Re-Arranged

Chapter Four

Sawyer looked the same, more or less. He wore his hair differently, maybe his clothes had changed styles too. He was a college student now. Whatever might have changed, unlike three years ago, he did not look up when the door was swung open. His eyes were focussed on the hand-held device his fingers would not stop tapping on.

He walked in without looking up, left his suitcase behind, and threw his shoulder bag to one side without looking up. Evelyn had been quick to extract one of the twins out of the way. She glared at the back of his jacket and growled, "If you were only related to me! I'd so box your ears!"

Darian sighed as he brought his suitcase in and closed the front door. Kelly crossed her arms across her chest and asked pointedly, "So, I guess you don't need introductions?"

Sawyer shrugged his shoulders and settled down on the arm of the couch.

"Please tell me I'm not ruder than this guy at least," Ben asked, watching the alien being for half a minute before rolling his eyes and turning to his mother.

"Truth be told, honey, you're an angel compared to him."

"And I thought opinions could not be, should not be formed within ten seconds of meeting someone," Darian chuckled and received a back slap to his abdomen from his sister as he walked past her with the luggage.

Kelly shepherded the kids together and said, "Maisley, Paige, go with your brother into the other room and play. It's not time for lunch yet, okay?"

"Otay," they replied in a guarded, unsure tone, peeping over their shoulders at the strange, new man in the house.

~

"Would you stop worrying? Both countries have visa on arrival available for each other too so just relax."

"Yeah, but make sure you have your passport easily accessible all the time. And carry enough cash, don't rely on cards only. The whole world can go digital but when one swipe or scan doesn't work, all hell breaks loose." Kelly had the phone balanced between her ear and her shoulder. One of her arms was loaded with blankets while the free hand pulled out a pillow from the hallway cupboard.

Her mother chuckled on the other side of the phone. She could imagine her shake her head as she said, "You keep us young, honey."

"And..." she took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "Take care, both of you."

"You too, honey. Love you."

"Love you too."

Kelly balanced the procured items between her arm and her chin, and removed the phone from her ear carefully with the free hand. Closing the cupboard, she sighed and cradled he bundle better before heading to what had previously been Ben's room. The bed had been stripped of its original green covers and pillow, which now sat rolled up in the kids' room, awaiting a bed Wren and Darian would get in the evening.

"It's only a matter of a week or so, until Aunt Katherine comes," she muttered under her breath as she arranged the bed and propped up the pillow. She did not know much of Sawyer as such, but she did remember he seemed to love wearing yellow and owning yellow-coloured things. That might have changed by now, who knew? Better than nothing though, she mused.

She had called her mother to let her know Sawyer had arrived safe and sound. "And he hasn't spoken a word since reaching."

"Hmm, Sarah said he had been quiet since coming home for semester break. Maybe if you all kept talking with him, he'll eventually talk?"

Why did we have to? Aloud, she had said, "Let's hope so. Text me Aunt Sarah's number please. I'll let her know he's here. I think that's what counts as social courtesy, right?"

Her mother had laughed. "Yes, of course, honey."

"When's your flight today? Five or six?"

"If it's on time, then five-fifteen."

"Good. You've packed everything you need, right? Visas also ready? Call me before boarding, okay? And –"

Amelia had interrupted her then. "Would you stop worrying?"

Kelly's phone beeped as she finished brushing over the bedcovers. She was about to unlock and check the message when Evelyn's voice boomed out into the room from the base of the staircase. "Lunch is ready. Everybody, march to the dining area!"

And march she did from the second floor. She could call the Whitleys later in the day.

~

Was he allergic to anything? No response.

Did he like eating anything in particular? No response.

Did he hate eating anything in particular? No response.

Was he even hungry? No response.

Would you prefer eating at the dining table or at the centre table? No response.

Ben tilted his head, watching him stare into the phone screen all the while, his eyes dilated and emotionless like they belonged on a zombie. After a moment, he drew a short breath in and nudged his aunt sitting beside him. "Is he gonna feed his food to the phone or what?"

He got a shrug in reply and waited a beat before adding, "Well, to be fair, if the phone was a few inches bigger and had an attached keyboard, he could be a living replica of dad."

"Ben." The chide came in almost an instant from the dining table. "Eat."

"I am eating!"

"No, you're talking. Don't force me to bring you back to the dining table."

"Oh look, Paige spilled her spoonful again," Ben replied dryly without even looking towards the table, but Kelly did and sure enough, Paige had managed to put more out of her spoon on the table than in her mouth.

Groans and whimpers coming from the baby distracted everyone then. Evelyn looked into the stroller beside her chair and picked him up right when he began to sob in little bursts.

"Oh dear, Rhys has been restless since morning. I don't think the colic medicines are doing anything," she murmured in concern, her voice so low as if she were recounting to herself. She cradled his head into the nook of her elbow and placed a hand over his forehead then his neck. "Goodness, he's got a fever now."

Before anybody could react to her pronouncement, she was on her feet. The baby was falling in and out of a sobbing slumber while his mother walked to the sliding doors room and entered it.

Moments later, they heard scrambling and slamming noises followed by two adults whizzing past the dining and common areas, and out the front door, leaving it creaking on its hinges.

"Did... was that... um, what are we supposed to do now?"

It almost did not matter who asked the question. Kelly looked from one supposed adult absorbed in his phone more than his food to an inquisitive kid surprised by the turn of events to two other kids playing with their food now to the only other adult as baffled as her.

"Let's um... finish lunch and find something to do... together, okay?" she finally said, exchanging doubtful looks with her husband, who mouthed, "I'll take care of this," and gestured towards the twins now throwing rice at each other.

Ben, recovering from the initial shock, snorted and shook his head. "You have no idea what to do, do you?"

"You're the middle man between two generations, Benny boy. You will play a significant role in the events that thus transpire," his aunt replied coolly.

A spoon full of rice hung in midair while his mouth remained open and frozen at the declaration.

*

A/N: Oh look, an alien character!

*points and runs away*

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