Roach

Chapter 34

Mum lets go of me then puts her hands on my shoulders. "Le-Lets go-go inside, Ga-Gary... Callum's home with h-his da-daughters."

I move to take Mum's hands. "Are we gonna have enough room for everyone Mum?"

"Well," Price starts, "You and Ghost will be sharing your old room. Your brother and Ms. Kristy are in his room. Kids are in your one spare room. Soap's on the couch, and I'm sharin' the bed with your mum."

Ghost has to pat my back as I choke on spit. Price starts to laugh then apologizes. Mum's face turns a bright red.

"Price-!" I shout, going over to him and punching him.

He starts to laugh, "I'm sorry, no Soap and I are in the living room. Come on, it's starting to get cold."

"Startin'? It's about to bloody snow, what do you mean startin'?" Soap shakes his head, already moving inside with our stuff.

Price picks up what's left as we go inside. Cal's kids, who I haven't been able to see in ages, run over to us. Ruby's six now and Pearl is four. I bend down and hug them both, since I don't think picking them up is a good idea.

"I'm glad you're finally back in one piece..." Cal starts, "You had us worried."

"What can I say, I've become a real pest problem out there."

Soap cracks a light laugh, I can see Price and even Ghost smiling. I'm amazed Ghost is so calm about letting the others see his face. Though maybe it really isn't that big of a deal now. Everything's mildly calmed down, all we really have to do is take care of Makarov.

"Least we got you both revenge." Soap says as he goes to sit down. "All of 'em too..."

"Except you didn't tell them you almost died in the process." Price adds, sitting down next to him.

Ruby and Pearl pull on my hands. I end up following them upstairs as they want to show me something. I want to hear the story but I guess Ghost or Soap will have to tell me later.

"Uncle! Uncle! Look--!" Ruby brings me to our spare room. They have a little table with all sorts of paper on it. Everything has a drawing on it.

"Mummy said you got hurt," Pearl pulls on my arm.

"Yeah... I did, what'd she tell you..?"

"Mummy said you were fighting the bad guys and they hurted you."

"Daddy said you got shot." Ruby says bluntly.

Pearl looks over to her confused for a second, "What's that?"

Ruby goes over to her and makes finger guns. I suddenly grab her fingers. It's light and I make sure not to hurt her. "Rubes, I think that's enough. I'm all better now."

"Okay..." I let go of her hands. Ruby then smiles, "I'm happy you're okay Uncle Gary."

"Me too..."

"Oh! But Pearl and I drew you some stuff! We wanted to make you feel better. But Daddy said that he didn't know where you were... so we had to wait. Now we can give it to you!"

Pearl runs to the table and picks up her pictures. Ruby pulls me over and makes me sit at one of the chairs around the table. Pearl quickly hands me all her papers. I look through and it mostly looks like nonsense scribbles. I appreciate it nonetheless.

"Look at this one uncle! Gran said she'd hang it on the fridge." Ruby hands me a piece of paper. "That's me, and Pearl," she points to two little figures wearing dresses. "This one's daddy," a tall one in England's football uniform. "And mummy," the woman next to him. She looks like she's cheering Cal on. "Then here's Gran," of course she's on the other side of Cal, close to the figures she drew of her and Pearl. Mum's wearing one of her house coats.