Dirty Little Bastard

37

"I'm so glad you're back to yourself now," I gave Louis a smile.

He took a drag from his cigarette and blew out the smoke, careful to direct it away from me.

"Me too. I was an idiot," he shook his head at himself, "I can't ever apologise enough for the way I acted towards you and dad..."

"Actions speak louder than words, Lou. We've made him so happy by managing to spend time as a family, without anything bad happening and ruining things," I reminded him.

He nodded, gazing out into the forest.

"I hate that I've put him through so much, all while he's been the one trying his hardest to keep this family together after mum left," he sighed, deep in thought.

"You can't blame yourself. Her leaving the way she did, after the things she made us be apart of... it's not right," I told him, "she's an alcoholic, always has been. She wasn't a real mother to us, we just need to be glad she's out of our lives and we still have an amazing father here for us."

"You're right. When did you get so smart?" He grinned jokingly and nudged me gently.

I chuckled and shrugged.

"What do you have going on for you now? Any specific plans?" I had to ask him while he took another drag from the cigarette between his fingers.

"My manager at the coffee shop has hinted that I might be taking over her job soon," Louis told me, "it's not my dream working at a coffee shop for the rest of my life, but with a record of drug use and minimal studies, there's not too many options for me."

"I think it's fantastic you have a job like that," I gave him another smile, showing the pride I felt towards my little brother, "you're not homeless or on the streets like some."

He laughed, "thank fuck. Lucy's been such a motivator for me. She pushed me to apply to at least a hundred jobs after we got out of rehab. She applied as well. She has such an amazing way of always being positive and looking at the world as if it's full of opportunities and nothing's out of reach, even for people like her and I..."

"I think you two are so good for each other."

"I'm so in love with her, S," Louis looked at me, his eyes showing nothing but seriousness and how genuine he was.

"That's very sweet. You really met her in rehab? What was she there for?" I asked, curious especially now after what I'd overheard from her and Theo.

"Her older sister caught her with all sorts of drugs," he shrugged, "sent her to rehab the same day. Luce ended up being in the same support group I was, and we got talking after one session by a table that had donuts."

"Donuts? A common interest?" I let out a small laugh while he chuckled.

"Definitely. She was so upfront with me, I think I fell for her just a few days after we started talking."

"Upfront?"

He smiled and looked back over at the forest in front of us. We were sitting on a bench in dad's backyard, the house behind us.

"She was so... I don't even know how to explain it. She's one of those people who knows exactly what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it," he told me and I nodded, definitely able to relate through Theo also being quite like what Louis was describing.

"She's really the one for me, S. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her," he added, and I smiled.

"I definitely approve of her. She's great."

Just then, after Louis had finished off his cigarette and placed the butt into an ashtray, the backdoor of the house slid open and dad walked out.

"What are you two gossiping about over here?" He gave us a warm smile, seating himself down next to me and throwing an arm over my shoulders. I leaned against his side.