surprises

➢ Surprise 21

     There was something off about Carter.

     It was the way he fumbled around the kitchen at dinner; how I caught him zoning off several times, how he nearly poured water on his macaroni and how close he was at dropping the grated cheese into his glass of water.

     As entertaining as it would've been, I didn't feel like dinner and a show.

     "Carter, you were just reaching for the oranges...not the chicken" Mike, warily pointed out to his son, who was indeed, reaching for the fruit bowl at the end of the table. Lizzie shot a scolding look at Mason and Lachie who seemed to find the situation rather amusing, each of them biting back a chorus of laughter.

     I couldn't find it in me to actually look Lachie in the eye since we got back from the café this afternoon, the rather eventful happenings in café a bit to overwhelming for me at the moment. Lachie, on the other hand, found it quite entertaining to see me squirm.

     "Oh, right" Carter mumbled, moving his hand across the table to grab a chicken wing. He wasn't even eating a lot, so the only conclusion I could come up with is that something was really bothering him. I can't for the life of me think what though.

     Lizzie and Mike seemed particularly wary of their sons behaviour, every ten seconds one of them would be casting a glance across the table to make sure he wasn't going to start mashing the bananas over his chicken as a substitute for the gravy.

     It had been partially quiet throughout dinner, everyone making small conversation as Liam was busy getting most of his dinner around his mouth, Carter wasn't acting normal, and the other three boys were either waiting to see what Carter was going to do next, or fixating their attention on their phones. So it pretty much left me with the parents of everyone else.

     Not that I was complaining. It was still good to have some kind of parental figures to look up to. They could never come close to the closeness I had with my parents though. That's normal, right? I mean, it like a parent-child bond going on there. Something that these boys still had, luckily.

     As I had my thoughts to myself, I was the first one finished my dinner, going around and picking up everyone's plates once they had finished. Lachie and Mason even threw in a wink as well as their plate as I went around collecting theirs.

     Carter nearly shoved his in my face.

- - -

     Heaving myself of the couch, I said goodnight to Mike and Liz, trekking up the stairs and making it to my room.

     Carter had excused himself right after dinner, not even bothering to stick around for dessert, which is actually quite a big thing in Carter's world. I think it's safe to say I'm a bit confused.

     Locked in the sanctuary of my room, I changed into my pj's and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. Opening the cap and squeezing it on the brush, I went at it.

     "Oh stuff it" Spitting out my toothpaste I quickly rinsed my brush off and washed my mouth out with water. Marching out of the bathroom, I swung open my bedroom door and made a beeline for Carter's room.

     Swinging his door open, and nearly knocking it off it's hinges, I marched into his room. I nearly walked straight past his still body sitting on the bed. Backtracking my steps, I stopped in front of him. "Carter?" I whispered, waving a hand in front of his face.

     Slowly, he started to come back to life, blinking once, and looking up at me, letting out a small "Hmm?" before getting up of his bed and walking over to his window, plonking his ass down on the windowsill. He didn't even meet my eye.