The Things That I Know || George Michael

seven - i want to feel

After a long drive, Levi and George finally arrive back in Goring. They pull up outside their own home, sliding the seatbelts off themselves; before getting out the vehicle to walk over to Penny's house. This takes a touch longer than anticipated, due to George's weakened limbs, but eventually they come face-to-face with Penny's front door. Levi knocks harshly twice, stepping back to wait for his mother to answer. Moments pass, in which the men hear the excitable squealing of the kids, until the door is opened ajar. Penny peeps playfully despite knowing who's calling; but then opens the gap wider to greet her sons.

"Hey guys." The sound of Kieran shrieking joyfully causes her to turn her head back to look into the hallway in reflex; but then, she resumes talking. "I haven't really been able to calm them down, I'm afraid. They'd been so quiet until about an hour ago. You may have your work cut out tonight."

"It's no problem," George assures her, his voice hushed due to his consistent migraine pain. "It's the least I deserve after all of this."

"Behave yourself," Penny scolds mockingly, ushering with her head for the pair to enter the building. "I'll tell them to get their stuff ready to go home. They've been very excited about seeing you."

"Thank you so much for looking after them for us," Levi comments, stepping into the house. "It wasn't planned, but I suppose this one needed it." He points to George with his thumb, not intending to be, in the slightest, malicious in his statement.

"I didn't need this hangover," George taunts, rubbing one hand over his face to rid the mild rush of dizziness that has consumed him. "I think I need to have an early night tonight. I think we all do."

"How was the funeral?" Penny asks, to try and take George's mind off his symptoms.

"It was perfect — well, the service was." George shrugs, knowing he deserves every little bit of self-deprecation he gives. "I can't say I remember much from the Wake."

"The Wake was lovely too. George was telling the family some stories about Lesley. Some even I had never heard before." Levi smiles, wanting to put George's mind at ease about the ordeal he's been through in the last twenty-four hours. "It was a very successful day, all-in-all."

"I'm glad to hear it." Penny rotates her body, to head up the stairs. "Kids! Your fathers are here! Come on, now, please!"

"Okay!" Kieran is the first to react, bounding down the stairs to greet the pair. "Hi Daddy. Hi other Daddy. I missed you." He runs to George first, hugging at his waist; for this is the height he reaches on George's torso. George brings his arms down to hold his son, already feeling a weight being lifted from his conscious in terms of his grief for leaving them the day before.

"I missed you too, mate," George answers. "Where's your sister?"

"She's hiding, because she doesn't want to leave," Kieran giggles. "She likes it at Grandma's house."

"Gem!" Levi calls. "Come on now, sweet. We need to get home. Daddy needs to rest."

The sound of Gemma's tiny feet shuffling around upstairs serves as the reassurance the men need, that she is following the instructions she's been given. A few seconds later, her footsteps become a little louder; she emerges from the top of the staircase, sauntering down each step as slowly as she can, to drag out going home.

"Please, darling," George pleads with her. "Daddy's not feeling very well. He needs to go to sleep."

The forlorn expression in her father's face is enough to convince her to hurry up a tad; she finally arrives downstairs, giving both parents a quick hug. "Okay, Daddy. Let's go home."

• • •

"Gem?" Levi calls, not much louder than a whisper due to the fact George is trying to sleep. He cannot, for the life of him, find his beloved daughter anywhere in the house — he is beginning to panic, but doesn't wish to worry George by drawing attention to the issue just yet. "Gem? Where are you sweetheart?" He shakes his head in disbelief that she could possibly go missing; thus, he takes a moment to think logically. Eventually, he works out that the only place he hasn't checked is the back garden; so he makes his way towards the back door. He peers out into the darkness, desperately scanning his eyes along the grass in hopes of finding her. Deciding he cannot get an accurate answer just from looking through a window, he opens the door, treading out into the night. "Gemma? Are you out here?"