Saving Lotte Sullivan | Collingwood/Carlton

74: Trent's Parents

'Alex, how many times have I asked you to wash the laundry today?'

Laura Bianco-Fasolo sighed as she tiredly kicked the full and overflowing clothes basket out of her way, barely able to keep her eyes open. An uninterested mutter came from the other end of the house. 'I forgot about it'.

'Well, could you come and do it please?' She asked, dramatically rolling her eyes and heading towards the kitchen. 'Later' Alex whined.

'That laundry is not going to get done' Tessa Fasolo - Alex's eldest daughter, laughed from the kitchen table, where she sat drinking her coffee and scrolling through tiktok videos.

'You could be helping out too' Laura said, wanting to rip the phone out of her hand and finally sending her to work. She'd been watching her father and stepmother run around exhausted like idiots for the past week or so. She'd done absolutely nothing to help.

'It's not my problem you had another kid and don't have the time or energy to do anything' Tessa remarked, smirking. Laura looked back in at her, pissed off written all over her face.

'Do the laundry now' she ordered, watching Tessa giggle and stand up, awkwardly passing her. 'Hi Daisy!' She exclaimed, putting on a child-like voice. The newborn one week old baby, wrapped up in Laura's arms, didn't even blink.

'I'm going to bed, catch you later' Tessa said, pushing past them and heading to her room, deliberately knocking the basket of clothes over on her way. Laura just shook her head, seething. 'I'm so sorry she's your sister' she said, apologising to her baby. However, she'd forgotten what she was heading to the kitchen for, and turned around to see if the front door was locked, noticing something else.

'Jesus Alex, you left the dining room light on!' She complained, forcefully sliding the door open and reaching for the light, almost having a heart attack and jumping when she saw somebody sitting in there.

'Trent? When did you get here?' She asked, extremely concerned and almost running into the room. He sighed and shrugged.

'I don't remember' he admitted, looking down at his sketch book, grey-led pencil in hand.

'Are you okay? Come here' she said, rushing over immediately and awkwardly putting one arm around his shoulders. The baby stared at her older half-brother, unblinkingly. Trent didn't bother looking at her. She soon closed her eyes again, struggling to stay awake. It was so hard, being here in the world.

'Mum, I'm fine' Trent said, trying to escape her hug by leaning forward over his book, almost like he was hiding the page from her. She ran her hand through his long, messy dark mop of curls. His hair had never been so long before.

'Do you want to hold your sister?' She asked, wondering why he hadn't asked about her or reached for her. He hadn't even acknowledged her existence yet. Messages and voicemails, calls ignored. Facebook and Instagram posts going unseen. Tessa's Snapchat photos showing undelivered. Something was definitely wrong.

'I don't have a sister' Trent mumbled, no expression to his empty, drained voice at all. He closed his book, knowing she wasn't going to leave him alone now.

'Trent' Laura said, warning him. He stood up and shoved his book in his overnight bag, also known as his Collingwood gym bag. Laura could see he'd barely packed any clothes or essentials even.

'I have to stay here for a bit, until I can find somewhere to rent. Amelia doesn't want me at home anymore, and I don't really want to be around either' he said mournfully, as he swung his bag over his shoulder.

'What do you mean, she doesn't want you at home? Have you two had a fight?' Laura asked, anxiously biting the inside of her cheek.

'It doesn't matter' he said dismissively, trying to find his phone.