Almost Home

Chapter Eleven

'Tom, get out of the bathroom, you've been in there for nearly twenty minutes! I need to brush my teeth.'

'Okay, okay...'

'Thank you!' I call out exasperatedly and dive out of the way as he barges past.

'Good morning Jamie, are you all ready to leave? Do you need me to do anything for you?' Mum asks him as he comes to join her in the kitchen, the pair of them ignoring the shouts from me and Tom as we tear around the house, grabbing things at random and launching them into our duffle bags parked side by side at the front door. Despite trying my best to be prepared last night, my indecisive brain hadn't made up its mind and now I'm doing the one thing I'd tried to avoid...running around like a madwoman in front of an incredibly handsome man.

'Mum, have you seen my hat? I need it for the trip but I can't find it anywhere...'

'Is my washing done yet? We need to leave in ten minutes and I still haven't packed!'

'I'm good thanks Trudy. Would you like a cup of tea?' Jamie moves to the side as I grab my passport off the table and disappear back upstairs so I could finally finish getting ready.

'Yes please, love, the mugs are in the top cupboard by the-'

'I remember,' he says, already opening the door and fetching two down from the shelf.

'Of course, you do.' She smiles at the back of his head as she takes a seat at the dining table, managing to avoid Tom just in time as he sweeps into the kitchen and makes a grab for the pile of clean laundry, folded and waiting for him on the counter. 'You know Jamie, it really has been a pleasure having you back here, you know, even if it was for just a few days. It's been nice to have a full house again. You just have to promise me next time you won't leave it as long.'

'I won't,' he calls over his shoulder as he pours the boiling water over the teabags. 'And thank you for letting me stay here again. You didn't have to but I can't deny your cooking hasn't gone down a treat. I think I've missed that more than I've missed anything else.'

'Oh, you're such a charmer.' She laughs jovially, brushing off his compliment with a flap of a hand in his direction. 'It was nothing. I was wondering though...if you'd managed to see your dad at all whilst you've been back?' Her comment causes him to falter, his back straightening in displeasure for just a moment, although it was long enough for Trudy to notice it. 'Oh, Jamie... I know it's tough sweetheart but he would have loved for you to pop by.'

'He could have said that to me. As far as I'm concerned he doesn't even know I exist half the time.' He joins her at the table and slides her drink across to her, avoiding her eye as his face grows warm in irritation.

'I hate it that it's like this between the two of you. I wish I could have done more to help.'

'You did enough! Far more than him anyway! He doesn't care about me, all he's concerned with is selling the house.'

'Well, that's just not true. He loves you, I know he does. He just finds it difficult to show it sometimes.' She reaches a hand across the table to stroke his arm and he lets her, enjoying the comfort it gives him from a mother figure he craves so badly. 'I think it's hard for him being there, especially without you too. The house has all these memories that he's desperately trying to avoid even though I told him it's not good for him but he won't listen. You Carraway boys are so stubborn,' she says with a sad smile. 'I just worry about you too sometimes, being away so much. I don't want you being on your own.'

'I like being on my own. I'd hate to be tied down somewhere. At least this way I can do as I please without having to run it by someone else first,' he says defiantly but his hand shakes a little as he lifts his mug to his lips.