Hello Again, Sir {s/t - complete}

What About Now?: 17.

        I turned over, hitting my nose on something soft. Frowning, but keeping my eyes closed, I turned again and stretched. "What the hell?" I muttered groggily, hitting something soft again.

                I opened my eyes and wrinkled up my face when I realised I was on my sofa, a checkered, thick blanket covering me. I tucked my feet inside the blanket, letting the warmth from under spread to them and warm them up. I wondered why I was on my sofa and then thought of last night at my parent’s house came back to me.

                I quickly got up, collected my dressing gown from the edge of the sofa and put it around me, stuffing my blanket into a ball so I could put it in the airing cupboard.

                My house was silent, it always was first thing in the morning, but a panicking feeling took over me when I couldn't even hear light breathing. I rushed to my bedroom after putting the blanket away. I hesitated, though, at the door unaware of whether to open it or not. Just as I was about to, Kodie stepped out. She was freshly dressed but her hair was soaked. The thought suddenly occurred to me that I didn't know what time it was.

                "Good Morning, Alex."

                "Morning, Kodie," I mumbled, looking down at my watch. It was only six fifty. That wasn't to bad. "Um," I said after a moment, looking back at her, "do you want some breakfast?"

                "Sure." she replied.

                I offered to lead the way and told Kodie to sit down while I made some breakfast. It only took ten minutes into eating our eggs before we were disturbed.

                "Uncle Alex!" a small, feminine voice bellowed.

                I looked up at Ashlye, her red hair was bouncing around her shoulders but she didn't look happy. That much was obviously because of the scowl she had scribbled onto her face.

                Kodie put down her fork and bit her lip, obviously worried that she had suddenly intruded, even though she hadn't.

                "Yes, Ash?"

                "I need you to tell Theo off!"

                "Why?"

                "Because he stole my teddy in the night and won't tell me where he has hidden it and mommy is starting class soon and I really wanted teddy to be there, you know? Because you know he's my favourite teddy and always sleeps at the side of my bed and comes before all of my other toys!" she took a deep breath and when she did so, she glanced and Kodie and immediately put her hands on her hips. "Who's that?"

                "That's--"

                "That's not Hanna!" she interjected.

                I shook my head, smiling at her tone as I watched her remove her hands from her hips and cross them across her chest, raising an eyebrow as she did so. “No, this is Kodie.”

                “Why is she just in pyjamas, though?”

                “Because it’s quarter past seven in the morning and she’s eating her breakfast, Ashlye. Now don’t be rude, say hello.”

                “I like Hanna.”

                I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. What if Ashlye said anything else about Hanna, about her last name or who she was I would get in trouble. It was ridiculous. I couldn’t tell her to be quiet, it wasn’t in my nature and I didn’t want Kodie to catch my warning tone if I told Ashlye to stop talking about Hanna. “I know.” I finally said. “But Ashlye, this is Kodie. A friend of mine. She doesn’t know Hanna. Don’t go on about Hanna.”

                “Who’s Hanna?” Kodie asked quietly, smiling at little.

                “Alex’s girlfriend.”

                “R-Really?”

                “No,” I said quickly. “It’s complicated. I mean... I’ll tell you about it one day, but not today. It’s not something we should be discussing right before breakfast, just before college. I’d appreciate it if I could explain it later on.”

                Kodie went back to her breakfast. “Sure.” She mumbled.

                I got up from where I was sat and picked Ashlye up, setting her down on one of the counters. “Does your mother know you’re here?” she bit her lip but nodded in agreement. “Have you had breakfast, then?” I asked.

                “Yup.”

                “Do you want some orange juice?”

                “Sure.” Ash replied and as I reached for a glass she turned towards Kodie who was looking at her cutlery. “So... did you go to school with Uncle Alex?”

                “Um...” she looked at me, as if to explain something. Or to ask if she was allowed to say she was a student from one of my classes because she knew that that would get her in trouble but she didn’t have anywhere else to go last night and I couldn’t leave her with my parents. I felt responsible to make sure she was safe and to sort this out and if I got in trouble for that, then so be it, but Kodie didn’t want me to get into trouble and so was put in a predicament of silence from Ashlye’s question.

                "No, Ash. Don't worry, sweetie."

                "Fine." she grumbled, accepting the juice I was now handing her.

                "Alex! I hope you're up and decent!"

                I inwardly groaned after hearing Angie's name. I usually went to their house in the mornings. Why was it the one day I need privacy so no questions are asked about Kodie everyone wants to come over? "In here." I called back, carefully moving Ashlye so she was now standing on the ground. I didn't want her falling from the counter.

                "Good Morning." she said cheerfully.

                "Can't I ever get some peace in my own home?" I joked. "Morning, Angie. Angie, this is Kod--" I turned back around to where Kodie was sitting, but she was gone. "Oh."

                "W--"

                "Uncle Alex had a girl here. And it wasn't Hanna."

                I shook my head before turning back to Angie. "I'll explain later." I muttered before going back and looking at Ashlye again. "Where did Kodie go?"

                "It's going to cost you." She said devilishly.

                “Ashlye…”

                “Now, young lady, stop messing around. Alex has to get to college. Tell him what he wants to know.” The young girl opened her mouth to protest, but Angie beat her to it. “Now.”

                “Fine.” She grumbled. “She excused herself to go to the bathroom. But just to let you know, I liked Hanna.”

                “You’ll see her again, one day.” I reassured her. “Don’t worry.”

                I dipped past them then, into the hallway. Kodie was coming out from the downstairs toilet just as I was walking along the corridor. She looked straight at me with a sheepish expression on her face as she wiped her hands on her clothes.

                “I’m sorry.” We said simultaneously and then laughed.

                “No, I’m sorry.” I said. “I should have mentioned that they might have come over. Ashlye, her brother and mother, are my next door neighbours. They’re so used to walking in on their own accord that they don’t bother to knock and I didn’t even think, this morning, that one of them was going to walk in and leave you in an uncomfortable position.”

                “I just didn’t want to intrude.” Kodie smiled lightly.

                “You weren’t intruding.” I replied quickly, before a bright idea came to mind. “Maybe we should invite them over for dinner this week sometime so you can get to know them better? How does that sound?”

                She seemed surprised by the idea and blinked. “Um…”

                My face dropped. “You don’t want them over?”

                “No, it’s not that. I just… I thought I was going home tonight.” Her voice has faltered, grown small and her shoulders had slumped.

                “Of course not!” I replied quickly. “I said we were going to sort this out and we are. You’re staying here. I’m not letting you go back.”

                Her lips tugged up further as patters of feet on the carpet made me turn in time to see Ashlye stand in front of me as she looked up at Kodie.

                “Mom says I have to apologise for bringing Hanna up.”

                “I don’t know who Hanna is, so don’t worry about it.” Kodie replied happily.

                “Okay.” Ash beamed brightly. “Then I don’t need to apologise. Right, Uncle Alex?”

                “Uh… Ash…”

                “Thanks! By the way, though,” she turned to me, “I like her eyes. She’s fine to stay.”

                “Well Ashlye, thanks for your permission.” I said sarcastically, ruffling the top of her head before she squatted her hands away, her bright green eyes sparkling with amusement.

                ~~~