Good Enough

F i v e

Twelve Days until Christmas. Seeing his parents room door ajar, Liam glanced around seeing no one. Peaking inside the room, he sees the bed neatly made with a suitcase on top. Knowing one of the two parents were leaving again, Liam slid away going downstairs.

"Good morning sweetheart, Eggs and Toast?" Rose suggested, "Yes ma'am." Liam sighs pouring himself a glass of orange juice, "Pour it out, its bad for your teeth. Rose," Louis starts with disgust, "Throw that poison away. Liam drink milk, it's better for you. Bradley darling, lovely to see you." The eldest nods curtly taking a seat at the table, "Papa?" Liam calls, Louis turns slowly as if to prolong the question everyone knows Liam's bound to ask, "I'm going to America for a movie." Louis answers, "W-will you be back for C-Christmas?" Liam questions tears springing his eyes, "Your father will be here, that's good enough." With the unwanted answer, Liam feels his stomach drop. Even though he hardly saw his parents, Christmas was Christmas. The egos were put away and it was family time. Now? Louis couldn't even wait twelve days.

"Hey it's better without him, we'll be here-," Bradley soothes, "Yea and then right after you leave! Everyone leaves! I-it's just me and Connor who hates me because James is dead!" Liam snarls rushing upstairs as more tears make their way down his face. Stopping in front of his parents room, Liam stifles another sob pushing the door open. He hadn't stepped foot inside sense he was four. It smelled clean, like it was never used. Wiping his eyes again, Liam walks towards the closet opening the door turning on the light. Inside are neatly pressed suits and shirts. Shoes polished and stored away. In the back are the memories. Seeing a thick grey jumper on Harry's side, Liam whimpers taking the fabric in his hands holding it tightly. Removing it from the hanger, Liam slides it over his shirt inhaling his fathers warm scent. It felt like a hug. Glancing to Louis' side, Liam drags his fingers over the old sweatshirts Louis used to wear. Seeing a box in the corner, Liam kneels down wiping his face again to rid his tears. Unfolding the box he giggles with another sob pulling out the thousands of pictures he had drawn Louis whenever he was younger. Digging deeper he feels something soft and fragile. Pulling out a wilted flower crown, Liam puts it on sitting on the floor letting more tears flow from his eyes. None of his siblings were this emotional. They accepted that their parents weren't there. They had a nanny to cry on. Liam had himself. Rising from the floor, Liam places the box back keeping his newly found treasures to himself. Turning off the closet light, Liam shrieks when the bedroom light is turned on; "What are you doing in here?!" It was Louis, "I-I-," Liam fumbles for a reasonable answer, one that didn't warrant a belting. "What the fuck is that on your head?" Liam blushes ripping it from his hair, "N-nothing Papa." Louis crosses his arms raising an eyebrow, "Who's jumper is that?"

"I-it's daddy's."

"Is he aware you're wearing it?"

"N-no sir." Liam whispers wanting to leave the room, "Why are you wearing it?" Louis than asks shocking Liam. It almost sounded like Louis cared, "I-I missed him." The papa rolls his eyes, "He isn't dead." Liam shrugs starting to take the jumper off, "He isn't here, either." Leaving the room, Liam returns to his own for time to think and recollect.

Bradley inhales deeply stopping at the red light. It's one of the first few times he's driving himself. He had just to get away.

Yes it would seem weak, especially to Connor who always liked to throw that in the older ones face. With tears in his eyes, he cast a glance at his phone. He wanted to call Harry. Needed to tell his dad and Papa that he loves them. Jumping when the car behind him honked, Bradley quickly hurried ahead pulling off to the side. Screaming in frustration, he punched the steering wheel, letting sobs rack his body. He wasn't strong. Bradley was weak, each day he let others get to him. In his heart sat the words he'd never let anyone hear again, the words he despised ever left his mouth. The words he wanted dead. But words don't die. Unless people die with them.

Liam didn't really know what to do. Part of him wanted to go find Louis and beg him to stay, another part wanted to curl into a ball and cry. So he did both. As soon as Louis left, Liam returned to his parents room grabbing one of Louis' jumpers and Harry's blanket he got from college. Wrapping up in a ball, Liam let tears fall freely. He hasn't yet to understand why it bothered him. Why was he so affected by his absence of parents. It's not that they were once there for him and this was new. No, it had been this way ever since Liam could walk. Sure he used to miss his parents, but he had Rose. It wasn't until he was six that Louis punished him for hugging Rose.

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