The Strongest Stone

Chapter Two

Sorry I took so long, and sorry for the typos. My microsoft word isn't working, and Open office isn't proof reading properly. I am also super tired from lack of sleep due to a childrens school camp that I cannot be bothered to proof read. I'll fix everything up once I get Microsoft word up and running again.

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Tom disappeared too his bedroom after a while to have a rest. The poor kid was broken by his last words to dad and I couldn’t fix it. Around 12, Ana and the two little ones were looking through all the photo albums mom insisted on keeping, even though everything these days was saved on a flash drive. I smiled, suddenly very grateful for them. The kids could physically hold and cherish these memories, and for some reason it made it seem much more precious.

I was about to go upstairs to check on Tom when there was a knock at the door. I frowned it was far too early for Mr marsden to be arriving. I stopped by the stairs and turned toward the door.

I didn’t want to face the world, and opening the door and conversing meant doing just that. I wanted to be able to run in another direction, away from all the responsibility being placed on me. The thought alone filled me with guilt.

Instead of letting my thoughts continue to overwhelm me I placed one foot in front of the other and walked to the front door. I opened it, only to be greeted by Lucas.

“I brought lunch, I know I should have called, but you would have told me to buzz off” Lucas said walking through the front door, he breezed past me, unapologetically and strolled into the living room.

“Lukey!” Cassie and Alfie smiled in unison. The both stood up and ran across the room to Lucas, who held out a paper bag full of food. Reluctantly I took the bag as both of my youngest siblings ambushed lucas, who then feigned falling to the ground.

I held back a smile, when had he formed such a closeness with my siblings?

“I’ll help you with that” Ana whispered standing up, together we walked into the kitchen. I placed the bag down on the bench and began taking out the food. He’d brought basically a whole deli with him. I bit my lip and sighed.

“Someone got a crush” Ana teased, a small laugh escaped her lips

“Unlikely, besides I have far too much on my mind” I retorted, sounding a little to cold

“sorry” Ana muttered, opening a small container of coleslaw

I sighed and turned to face her, she placed the container down and instead of speaking I wrapped my arms around her

“I don’t mean to be short. I know you’re just trying to cope”

“We can still smile, Mom and dad would want us to smile” Ana replied “and they’d want you to have a crush on Lucas”

I couldn’t withhold the grin hiding beneath the surface, the crush thing might not have been true, but at the very least, Ana had made me smile. I grabbed a baguette and gently whacked her over the head.

We finished setting up lunch, and then walked back in to the lounge. Lucas had all three of them on the couch. Thomas has Lucas’ phone and was playing something, while Lucas was reading the two younger ones a story.

“lunch is served” Ana said as we re-entered the room.

Once everyone has relocated to the kitchen and I’d set the kids up I left the kitchen and sat on the sofa. I couldn’t bring myself to eat. I was sitting there no longer than 2 minutes before Lucas walked in to the living room with a plate and sat down beside me.