Every time you make a move

Kintsugi-part 2

Monica dialled the code into the gate with Johnny on her hip, shopping back of groceries straining on her wrist, slightly irritated as to why the payphone on the street telephone box she was using was broken... or so she thought.

She opened the painted green door to find Freddie sitting on the front doorsteps, head in his hands.

"Freddie?" She rushed over and let the gate slam behind her, still thinking he was agitated. "I'm sorry about that, the payphone in the box I picked must've been bust..."

She trailed off as he lifted his head, revealing his red eyes.

"Oh love, what happened?" Panicked, she let the bag slip out of her hand and placed Johnny down onto the path, and he toddled inside on his now free, healed leg with ease. "Where's Roshni?!"

"She's fine-" he wiped his red, blotchy face. "Well, no, she isn't. She's hiding" he wiped his wet cheeks, looking down at his feet in shame.

"Why? What happened?! What is she hiding from-"

"Me!" He snapped across, then stammered as she retreated slightly. "Because... she knocked down one of my antique vases and I-I shouted at her."

"Well shit, Fred!" she grabbed her shopping and stepped past him.

"She-She didn't listen to me when I told her to stay put! The telephone rang and it was you!" He reasoned.

" ...Roshni? Roshni? Mummy's back!"
She ignored him, rushing into the hallway and anxiously calling out.

Nothing like this had happened before. Yes, they both could be a handful, and Freddie got frustrated constantly only in moments when they intended to aggravate him to a degree. But it never before got to a point where he would directly scream into their face and frighten them, nor for reasons only selfishness and materialism could explain.

Within a flash, the small patters of footsteps sounded and Roshni appeared in the hall at her feet, hugging onto her mother's legs for dear life the moment she collided.

"Oh sweetie... what happened to you?" Monica worriedly bent down to her and wiped her red face.

Freddie looked past his shoulder and into the doorway, distraught as he watched Monica try to settle their panicky daughter. The girl shrieked at the sight of her dad's crouching figure and tugged her mum's arm away from him, towards the stairwell whilst Johnny watched on in confusion.

The man felt his heart crumble as Monica picked her up and shushed her gently in a desperate attempt to soothe her.

"Don't let go, mummy!" Roshni buried her face into her mother's neck.

"Mummy's back... she's here..." Monica peeped into the sitting room as she cradled her daughter's head.

Freddie stood up and helplessly shut the front door "Please let me explain."

She gasped at the sight of the fallen vase, and gently cooed, "Oh sweetie... it was just an accident. Just a little accident... you didn't mean it..."

He looked away, and threw his hands up as he interrupted her thoughts, "I spent so much on it-"

"Just keep quiet! You're distressing her with the sound of your voice!" She cut across him and turned away, carrying the shaky girl up the stairs, Johnny following at her feet.

Freddie snivelled and cautiously lagged behind, keeping his distance of several feet apart.

"Mummy?" Johnny tugged at her trouser leg.

"One moment, baby." Monica shushed him. "Your sister's upset."

Immediately she paced back and fourth across the nursery as little Johnny stood by, rubbing soothing circles on the girl's back as she continued to sob and hide into her mother's shoulder.