Stay

Chapter Thirty-six

Later, that day, Jessie and I decided to head back to his house for a few hours. Apparently, he had to look after Lola tonight anyway as his parents were going out.

I sit myself down by the fireplace for warmth, the twinkling lights from the Christmas tree creating a different kind of feeling to the house. A safe feeling, homely feel.

With Christmas fast approaching, Lola decides to bring down her favourite film and gives me a million different reasons why it beats any other Christmas film ever made and why it should have won an Oscar... Elf. We stick the film on and a few minutes later Jessie sits next to me, plonking the crazy four-year-old on his lap. Lola snuggles into him before being sucked into the film.

"You know, one day we will have to take Lola ice skating. I think she'd love that." I whisper to Jessie as Lola is mesmerized by the film. Jessie just gestures for me to shut up and I let out a giggle.

It doesn't take long before Lola begins to become fidgety as she starts to climb all over us and asking to play games. Sadly, Jessie and I aren't particularly interested in playing mums and dads, so I suggest we get some of Jessie's lovely new pencils out and do some drawing. Jessie shoots me a death glare as he runs upstairs to get them.

"I'm going to draw the tooth fairy!" Lola says clapping her hands in excitement. "Jessie told me that when my tooth falls out," She pauses for a second, opening her mouth and wiggling a loose tooth. "that the tooth fairy will come and take it away to add to her collection."

"Oh really? I also heard that she leaves behind a little bit of money too! As a thank you present, did Jessie tell you that?" I reply as Jessie puts his pencils and paper out on the coffee table, Lola shakes her head.

"Can you stop trying to spend all my money?" He mumbles laughing before leaning in and whispering, "I left that part out for a reason!"

"Oops." I laugh picking up a green pencil and having no idea what I'm going to do with it. Lola instantly starts drawing scribbles on paper giving the tooth fairy long golden locks of hair, much like her own.

"Are you just going to stare at the pencil all night or actually draw with it, Mads?" Jessie adds sarcastically, shading a freakishly realistic eye. I just sigh in response before standing up and heading to the kitchen to get a drink. Maybe that will spark some inspiration waiting to burst out from within me... probably not. I fill up a glass of water and take a few sips before Jessie joins me.

"Are you okay? Something seems up."

"I'm fine. Feeling a little tired though." I reply. Jessie just turns on the cold take and rinses his hand under it.

"Maybe this will wake you up." He says before spraying me with the freezing cold water and laughing.

"That was a dick move, Jessie Oliver!" I joke, walking back into the living room and drying my face with the sleeve of my jumper.

"Look Maddie! I drew Jessie!" Lola shouts pointing away from the paper and towards...

God no.

Lola points towards the freshly painted cream wall on the other side of the room which is now covered in blue and purple scribbles.

"Lola, what have you done?!" Jessie's words hardly audible behind me. We both scramble to the kitchen, searching through every draw and cupboard until we find clean sponges, rinsing them under the tap.

Jessie scrubs frantically at the wall, panic filling his eyes.

"Did I do something bad?" Lola asks twiddling her fingers and looking down at the floor.

"You shouldn't draw on walls, Lola. But it's okay because now you know not to do it again." I reply but seeing her so sad breaks my heart. Leaning in to give her a hug, she wraps her arms around me. "Go sit down while we clean up." I add, running the sponge back under the tap before seeing Jessie throw his sponge to the ground and saying:

"It's too late. He's home."

And in that moment, for the first time I see terror in Jessie's eyes as the front door opens with his dad stood the other side of it.