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THE DOORBELL RANG AGAIN just as Ophelia sat down and Adam rushed to get it.
The sound of chatter fell to mumbles due to the thick walls but before anyone could attempt to listen, Adam rushed back in with a panicked expression on his face.
"Mum!" Adam whined "There's a man in our loo"
Everyone glanced at each other with frazzled expressions, wondering why Adam was suddenly making such a big deal out of Jim being in the loo.
"We know that" Jonny stated
"No" Adam shook his head "An actual man"
Adam groaned and turned away from the family, rushing down the hallway towards the loo.
"What is he going on about?" Jonny questioned as he stood up and ran after Adam.
Ophelia frowned, chasing after the boys, curiosity filling her mind.
"Who are you talking to?" Jonny asked Adam.
"Shush" Adam instructed "Hello?"
Suddenly, an unrecognisable voice could be heard from the toilet
"Hello?" The voice said
"Hello?" Jonny said
Jackie appeared, confusion lacing her every words as she squinted at the boys
"Who are you saying hello to?" Jackie asked
"Shush" Adam and Jonny said
As Jackie said her greeting, Jonny turned to Ophelia, gently pushing her behind him with a slight grimace.
"Jonny, what are you doing?" Ophelia asked
"He could be dangerous" Jonny stated
"It's a man using the loo, what's he gonna do, whack me with a toilet brush?" She joked
"Just stay behind me" He responded "Okay?"
"Fine" She rolled her eyes
Jonny smiled at her before turning back to the door of the toilet, his eyebrows furrowing once again.
Jackie knocked on the door, as the toilet flushed, and she lent against the wall.
"Who are you?" She asked
The door opened and a brown haired man appeared, a scared look on his pale face.
"Chris Parker" He introduced himself "I'm here about the sofabed"
"Don't be silly" Martin said "The man is coming tomorrow"
"Well that's a man, and he's definitely here now" Adam said
"Right in the middle of dinner" Jackie groaned
•••
As everyone struggled to get the sofabed down the stairs, Jonny and Ophelia sat on the sofa.
Jonny was squirting the squirty cream into his mouth as Ophelia sat cross legged on the sofa next to him, staring at her phone.
"So, how's Nate?" Jonny asked quietly
"He's fine" Ophelia answered bluntly
"You can talk to me, you know?" Jonny said "I know he's not the best guy you've had"
"That's true" Ophelia stated "But he loves me and I love him. He just needs his space from me sometimes"
Jonny smiled sadly at his best friend, offering her the squirty cream causing her to giggle and shake her head.
"Jonny, the boxes" Martin ordered "In the car"
Jonny groaned, dramatically rolling his head back as Ophelia laughed at him.
"What?" Jonny whined "Now"
Martin frowned at his son, shaking his head
"Yes, now!" Martin said
"I'm gonna go and help everyone with the sofabed" Ophelia stated.
Ophelia stood up, walking towards the stairs where they were all stood with Adam and Jackie at the top of the stairs and Martin and Chris at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ophelia, you're quite small" Jackie said "Try and move up here and you can help us push it down"
Once Ophelia was at the top of the stairs, they began to try and push it but everytime they did, it got more and more stuck.
"Ophelia can't get down now" Martin observed.
"No Martin, she can't" Jackie snapped
Chris' phone began to ring and the gang fell silent at the sound of his heartbroken voice, causing them all to exchange worried looks.
"Oh my god! When?" Chris mumbled "Okay, right. Oh my god"
He hung up the phone, glancing around in disbelief.
"What's the matter?" Martin asked
"My dad. He's just died" The man said
•••
"Fantastic Friday Night" Adam joked "Can you invite him every week?"
"Don't be so horrible. How would you feel if god forbid, one of us died?" Jackie sighed
Adam didn't answer making Jackie roll her eyes.
"Nate, i'm not gonna be out by 8" Ophelia said as she leant against the wall, phone pressed to her ear "It's just a bit hectic. I'll be done by 8:30 at least"
She rolled her eyes as her boyfriend scorned her on the phone, questioning her like usual.
"It's not my fault. Just get here for 8:30 or i'll get the bus" Ophelia said
Jackie and Adam exchanged confused glances as Ophelia hung up the phone and smiled at the two Goodman's, clearly trying to hide her stress.
"Dad, Dad!" Adam shouted in a hushed tone
Martin turned, raising an eyebrow at everyone as he held a cup in the other hand.
"I'm making the man a cup of tea" Martin said
"Not that cup!" Adam shouted as Martin left the room
"What's the matter?" Jackie asked
A few moments later, commotion could be heard from the front room.
"My fathers just died and you're putting salt in everything!" Chris shouted
•••
"You go next, Jackie" Ophelia said "I'm fine being last"
Jackie nodded, climbing out of the window and onto the ladder, as Jim waited at the bottom with Jonny behind him and Adam and Martin stood to the side.
"Careful Jackie, slowly" Jim said
"It's alright Mum, it was easy" Adam said calmly
"Oh god" Jackie said
Eventually, Jackie got down to the ground and everyone stared up, watching as Ophelia climbed out the window and put one foot on the ladder.
All of a sudden, Jim began to move the ladder, making Jonny cry out in anger.
"Jim!" Jonny said "What are you doing?"
"Jackie is down" Jim said
"Leave the ladder, Jim" Jackie said
As Ophelia reached the bottom, Jonny put his hands on either side of her waist, steadying her so that she could reach the ground safely.
"Thanks, Jonny" She smiled, hugging him softly
Nate's red car pulled up and he got out the car, walking over to Ophelia and grabbed her hand.
He glanced at Jonny, not missing the opportunity to give the tall boy a dirty look. He frowned, his body turning towards his girlfriend.
"Come on then!" Nate said, letting go of Ophelia's hand and turning back to his car.
"I'll see you guys, next Friday?" Ophelia smiled
"As always" Jackie said "It's been lovely seeing you, darling"
"Thanks Jackie" Ophelia said "Bye, Martin!"
Martin nodded, smiling at the girl before he turned to go inside with Jackie following closely behind.
"Bye, Fee!" Adam said, using the nickname she hated just to infuriate her
"Come on, Ophelia!" Nate shouted "You're so slow"
Jonny growled but hugged his friend again before turning back and following Adam into the house.
