Jump In

Ch. 10

I've known love for years. He's sweet and fiercely protective. Hiding in the shadows, he covets the love that he gives so freely. He feels like the out cast, the black sheep. But, unknowingly, he is part of the yarn that keeps the family so tightly knit. You pull him out, the rest of them would start to unravel.

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How did you find someone so perfectly wrong?
But I was right in front of you, all along?

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Of course we had to get up eventually. Lip had to get ready for school, I had to watch Liam. But it had been a nice morning.

I was sitting at the kitchen table watching the chaos surround Liam and I. Fiona was throwing lunches in bags, Carl was sticking things in the microwave, Debbie was trying to choose between two shirts, Ian was working on last minute homework, and Lip was just coming down the stairs pulling his over shirt down over long sleeves. Liam and I were just sitting here enjoying our Honey O's.

"Alright kids, lunches! Lyd, are you sure you don't mind watching Liam?"

"Of course I'm sure. We're gonna have a fun day, right little man?" I said smiling at Liam and tickling his tummy. He giggled like crazy, if I could have I would have melted into the floor right there.

"Ok well we're gonna talk when I get home. You know that right?" She asked with a meaningful look.

"Yeah I— I know," I said looking down.

"Don't worry about it, she's probably just going to ask you to move in," Lip said as he sat at the table.

"It's better than her sleeping all by herself over at that house! She could hurt herself!"

"Okay Fi, time for you to go to work. Kids school, me and Liam will be here when you get back," I said quickly as I stood and shoved Fi's lunch bag in her hand.

"We are going to ta—" I cut her off

"I know. We'll be here. Go make money, and continue thank God I'm off today."

She sighed as she searched my face for a minute before nodding and leaning down to hug me. She was taller than me just like everyone else. Soon Carl and Debbie would beat me too.

"Be good little man," she said to Liam as she rubbed his head and passed him to open the back door.

"Alright kids! School!"

Suddenly there was a flurry of motion, Debbie and Carl threw their book bags over their shoulders and grabbed their lunches before heading out. Lip and Ian hung back for a second telling Fi they were just about to leave and to go ahead to work. She sighed and closed the door.

"I don't even want to go," Lip said. "I know all that shit already."

"The faster you go the faster it'll be over," I said. "Do you have tutoring with Karen Jackson again?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm going after her tutoring with Jake Carter. Apparently she's got a C in history too."

"I'll bet," I said slightly disbelieving. He scrunched his eyebrows at me.

"We'll see you after school ok?" Ian asked me as he nudged Lips arm.

"Ok, say bye-bye Liam!"

He said a soft bye as they walked by.

"Bye buddy," Lip said with a silly face. He always did have a soft spot for the kids. Soon after they closed the door behind them and it was just the two of us.