This is the eye of the hurricane

Chapter 14

John took a deep breath. He was standing outside the door of Henry's house. The nerves and doubts he'd been feeling had cause him to be a bit jumpy and snappy, so he just hoped no one thought anything of it. He sighed. There was no going back now. He knocked on the door. He heard Henry's footsteps from inside, and he opened the door.

"Ah John! I was wondering when you'd get here. Come on in." John said hello back with nervousness in his voice. "Hey. Come on John there's nothing to worry about! I'm fine. We're fine. I hope your fine." Henry said patting him on the back. John still wasn't very convinced. He was panicking about what would happen if he messed up the plan, but he tried not too. He just nodded back. "Also your siblings are still at school. So we can talk until they get back, and then I thought I'd let you catch up with them when they return. I'm sure you'd like to see them." "Of course." John was glad there was at least something he could look forward too!

Henry led John into the kitchen and John took a seat at the table and Henry put the kettle on. They were both going for a coffee. Once it was done he took a seat across from John and began to talk.

"So how is school John? I'm assuming your keeping up your good grades."
"Of course. I'm always trying my best in school. Though we haven't had many major test, my teachers grade my work well."
"Well it's good that your managing your social life and school life equally. That's important John." John nodded in agreement, though he did think his social life was way more fun and exciting! "And how is your social life?" Henry asked after. He felt like the girlfriend questions were coming and he was readying himself for it.
"Good. I've settled in really well. I'd say I've gotten a lot closer with the Schyuler sisters lately. And I haven't had much trouble at all really." John explained, he didn't really have that much to say, mostly because not much had changed. Even though Alex is back, Henry doesn't know that and John would prefer it that way. "And as you told me you have a girlfriend now. What's she like?"

Surprisingly John didn't find it that hard. He basically just described Alexander, making sure he used she, and told Henry about some stuff they'd done together. And even more to John's surprise Henry seemed to buy it! John was beginning to get confident and forgot why he was worried in the first place. Henry seemed satisfied with the answer and left John to his own devices whilst he waited for his siblings to get home from school. Henry had gone out for some shopping or something. It probably didn't take that long for them to return, but it felt like time was deliberately going slow just to tick John off. He'd been waiting to see them for ages and he didn't think he could wait much longer!

John had 4 siblings. The youngest was Mary and she was 5. She had recently started kindergarten and his other siblings normally picked her up on their way back. The second youngest of his siblings was James who was 10. The others were Henry Jr and Martha who were 12 and 16. He'd really missed them in New York and had to admit it was weird without them. They'd really kept him going through the years. They never realised how much John needed them back then and he still needed them now. He didn't know what he'd do without them. He loved them so much.

On that note he heard a loud knock on the door and John shot up excitement filling him. He opened the door and Martha was surprised to see him standing at the door way. She had Mary in her arms who was asleep. Probably used up all her energy at kindergarten. However the boys reacted differently to Martha's surprised reaction. They both called his name, well nickname, Most of the time his siblings called him Jack. And they flung themselves at him, making John stumble a little.

"Heya." He beamed at them. "Where's Dad?" Martha asked adjusting Mary's position.
"Oh thanks Martha! It's great to see you too!" John told her sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and John chuckled. "He's our getting groceries or something." John plied Henry and James off his legs and moved aside to let the others in and Martha closed the door behind her. She went upstairs and put Martha in her bed and then returned. She headed towards the kitchen, John in toe, with the boys excitedly rushing around.

"We weren't expecting you John." Martha told him as she put the kettle on.
"Well you know me! I'm full of surprises!" John replied taking a seat again at the table. James placed in his and Henry's drink orders and then joined John at the table. They chatted for a while, and eventually went to get Mary who'd woken up. She didn't remember much about John but was still over the moon to see him. And so was John to see them all.

Whilst James and Henry Jr were telling John about school John got a text from Alex. Henry was out so he decided it was safe to see what he said.

Alex: hey John. How's South Carolina? I miss you already.

John smiled to himself.

John: good. I'm enjoying catching up with my family but obviously I miss you too.

He closed his phone when James asked him what he was doing. "I wasn't doing anything." John said sounding slightly embarrassed.
"Well obviously it was something, because it was important enough that you weren't listening to me, so it must have been something!" James argued exaggerating it.
"Well if you have to know I was messaging my.... girlfriend." John said forgetting the correct words. He began to explain him and the other 3 when he noticed Martha giving him an extremely suspicious look. He laughed at her nervously. This will probably need an explanation.....

At the begging of this I wrote John was at house of Henry's door and put a full stop after an explanation mark. I also though half way though how do you even make coffee? And looked up when kids start pre-school to remember it's kindergarten in America -.-. I then remembered I still don't know how school above secondary works. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
WOL out.