𝐓𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐨 𝐔𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭

five

B L A I R A L D E R I D G E
_

They take a seat in the booth, sitting right across from me. Levi stares at me intently while Kian looks like he couldn't care less about being here and Harvey looks like the golden retriever he's always been.

"Do you need something?" My tone holds an ounce of annoyance as I raise an eyebrow.

"Why aren't you at school?" Levi stares straight at me, a hidden glint resting in his eyes that I can't seem to put a finger on.

"Could say the same for you three."

"Answer the question."

"Why should I?" I shut my laptop seeing as I've basically finished all the lessons I've missed and anything unfinished I can do at home.

"Because I said so." His deep voice sends an involuntary shiver down my spine.

"I have stuff to do."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Important things." I shoot him a annoyed look before glancing down at my empty wrist, acting like a watch sits there. "Oh look at the time! It's seems that I need to leave, sorry boys but gotta go."

I pack all my stuff up quicker than light and bolt out the door, handbag on my shoulder and my empty iced coffee cup in my hand as I push the pram towards the shops exit.

I begin the tiring task of grabbing all my shopping bags filled of clothes, groceries and random items I've picked up from stores, and place the into the back of my car. I place Reese into his car seat and put the pram into the back as well.

I drive out of the carpark just as I hear Reese begin to cry. A tired sigh leaves my lips as I look back at his tiny figure, I soon find my own tears filling up my eyes. I blink, getting the tears to disappear before they start falling.

I pull over in a empty street, a few ordinary houses along both sides. I open up Reese's car door and unbuckle him from his car seat. As soon as I bring him into my arms he grabs onto myself, holding on for dear life while his tears soak into my sweater.

I shut his car door and decide to take a walk to soften his never-ending tears. I find a small hidden path at the end of the street and decide to take the adventure.

The path has overgrown weeds sprouting all over, trees and bushes nearby over grown as well, Reese's cry's soften as the sound of nature hovers around us.

A small pink flower, in the middle of a patch of dead ones, catches my eye and before I know it I'm setting Reese on the ground infront of the flower.

He stands on his own and reaches down to grab the small flower. I hold his small hand, stopping him from grabbing the flower. He looks over at me kneeling beside him and his eyes become glassy once again.

"Baby you can't pick the flower, it needs to stay there. It's the last one left and it needs to save the other flowers." I smooth his wild hair down and kiss his head.

I offer him my finger and he gratefully excepts it and I begin walking slowly. He takes one foot at a time, slowly getting used to walking and occasionally falling over and dropping a few tears.

When we come to the edge of the path I look up and see a hidden beach glistening in the bright sunlight. The water is a blue murky colour, the sand on the shore looks so white and pristine. The water going on for miles and the sandbank long but not too short with trees surrounding it.

It looks like a place you'd only see in movies, but here it was right infront of my eyes.

Reese's hands shoots over to the water as I hold him on my hip. He mumbles incoherent words as I walk down to the water, slipping off my shoes in the sand. I take off Reese's converse while he continues to wiggle around in my hold, desperate to go in the water.

When I drop his shoes down right next to mine I take him to the waterline and let him get his feet wet. He stand up on his own and stomps his feet in the ocean's water.

Suddenly he falls onto his knees, falling into the water and splashing in the water with the biggest smile of his face.

"You just wanted to go in the water huh?" I hold one of his hands us I walk us into the water, he plays in the water right infront of me.

I make sure he doesn't go any deeper than his stomach while my ankles and feet are submerged under the chill water. He laughs at the waves crashing as it pushes him back slightly, I join him in laughing.

To strangers we just look like a mother and son standing in the water while laughing their lungs off without a care in the world.

If only life was that simple.

I bring Reese out of the water and hold him on my right hip, not giving a care in the world about my clothes. Walking out of the water, Reese looking over my shoulder at water, a slight breeze washes past and the wind becomes chilly.

When I go to walk forward I see Levi standing on the overgrown path watching the two of us.

"Were you there the whole time?" I ask softly, a small smile resting on my lips. I bend down and pick up our shoes.

"Long enough."

I begin walking on the path while he walks on the right side. Reese watches him the whole time with an intrigued look on his chubby face. He reaches out to grab onto Levi's hair but with the height difference Levi and I and Reese's short arms he doesn't make it very far.

Levi looks down at Reese, the two have a staring match until Reese looks away and holds onto me tightly. I move him until he's laying down in my left arm with our shoes in my other hand, just like when he was a newborn. He leans into my chest and holds onto my sweater lightly before watching Levi again.

"I think he likes you." I look over at Levi.

"What's his name?" His light blue eyes meet my brown eyes.

"Reese."

"Is he your's?" His voice is softer, a stark contrast to his normal raspy and deep voice.

"Yeah, had him almost a year ago."

"He's pretty cute." He ruffles Reese's short hair. I unlock my car and open the back and make some space to change him.

Levi stands to the side and watches me change his clothes into a warmer pair from his nappy bag, the same hidden glint from earlier resting in his eyes. I buckle him into his car seat, shutting the door softly as I look up at Levi.

"Well I better get him home and give him a bath." I point to the car.

"Yeah, gotta go head back home." He nods and we both look at each other one last time before he walks off and I hop in my car.

-

J<3