Photo Booth (Ashton Irwin Fanfic)

Chapter 25

Faith P.O.V

I was due in 2 months. I'd been to the doctors and they told me that one of my children had passed away but at least it was one more off my hands I guess. I have had to learn to deal with loss since Mikey left. A lot has happened in this small time pocket of a couple of days. The rest of the boys are recked. They are recovering though. I just hope that Lukey pulls through before the babies are born. I would really appreciate a functional dad. I didn't have one when I was growing up and I know how hard it was. I don't want to end up like my mum; Tired, helpless and mentally and physically wounded. We have had the babies' room done up so that there are 3 cots that we have modified so that they are joined into one big cot. On the ceiling we have borrowed Izzy, and her friend Jody Jackson who is amazing at art, to paint stars and planets, all over the newly painted black ceiling, with glow in the dark paint. The walls are all going to be different. One will be painted like the jungle with tall trees and parrots and other wild animals. Another will be a wall that is covered in a graffiti sort of wallpaper and the third will be comic books all pasted together to make little snippets of stories all over the wall. The last wall will be a measuring wall for they're heights and we can record it as they grow up.
Luke is in the lounge staring into space like always. He will not say anything if you walk in or if you walk out. He doesn't really eat but he does drink. But he doesn't drink water or squash! He drinks vodka and WKD and sometimes even whiskey. Calum is living with me as he has been, surprisingly, least effected by Michaels absence. At night he helps me get Luke to bed. He helps cook and he helps Luke get dressed and brush his teeth. He also buys me ointment to rub on my stomach to help with the pain. He has done so much I repaid him by buying him a brand new guitar. He loved it! Every morning and evening we search the house for booze and if we find any then we pour it all down the sink! I walk into my bedroom and lie down heavily. I stare at the ceiling and slowly fall asleep. When I wake up I blink and heave myself up and out if bed. This whole baby thing is getting quite heavy now. Still with my maternity nightgown on I wandered off into our bedroom where Luke was sleeping. I was in the spare room. The door was open slightly so I peeked in. The room was empty. Luke must have gone out early. I wonder where he went?

A month later

Luke has not left the room for a month. We have an en-suite bathroom and our door locks so he doesn't leave. He bought a lot that morning he left early so he was well supplied. I walked up to the door just to check if it was open and I was shocked that it wasn't locked. It creaked open but when I looked inside I got a terrible shock. Luke was not in there but about 100 bottles of booze were in there EMPTY. EMPTY. The whole room stank and the further I stepped into the room, the worse the smell was. I thought I was gonna be sick. But I wasn't. Luke came up behind me and I felt his breath on the back of my neck. At first I didn't want to turn around, but then I realised that I had to at some point. So I swivelled round and he stood there motionless. All I could here was his breathing. In. Out. In. Out. His face was the worst. His eyes were sunken into his face. His skin was pasty. His hair was straggly and his beard had flecks of grey. His breath stank of booze. He must have lost around a stone or two as he was thin, bony and limp. His body was rigid and tears welled up in his eyes. Tears welled up in my eyes too but I didn't blink them away. I didn't want him to think I could manage without him. They streamed down my face and I could taste the salty tears with my tongue. I pulled my sleeve down past my hand and grabbed it with my fingers. Wiping my face proved to be more difficult as the sleeve kept pinging back! I tried my best but I couldn't succeed. This made me sad but it also forced me to laugh which I had to swallow down. Luke looked me up and down and beckoned me into his arms. I turned away, walked out of the room and slammed the door. The whole house shook. Calum found me a few minutes later, curled up on the couch, sobbing. He took me in his arms and rocked me like a baby. It was so warm and comforting that I didn't mind closing my eyes for just a second or two...
I woke up on the couch, still warm, but Calum had gone. I lay awake for a while waiting for him to come back but he didn't. So I, reluctantly, heaved myself up and off the couch. He had gone out with Luke I think as the house seemed quite empty. No sound was too be heard. I flopped back down on to the couch comfortably. Peace at last.

I woke up with a start. What had woken me? I could smell smoke and then I heard a fire engine pulling up outside. I listened and could here shouting but I was too dazed to understand. Suddenly, the door burst open and Calum and Luke ran in. Luke was looking much better but he was still underweight. His face was clean shaven and his face was fuller. Although he looked better he looked worried too. Really worried. He ran up to. E with Calum and they heaved me up and out of the house. That's when I saw that next door was on fire. I watched as the fire men did their best but the house collapsed in front of me. I had to crane my neck as my stomach was in the way. Because of stress I think I may have lost another child. I don't know how but I just feel empty. I mentioned this to Calum so he called a cab and we went to the hospital immediately. He told me that he had set up session for Luke with a therapist. He told me that Luke was there now and that John ( the therapist ) thought he was doing very well under his circumstances! I was very pleased and I showed it. Then we arrived at the place I had been to far too many times. The taxi stopped and Calum gave him a tip of £5.45 and the taxi driver looked very pleased as he drove off.

A few minutes went past and then a few hours. I was seen to and told to wait. Calum left to pick up Luke and then returned.

And then the waiting game began!