free || sam mctrusty || twin atlantic

chapter thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

In the morning, I make French toast and bacon, with a warm cup of coffee as I wait on Jamie wakening.

I don't put on any music like I normally do. This is a sad time for her and I have to have a real conversation about it and find out what's going on.

I place the food and coffee on opposite sides of the table and take a seat on my side.

She comes stumbling out of my room not long after. Her hair is knotted and not as shiny as usual, and she has huge mascara streaks down her face. Her cheeks and under eyes are puffy, her eyes red and her mood dark, all telltale signs that she's been crying all night.

" Hey," I say, giving her a sad smile.

She sighs, flopping down in the seat across from me and pushing her knotted hair out her face.

" Morning," she mumbles, taking a sip from her coffee.

I reach across the table and take her hand. She looks up and smiles slightly at me.

" Tell me what's going on," I whisper, squeezing her hand encouragingly.

She sighs and casts her eyes back down. " My Grandad. . . I mean, he hasn't been well in a long time. He has Lung Cancer. He was living with it but. . . well, he took a turn for the worse. He's in hospital." She looks up at me with tears in her eyes, her voice dropping to a whisper. " He isn't going to make it, Sam."

I blink once, slowly, trying to take everything in. My heart physically aches for her. I sigh and walk round the table, never once dropping her hand, and pull her into a tight hug.

We stay that way for the rest of the morning.

A couple times, I hear her sniffle against my chest and the next minute her body is convulsing with huge sobs and her tears are soaking my tee - shirt. And a few times she nods off to sleep and wakes up a minute or so later with a jolt.

When at last I feel her shift and sit up, she shakes her head. " No use sitting around all day, let's do something."

" No," I disagree, shaking my head, " you're upset. We shouldn't do anything."

She smiles and reaches out, tracing her hand along my jawline. " Sam. . . you're so kind. Too kind sometimes. Please, let's just do something; it'll take my mind off things."

I sigh and nod, standing up. She stands up to. " What shall we do?" I ask.

" Lets go out. . . have a nice breakfast," she smiles slightly, jumping up.

" Okay," I agree.

" Do you mind if I take a shower?" she asks shyly. I shake my head.

" Of course not. Use mine."

She smiles at me and walks towards my door, but not before giving me a gentle, quick kiss on the lips.

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Slipping into my bedroom, I find a pair of jeans and a long sleeved, black shirt. The shower can be heard through the wall and I can hear Jamie singing. I laugh to myself slightly.

Quickly, I slip on the trousers and tee shirt.

I'm spraying on some aftershave when I hear a quiet scream come from behind me. I whip round, poised for action, and find Jamie standing in the bathroom doorway, only a towel wrapped around her body.

" Oh, I, um -" I stutter, feeling my face turn completely red. " I -"

Jamie nervously rearranges her towel and says, " Do you, uh, do you, like, have a hair dryer?"

" Oh, em, yes!" I mumble, bolting over to my drawers and fumbling for my hair dryer.

I place it on my bed and point to the door.

" I, um, I'm just gonna, y'know, go."

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Jamie emerges from the room a half hour later wearing one of my Blink 182 shirts - which looks adorably large on her - and the leggings she was wearing last night. Her face is still just as red as it was a while ago.

" Um," I say awkwardly, standing up.

She giggles, walking towards me. " Don't be shy, Sam. It's okay."

I laugh and pull her in towards me, kissing her passionately on the lips.

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" Lets get ice cream!" she exclaims, pointing into the window of a local ice cream parlour.

I groan. " It's literally scarf weather, do you really think it's the best time for ice cream?"

She gives me big puppy eyes, nodding her head rapidly.

I sigh, but I can feel a smile creep onto my lips. " Okay, come on, then."

I purchase two cones; one Nutella, as per Jamie's request, and one Chocolate.

" You really didn't have to pay," she says, taking a long lick of her ice cream.

I shrug. " No - but I did want to."

She giggles and pauses. " So, chocolate, huh?"

" What can I say?" I laugh. " I'm a classic kinda guy."

She snorts. " Actually, vanilla was the classic flavour."

I mumble her words in an offensive impression of her, and then lightly tap her ice cream into her face, so it smears all over her nose. She pulls cock eyes and sticks her tongue out at me, before nuzzling her face into my sleeve and leaving a deep brown mark on my jacket.

" Oi!" I object, trying to wipe it off.

She giggles and grabs the lapels of my jacket, pulling me into her for a big, soppy kiss.

" Sam, you're one amazing guy," she whispers, biting her plump bottom lip.

I laugh. " Of course I am."

She giggles, too and goes in for another deep kiss.