My Home, My Salvation

1. Little boys and their toys

I heard the voices before I even finished getting downstairs. As I silently made my way to the kitchen, the voices got louder.
'I don't know how to help her. She won't talk to me, or you.' Taking a look around the door, I saw both a man and a woman. The man was sitting at the table while the woman paced in front of him.
'We can't force anything on her Kylie. Shes only fourteen, She's been through a lot and if she's not ready to open up, we just have to wait. And be there for her, make sure she knows she's loved.' The mans voice was soft as he said it. The woman, Kylie, put her hands on his shoulders. He played with the end of her blonde locks.
'I just wish I could do something Joseph. I look at her and feel so helpless. How do you think she'll cope being a big sister again?' I turned to run in that moment, but I hit a wall and went down with a thud. I watched as my dad came over to the door.
'Madeleine, what are you doing out of bed?' Dad helped me up and ran his hand over my brown curls. I stood there, just watching him, waiting for him to say something else.
'Did you want some water honey?' Kylie filled up a glass from the jug in the fridge and handed it to me.
'Thank you.' I whispered as I took the glass and took a sip. The water was the reason I got up in the first place.
'Are you feeling okay?' Dad pressed the back of his hand to my forehead. I walked to put the now empty glass on the bench but tripped over my feet. The glass shattered and I fell onto it. Breaking my fall with my hands earnt me cuts that stung like cracked lips.
'Im really sorry.' I looked at dad with tears blurring my vision. His green eyes were filled with sadness as he lifted me in his arms.
'You have nothing to be sorry for Madeleine. Accidents happen.' He took me to the bathroom and sat me on the side of the bath.
'Dad are you having a baby?' I asked when he was done pulling the shards from my hands.
'Yeah, how would you like a little brother or sister?' He dampened a hand towel and pressed it to my hands.
'Really?' I said, I didn't really know why he was asking my opinion
'Madeleine, your views on the matter count baby. Of course I care.' Dad laughed . I shrugged carelessly. It's not like I could stop Dad and Kylie from becoming parents together.
'It would be okay. Better than okay.' I said as cheerfully as I could manage.
'I think you'll make a beautiful big sister Maddy.' I hugged Dad after he'd bandaged my hands.
'I love you Daddy.' I whispered.
'Oh princess, I love you to infinity and beyond.' I smiled into dads shoulder for what felt like the first time in forever.

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Kylie sat down on the couch in front of me with a huff. She'd been up and down for hours because Owen was sick and being a pain.
'Oh how I love him and despise him at the moment.' I really felt bad for her, she was doing it tough with Owen, all he was doing was crying lately. Dad was overseas for six months for work, so it was just Kylie, Owen and I.
'How about I take the boy for a walk, that way you can get some sleep?' I stood and brushed the invisible lint off my jeans. Kylie looked at me with a frown,
'I couldn't ask you to do that Maddy.'
'Good thing I'm offering then, we'll be back with dinner, I can get a bit of Christmas shopping done too.' I liked the sound of that. Kylie nodded and gave me a small smile, I turned and headed up the stairs and into the room of my four year old half brother. Around the mid section of his room was a road my father painted, his name in wooden letters was above his bed. There were toys and clothes greeting me as soon as I opened the door, Owen was sitting among them, when he looked at me his face dropped and his blue eyes widened with shock.
'Busted.' I whispered to him. I grabbed up a clean shirt and walked over to him, quickly changing it.
'Addy I sowwy.' He genuinely looked sorry, I shook my head at him and pointed to his bathroom door,
'Go to the toilet please.' I opened the door for him and he walked in and a few minutes later I heard the toilet flush. The little boy emerged with his hands wrapped in a disinfectant wipe, which he threw in the bin when he was done, looking at me with a triumphant smile. I scruff up his brown curls and grabbed him a jacket.
'Where we going Adeleine?' He asked quizzically as I walked with him, stopping in my room to grab my bag, before going downstairs.
'Madeleine, or Maddy, Owen. Please talk properly. And we're going shopping.' He knew how to say my name, he talks like a baby when he's in trouble, makes him seem cute.
I thought Kylie would still be awake, but her steady breaths and closed eyes told me she was down for the count. I quietly asked Owen to stay where he was while I walked to where Kylie lay, tossing a throw rug around her. I walked back to Owen, grabbing his hand and leading him to the front door.
'What if momma wakes up and we aren't here?' Owen looked up at me with blue doe eyes. I grabbed my car keys from the hook, locking the front door as we go through.
'All good Owen, she know where we're going.' I helped him into the car, buckling him in and starting a movie on the iPad, the shopping centre was a forty five minute drive. Oh the joys that lie ahead.

A/n
Ooohkay, so that was my first chapter, just a quick something to give a bit of background on everything. The picture is of Owen's bedroom, I love it :3

I'm actually feeling a little terrified that this story won't get read, but I'm going to pursue it anyway.

It would be immensely appreciated if you leave a comment of your thoughts, it would mean a lot <3

-Annaleissia xx