Crush Culture {{Harry Lewis - W2S}}

✮FIFTY ✮

Mila's pov

Mila wasn't like her mother.

She hadn't inherited her fluffy blond hair as Jack had done, or her poor eyesight as Louis had, although you'd never know because he refused to wear glasses.

Mila hadn't inherited many traits from her mother either, gaining her shy nature from her father rather than being out there and stubborn as her mother was.

No, Janine Harvey had passed most of her personality to her sons, them being just as loud and outspoken as she was.

However, there was one thing that the two shared.

The ability to forgive, some would say far too quickly.

Whilst Jack and Louis could spend years too far up their own arse to level the waters with somebody, whereas Janine and Mila shared the same ideology that life was far too short to hold grudges.

Therefore, somewhere in Mila's mind, she wasn't surprised at the kind welcoming she received after years of being a-wall. 

"Lou, love, close the door it's baltic in here," was the first thing Mila heard as she walked into her childhood house; stairs across from the front door, pictures adorning the walls that hadn't changed since she left, now with a few more updated ones adorning the glass cabinets.

A stair lift ran up the wall where an old wooden bannister used to sit, the nail marks in the wall still carved into the wallpaper, the same stair life that had been put in once her father fell ill, yet to be removed. The ceiling light was still broken, wires showing from the top, as it had been since she was twelve and watched Jack hit it with his crutches.

The door to the living room was open, showing a new television on top of the same glass cabinet, old photos and gold framed pictures adorning it, a few small Christmas cards were blu-tacked around the brim.

A doggy bed sat on the floor, empty, the corners chewed so that the stuffing showed through with a bone sat in the corner.

The wallpaper hadn't changed, white with silver lines, she remembered her uncle comparing it to falling glitter when he had first fitted it, exciting the young girl. A large circular mirror sat on the wall, reminding the girl of when Louis and his friend had smashed the old one, then proceeded to blame Jack who was grounded for two months before the truth had come out.

The sofas were the same, old, brown and sunken, however still comfortable. Her mam's spot in the corner, an arms-length from her father's armchair. One of the only photos Mila had with her father was sat in that chair, on her dads lap, paint on her hands as she held them up to the camera, the toothy smile on her face the opposite of her fathers, who's clothes and cheeks were cover in the same yellow paint. It was one of the photos that hung on the walls and had since her father sadly passed.

Now, instead of her father, a woman sat in the chair. A women Mila recognised as Lisa, Louis wife, she held a little girl on her lap the same way her father had.

In white legged walkers two younger children rolled around, one seat pink and the other blue. The young children in both each held Wotsits in their hands, cheese powder coving their faces.

"I'll close the window mam, the heatings already on" Louis replied, slipping passed Mila as she stood in the doorway, pulling the window to, then dropping to the floor, sitting against the wall next to the electric fire, one of the baby's rolling over to him.

"Tell you what, I'd hate to be out on a night like this, bet your dad and jack are frozen" she mused, her eyes never leaving the old black and white movie on the TV, however she wasn't paying attention, her eyes looking past it.

It's a Wonderful Life played, their traditional Christmas Eve movie. They'd watch it every year as a family.

"Hello?" A small voice cut Mila's thoughts as she watched the scene, her favourite scene; she had always laughed as the pool opened up.

Apparently, the only person that had noticed her presence was the girl sat on Lisa's lap, April as she remembered. The two had only met once before Mila had left, but she was still just as cute.

"Mila" her mother spoke, getting up in an instant, chucking the blanket from her body as she did so.

She wrapped Mila in a tight hug, so tight that Mila had to fight the tears coming to her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her mother just as firm. They stood swaying from side to side, her mothers' sobs being heard throughout the room.

"Mam..." she mumbled as she pulled back, only to break into another sob, seeing her mothers ageing face broke her.

Ever wrinkle around her eyes, or on her smile lines was just a reminder that she had moved on, not got to see the face without these lines one last time.

"I know, love" Janine pulled her in again, "I know"

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Written: 28th February 2021
Published: 1st March 2021
Janine being based off of my auntie <3