Mine, Always

Chapter Six

Friday after school I headed straight to Sophie's house, her family lived in a decent sized four bed mid terrace house. Apparently they'd lived here since forever, Bobby loves coming over as it brings back loads of memories for him. As I walk up the garden path I take my key from my pocket and let myself in as though I live here, I might as well half the time we are here so much.

"Tom is that you sweetie?" Sandra Sophie's mum calls from the kitchen.

I kick off my Vans and hang my coat and bag in the hallway and head towards her voice. I see my dad and Bill; Sophie's dad in the living room still in their suits from work but without their suit jackets and ties, both of them have a beer in hand are chatting and laughing about something on TV. I say hello as I pass them and they nodded in acknowledgement.

"It is me," I say smiling at Sandra and mum when I finally make it to the kitchen.

"Tom, finally!" Sophie screeches hugging me harder than necessary. It's going to be one of those nights.

"Where are Bobby and Andrea?" I ask hoping to hold off whatever questions our mothers may have for us.

"Visiting George," Mum says smiling but I can tell she isn't happy about it. You see the odd thing about my family is that I am technically the third child. I had an older brother called George; I never met him though because he died in a car accident when he was ten, before I was born. I was born in Devon, which is where mum decided to move Dad, herself and Bobby to get away from the memories of George. They lived there for two years before I came along and then ten years later we moved back here, much to the delight of Bobby who had been missing Andrea since he was five, but that's a whole other story.

Mum still finds it strange that Bobby and Andrea can visit George's grave weekly and still have stuff to talk to him about, but I guess it's their way of staying close to him and if it helps them deal with his death I don't see the problem, I wonder if maybe mum wishes it was that easier for her, I know she misses him still. I felt bad for a while because I can't miss him, I felt especially bad I guess because we look alike, and not in the-we-are-brothers kind of way I mean like identical, it's totally strange. It's a bit mean of mean of me to say but you can't miss what you don't know and if George is anything like what they tell me he was then he wouldn't mind me saying so.

"Of course they are; you know it's pissing it down out there right?" I tell them and I shake my hair to prove it, my slightly too long brown hair sprays Sophie with what rain water is still there.

"Oi, you're getting me wet!" She says smacking me on the arm.

"Young love," Sandra mutters and I instantly freeze because I know Sophie is going to go off on one.

"MUM!! What have I told you about saying that crap?!" Sophie shouts.

"Sophie, don't swear at me," her mother scolds.

"Crap is NOT a swear word MOTHER!" Sophie says angrily.

"I don't understand why you guys are so resistant to something that's going to happen." Sandra says sadly shaking her head and going over to the stove to stir something.

"Mum, I know you were right about Andrea and Bobby, but you aren't right about this, Tom is like the baby bother I never wanted." Sophie tells her mum.

"You know Andrea once said the same thing about Bobby," her mother replied.

I look at Sophie and know I could fix this all with three words but I can't do it and right in this moment I hate myself for it.

"Sophie," I whisper and she looks at me and I know she sees my self-hate.

"Come on Tom lets go upstairs."