really shouldn't be crying, but something inside me reminds me that we haven't got our parents to fall back on now. It's completely down to the two of us. 

He frowns, seeing my single tear.

"I had a phone call the other day, and I haven't been able to find the right time to talk to you about this, but..." I can't look him in the eyes, my stomach is in knots and my hands are doing this weird sort of dance in my lap. "Mum and Dad were in an accident... They didn't make it."

I look up at him, his face seems to be expressing all the different emotions, and none of them all at once. After a few moments; "What happened to them?" He seems so calm. My big brave boy.

I explain to him what happened, the excursion, the accident, and the fact that no one helped them. And just as Archer had said, it just flowed right out of me, I said everything I needed to, and so did my big little bro and we had a really long cuddle. 

"We'll be okay River, I promise." He tells me while his head rests on my shoulder. I cry a little more, he just holds me tighter. 

I love this little man so much.

***

Hudson decides he doesn't need me to take the day off from working at the restaurant, so I go upstairs to get ready for a busy day. 

"River!" I hear while pulling my jeans on. 

I rush downstairs to find Hudson has my phone in his hand, it's ringing as he passes it to me, trying not to look at me without my shirt on, just my bra and jeans. 

I pick up quickly, "Hey Lexi, what's wrong?" Alexa never rings me before work; she usually just meets me there. 

"I got to work early, so I could eat my lunch before starting, there's no electricity. They've had a power cut!" She calls down the phone. "I've spoken to Joyce; she's told me to tell you not to come in, they're going to stay closed."

"Oh, well, hmm." I don't know what to say. "I'd best go put my PJs back on then." I laugh, and she reciprocates. "Fancy a trip to the gym with me?" 

"Sure!" She exclaims.

I'm secretly pleased she's agreed to come with me; I don't want to accidentally bump into Archer at the gym, I haven't heard from him since I watched him drive away into the night, leaving my bed cold and lonely. 

"I'll meet you there, in say, forty-five minutes?" She agrees and I go to change. 

On my way to my room, I poke my head into Hudson's room to let him know work's canceled and that I'm going to the gym. 

"Shall we watch the new Marvel film this afternoon?" He asks, perking up a little. I think we need some family time. 

"Absolutely." I smile, not remembering which one has just come out. 

Deciding which gym 'fit to wear is like deciding what you'd cook for the King should he be coming around for dinner. I go with my pinky-red shorts and sports bra, gym shark of course. Then the brand-matching scrunchie and white ankle socks I got on black Friday. Choosing the really cute pink Nike Metcons for my feet; I take a couple of pictures in the hallway, for Instagram, of course, and caption them with; 'Here, have 3'.

Applying my sunglasses, I race around the country lanes until I meet 30mph in the town center. I see Alexa's car and park next to it, my pristine beast compared to her sack of shit; the joys of her being on a nurse's salary.

We hug in the foyer and I scan her in. I get one free gym buddy every week; most weeks I bring Alexa. She loves a good gym session, but the membership is extortionate so I let her sponge her 2 hours a week in the gym off me, she does pilates from youtube and runs a few times a week, even though I keep telling her that running is bad for your joints. 

"What are you training today?" I ask her as we walk up the stairs. 

"I'm thinking upper body, what about you?"

"I'm going to do a bit of everything, we have 2 hours, so as long as I get my core workout in by the end, I should be good." I smile as we walk through the gym doors.