Child's Heart

Chapter 3: What do you say?

It was nearing the end of Jay's stay in Nottingham after a two week holiday with his family and childhood friends he was feeling not only more relaxed and refreshed but he also felt anxious and upset about leaving his family he hadn't seen them a lot the first year he was in the band, now that he came back home all he wanted to do was stay there.

Jay was finishing packing while listening to some music from his laptop, when he heard a light knock on his door before it opened revealing a little boy running up and jumping on the bed.

"No!" Jay exclaimed as Nathan landed on top of some of his clothes he had just folded. Nathan looked up at Jay surprised before realizing his mistake and got up standing next to the bed, looking down.

"Sorry" he mumbled.

"It's fine don't worry about it" Jay sighed as he ruffled his hair. "So what caused you to run up to my room?" Nathan gave him a little smile.

"I wanted to see if you wanted to play some video games again." He slowly looked around the room before looking back at his brother "Why are you packing?"

"Well tomorrow afternoon I go back to London."

Nathan stared at him in shock, "what? You mean you're leaving again?"

Jay turned around as he heard the surprise in his brother's voice "Nath, you know-" before he could finish his sentence he saw Nathan walk quickly to the door leaving Jay standing confused before coming back to reality and followed Nathan. "Wait Nathan! Where are you going?"

"It's not like it matters" he heard Nathan mumble as he didn't even turn to look at Jay instead just headed over to his room.

Jay decide to give his younger brother space, it wasn't until lunch time that he saw Nathan again but this time his attitude had taken a complete spin, he was constantly clinging onto Jay wanting his attention.

"Nath, come on you have to sit on your own chair " Jay sighed as Nathan once again sat on his lap, Nathan looked up at Jay with his big emerald eyed. "Alright you can stay but you have to eat yeah?"

Nathan nodded as he grabbed Jay's wrist towards his plate and placed the fork in his hand. Jay understood what his brother wanted and soon began to feed him.

The family was enjoying their last afternoon together when Jay got up to answer a phone call from one of his band mates, but that was when everything went downhill.

"No! No! Not yet! Please stay" Nathan instantly began to pull on Jay's wrist as he cried for his brother to stay by his side. Jay was shocked at his reaction and decided to put his phone down and pick up Nathan.

"It's ok little Nath, I wasn't leaving you I was just going to talk to one of the lads." Jay assured as he rocked his little brother in his arms. A light 'ding' signaled Jay he got a message, he carefully sat back down and read over the text.

"Hey Jay, we'll meet up at the flat and Jayne just sent me our schedule for the next few months, whoo not so packed the first two weeks back!" - Tom

"Nathan listen you have to understand tomorrow I'm going to have to leave" Jay tried to explain to the boy who once again had started crying his heart out when he didn't see Jay in the room. "I have a job, and because of that I can't be home all the time like I used to be."

"Then why don't you quit?"

Jay lightly chuckled, "If only" he thought. "Nate I can't, everyone sooner or later has to get a job. It's like dad, or Luke or Tom, they all have jobs."

"But I also see them everyday, why can't I see you everyday?"

"Because my job requires me to travel around to different places and -"

"Then let me travel with you."

Jay did a double take as he registered what Nathan said, he couldn't possibly take Nathan with him to London or to any other place. What about living with him? No the lads wouldn't want that, having a little kid to look after when they want to go out or want to throw a party? No. But then again maybe it would be good for Nathan to be able to spend time with someone, at home even though he usually got his way his siblings didn't really tend to play with him like he did. It could work, but the only thing that would be a problem would be his parents and the boys' permission. Well might as well see if it could happen.

That evening Jay went to the kitchen where he found both his parents silently talking while drinking some tea.

"Hey, um could I ask you guys a question? Well it's kind of also a proposal." Both of his parents looked at him a clear sign for him to go on. "Well you know how Nath's been a bit to very sad that I'm leaving? Well i thought about it and well maybe it would be good fro him to spend more time with me," so far so good, his parents had smiled and nodded in approval, now the tough part. "What if Nathan stayed with me...in London?"

"No"

"Yes"

Jay looked confused to his parents, not sure who to listen to.

"I don't think it is a good idea. James you know you're brother and you know better than anyone that he needs special attention than most kids his age, besides I don't want Nathan to be so far away from home where I can't see what he's doing" Maureen explained.

"More like what he's eating" her husband mumbled before raising his voice a bit, "I think it would be a good thing, Jay and the rest of the lands should learn how to balance their work with their free time and having Nathan there will definitely make them take on a bit more responsibility. Not going out and drinking so much."

Jay smiled at his dad as he thought of the idea of being more responsible, it wouldn't be so hard after all he had looked after Nathan before when they were younger, he was sure this would be no different. With his father in favor of the idea all he had to do now was convince his mum.

"Well mum think about it this week Ellie is going on her exchange trip, Sean is going to Nan's house to start some work experience, Luke is moving to his new house and Tom is taking his moving to uni. If Nathan were to stay with me for a while then you and dad would be free of all your kids. You can go out for dinner or take a little holiday." Jay explained knowing that that would definitely convince his mum.

Maureen smiled at the idea, it would be nice, "how long would he stay with you?"

"2 month?"

"2 weeks"

"A month ?"

"Alright, I think it would be nice to go on a trip" Maureen smiled already starting to plan everything.

Jay couldn't be happier about being able to spend more time with his little brother. Now the only thing that he needed was to tell the boys. Or he could just go with the flow and once he arrives and the boys saw Nathan he would explain that it was already to late to take Nathan back since his parents had already left for their trip. Yeah the second option sounded more promising.