Finding Home || bxb

46

Roman had agreed to tell me about Louis, but just as we were going to have that conversation, Roman's mum had come home after collecting Genie from nursery, so it didn't happen right away. Genie was excited to see me and as always came running over to hug my legs. I got up off the chair I was sat on and picked her up and gave her a little spin as I said hello. She was always such a sweet little thing, and her happiness was contagious at times. Though however happy I could be at this moment, it was still hard to stop thinking about what Roman had to tell me.

But I decided that Roman didn't look too enthused about having to talk about it – it was obviously a tough subject for him – so I decided to be nice and let him off without telling me for a little bit. It could wait until after teatime, as Sofia had offered me some food, and I was pretty hungry. College had ended early today for me, around lunchtime, but with having gotten so distracted I'd completely forgot to eat anything.

"I'm not making anything fancy. Genie wanted fish fingers," explained Sofia. "Hope that's okay."

"Yeah! Of course it is. Love fish fingers," I replied before turning to Genie still in my arms as I balanced her on my hip. "Fish fingers are so yummy, aren't they?"

"Yup!" she replied enthusiastically. "Especially with baked beans!"

"Oh definitely. That's the best way to have em," I replied happily.

"Can I have my boyfriend back now?" Roman moaned to his sister. "You're hogging him."

"He's my boyfwend!" Genie contested quite seriously.

"Well, that can't be true because he only likes boys."

"Aldey, how come you only like boys? Don't you like me and mummy? We're not boys," Genie asked me shocked at the idea that I might not like her.

"Course I like you guys!" I told her.

"Romey, you lied!"

"I didn't lie. He just can't be your boyfriend because he only likes boys to have as a special friend like that," Roman tried explaining to her.

"Ooooh. Aldey only likes boy kisses," Genie concluded. I was a little worried Sofia might be mad about us talking about this kind of stuff in front of Genie but when I looked, she was busying herself in the kitchen. She could definitely hear us though, so maybe she just didn't mind.

"Yeah, exactly," Roman replied to his sister and then to me, "You should put her down now."

"No! Whyyyy?" Genie replied in anguish.

"He's hurt little one, you gotta be gentle with him," Roman told her. Did he mean my head? I was fine. It hurt, but I was fine.

"I'm fine babe. It's not too bad," I told my boyfriend.

"What if you have a concussion or something. You really shouldn't be picking anything up," Roman argued.

"Concussion? What? What happened?" Sofie interjected having overhead something she probably wasn't expecting.

"I don't have a concussion," I told everyone. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You're sporting a nasty little bump there," Sofia said bringing a hand gently to the side of my head where my forehead met my hairline. Great, so there was a noticeable enough bump. "Roman, what happened? I know it can't have been you, right?"

"Mum, course not. Jesus. I would never do that. I sorted it out though," Roman said.

"What, with your fist?" Sofia asked taking her son's hand when she noticed its bruising form.

"No," Roman replied snatching his hand out of her grasp. I set Genie down on the floor because she was starting to get heavy, but she didn't seem to mind and clung onto my leg. "With my foot mostly."