The World Behind My Wall

Chapter Seven: See You Tomorrow

Bill and Tom were sitting on the couch when I got out of bed. Mark had picked them up at a bus stop and dropped them off before leaving for work; he'd left a note on the fridge. Carolyn was still asleep, thank god. So I made enough strawberry banana pancakes for the four of us and called Carolyn down. Seeing Tom, she ran back upstairs and slammed her bedroom door. Tom rushed after her.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you guys. Please don't be mad at me." I mumbled, collecting the dirty dishes on the table so I could wash them.

"I know. I was mad at first but I understand why you couldn't, out of loyalty to your sister." Bill stood up and led the way to the kitchen sink, his plate and mug in hand. He'd left a box of peppermint ginseng tea in the pantry the last time he was here. Tom and Carolyn were yelling at each other, and that lasted about ten minutes. "I missed you so, so much." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.

"I missed you too. How long are you staying for?"

"Umm.. We didn't think that far." He let go of me and suggested we go for a walk to give our siblings some privacy. He picked up Rebel, who was nipping at his feet, and we left.

"I've been watching videos of you on YouTube. You're pretty funny, the way you tease Georg and Gustav."

"Too bad you're not on YouTube. I can't watch stupid videos of you when I'm sad and lonely."

"I've made a couple appearances on Carolyn's makeup channel." I pointed out.

"I know. But you're not laughing or talking. You just look sad." He frowned. "If you don't want to come back to LA with me, I'll stay here. I can't stand being so far from you."

"I guess I could go and see what it's like." I shrugged. The only thing I wasn't looking forward to was the heat, and all that sun. But Bill told me their house wasn't that far from a private beach so that was great.

"Yay! You'll like it. We can go to Disneyland, and go shopping. The malls are HUGE..." Bill babbled on excitedly about all his favourite stores. "That band you like so much. Black Brides?"

"Black Veil Brides."

"Yeah, them. I told my PA to get us tickets to their next show."

"Oh my god! Bill! You didn't have to!" I grinned and hugged him excitedly. I was going to an actual Black Veil Brides concert! "You're the best! Thank you!"

"If I knew it would make you this happy I'd have done it months ago." He laughed and we turned around, heading back towards the house. "I can't believe Tom's gonna be a father."

"I know. But when Mark finds out he might want to hide." my phone buzzed in my pocket. A text from Carolyn told me Aunt Cindy was there and it would probably be a good idea if we stayed away for a couple hours.

"Doesn't she make you just want to leave and never come back?"

"You have no idea. I can't do anything without her knowing about it."

"If you stay with me, you won't ever have to worry about her again."

"I want to. I really do. But what about my Mom? And Mark? I can't just leave them." I led him down a path into the woods and we sat on a large rock, Rebel falling asleep on his lap. She'd missed him just about as much as I had.

"I know. We'll think of something, make it work somehow."

"I wonder what's going on at the house. If Aunt Cindy found out, we're all dead. She could decide to stay there until tomorrow."

"Don't worry. Tom can handle people like her. She'll leave in tears, knowing him." He looked down at his phone and laughed. "I was right. She's gone."