The Medium Kid

Chapter 66

Sorry about the stupidly late chapter! I had two assignments to hand in this week (obviously I left them to the last minute. It's a habit I don't recommend but if you're like me and already too deep to change... I have no words of wisdom. There's no saving us. But hey, some of us work best under pressure!)

If you're in need of something new to read, I recommend reading: Mr.Insecure  by admissable and if you like it, don't forget to comment and vote to show your support! :)

- Sian

Morlen stirred. A warm bubble of comfort engulfed his body. With the vulnerability of a sleeping child, Morlen opened his eyes and stared at the back of someone's head. For a sudden moment, Morlen thought it was Enya.

He blinked and soon came to his senses because he was in his son's room, and Enya was dead.

Koda's room was filled from the floor to the ceiling with morning light, and Morlen's arms were wrapped tightly around his son as if he was trying to keep him safe. Morlen's frown was usually one of judgement and irritation. Now, he looked perplexed until he spotted the bottle of rum on the bedside table.

Morlen remembered stumbling into his son's room, drunk and feeling nostalgic. He knew Koda kept a picture of them with Enya on his desk and he wanted to look at it. Koda's bed must have been too inviting for his mind drowning in alcohol.

The real confusion was Koda being home. Morlen thought he was staying with Alfie; otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten so drunk.

When the headache started pounding on Morlen's temple, Koda slowly stretched out his limbs and curled back into a ball when his feet touched the cold part of the bed sheet. Koda's sleepy state was aware that arms were around him, but he was too comfortable to care.

The longer Morlen laid on the bed, the more he realised how little time he spent in Koda's room, and how little time he spent with Koda. Sleeping side by side all night was the longest time he had spent with his son in years. As Morlen stared around his son's room, his gaze landed on every piece of art on the walls, or laying on the floor, or unfinished on shelves. Ronnie Birch had shown Morlen a drawing of Koda's. Morlen knew by now that Ronnie Birch, being an agent, must have looked into his relationship with Koda. Morlen wondered if Ronnie had shown him Koda's drawing because he knew that art was a big issue between them. Morlen was now aware of how much talent Koda had. Art was the right path.

With those thoughts scratching on Morlen's brain, he started to feel more awake, and he tried to remove his arm from underneath his son. Koda began to stir, and his eyes eventually peeled open. Koda turned to look at the face he knew so well. Koda needed the stillness of early morning to figure out what was going on.

"You got drunk last night," he mumbled when he remembered that Tom dropped him off at home.

"Yeah." Morlen pulled his arm out from underneath him, and his fingers tingled as the blood rushed back through it. "Why are you home?"

"Why were you sleeping on my bed?"

"Drunk. Tired. Emotional."

Koda sat up, too warm and comfortable to leave the duvet. "When you didn't come back with my overnight bag, I got worried. Alfie and I agreed that we should be with our parents for a while, so Tom took me home."

"You shouldn't be worrying about me. I'm-"

"Fine?" Koda interrupted, keeping his tone gentle. "I know you're not. There's nothing wrong with letting someone else be there for you."