Let's All Make Believe - Oasis

Chapter 45

Liam took my phone when I was waiting for a text. He didn't like it and he didn't like the attention I was giving to it. I didn't want to put it down so he nicked it.

"Oi!" I tried to grab it back but he was too quick.

"You're attached to that thing."

"I'm talking to someone. I'm being social."

"You're being a zombie for me and the kids."

"You're watching the telly, Ste's playing with his teddies, I have Nathan. What dies it matter if in waiting for someone to say something?"

We hadn't messaged since the dispute I'd had with Liam over the music. I didn't tell her about it or anything.

"If you wanna talk get her over here."

"She's at work."

"Thought she wasn't at work, cos of the kids."

"Lydia, I don't really text Haileigh."

After how things went with the toddler group, I was sure we weren't really meant to be friends. Ste liked her twins but that wasn't enough for us to get along. I hadn't told Liam much about the playgroup visit other than how Ste got along with the other kids. I didn't pretend I'd gotten along with the other mums but he didn't need to know I chose to call Lydia in the toilets rather than be with them.

"Well leave her, you'll get her in fucking trouble."

"What d'you care?"

"I don't but you do so let her be." he said putting the phone on the nearest cabinet.

"Fine. She don't want to talk anyway." I told him, trying to seem like I wasn't bothered.

"What do you write to her about?" he asked. "Other than a your dodgy taste in music."

I sighed. "The wedding mostly, her teaching, her art, the kids."

He wouldn't exactly find those topics if he went through what was stored on the phone. I deleted texts a lot because of the phone's memory and prying eyes. There was still a lot he could find out on there so I wasn't happy to have the phone in his possession.

Ste got his football and tried to give it to Nathan. He held it in front of his young brother, expecting him to take it. "Ball. Play with ball."

"You've still got a while to wait before he'll get up and have a kickabout with you." I told him, smiling. "He's growing up as fast as he can."

For the most part he liked having a brother but he wanted one that could do the things he could especially after playing with the children his age. I knew it'd be a lot different if Noel had gotten his way. He was his daddy's boy and he wouldn't've let the new baby interrupt any time they had together. He didn't know Liam was going soon, I wondered if that would cause him to act differently towards his little brother.

"We play now." he insisted.

"Liam can play." I pointed out. "Ask him."

Ste looked at Liam and before he even said a word Liam suggested we go over to Guigsy's house. "He's got a garden."

We didn't call ahead or anything. Liam didn't even knock when we got to his house. We just descended on his home. Guigsy didn't look like he was expecting to have visitors or do anything but chill by himself. He just rolled with it and directed us all to his lawn.

Ste gave Guigsy the football he'd been clutching the whole time and told him to play. Guigsy pretended to be annoyed but he took our appearance in his stride, joking with Ste and us.