A few hourslater, the movie we were watching ends and I stretch, glancing at the clock. It’s nearly 1:00am. We didn’t go down for hot chocolate as Heaven was full, so we decided to waituntil everyone had gone to sleep for the night.
I’m in my red, modal fabric pyjama set. Allie’s in black tracksuit bottoms and a sports bra, her hair braided back; she has a thing about sleeping with her hair open. Heaven has her curls tied in a high bun on top of her head, so her curls don’t get crushed whilst she sleeps, and she’s wearing a floral blue, satin night dress that reaches mid-thigh.
“Hot drinks here we come,” Allie says, yawning.
“That movie was creepy,” Heaven muses, grabbing her matching satin robe.
“Mmm…” I curl up in bed only for Allie to swat me.
“Wake up; we’re going to go down.”
“But the bed is warm!” I grumble, refusing to let go of the duvet. Heaven snorts.
“Whether it is or not, you just want to sleep all the time.”
Sleep feels good. It doesn’t hurt…
I pout as I fold the bedding back carefully, knowing Heaven hates it when her things are messed with, and get up.
Allie slips her hands into her pockets as we quietly leave the room.
“This is the worst time to be out of your bedroom, especially if your parents…” she trails off as both Heaven and I raise an eyebrow, but her pause hits me as I realise what she was about to say.
The dreaded time one might hear something they wouldn’t want to hear from their parents’ room.
Both Heaven and I look at one another, and the usual controlled, stoic expression on Heaven’s face has dropped, her eyes glittering.
“Fuck, sorry guys,” Allie grumbles, and I know she regrets it because she puts an arm around both of us, hugging us both gingerly. Hugging isn’t an Allie thing. She hates it.
The pain in my chest only heightens as I remember Mama and Dad’s stolen moments in these very halls.
What I’d give for both Mama and Aunty to get their mates back, even if I had to put up with hearing the traumatic sounds that no child wants to hear from their parents’ room every single day. It would be better than the silence.
“It’s alright, I don’t want to hear your dad, which would be gross,” Heaven adds, shuddering. “He’s so old now, I’m surprised he can still,you know.”She wrinkles her nose in disdain.
That makes us both cackle, and I clamp a hand over my mouth to stop it ringing through the halls. Allie snickers. “I agree, he’s way too old. Maybe he takes Viagra.”
We all burst out laughing at the expense of Grandad Al, and the mood feels a little lighter.
“Ok, really though, that was a shit move from me, so to make up for it, I’ll watch whatever you guys want for the next three movies we watch together. Deal?”
“Deal!” Heaven says quickly, before hugging Allie. “It’s ok, don’t feel bad, but I do want you to watch some chick flicks.”
“Ugh, it grosses me out when they get all touchy-feely. But I’ll do it.” She grimaces.
“What about when you date?” I ask, raising an eyebrow, my bare feet silent against the cool marble stairs.
“Lock mouths with a dude? Eurgh.” She shudders as we reach the bottom and turn down the hall, heading towards the kitchen.
“I’m sure when you find the right person, you won’t care about germs,” I respond confidently before I grab her hands and spin her around as I begin singing.
“When you fall in love
You lose control
You can’t hang on and you can’t let go.”
“Si!” Allie shudders. Heaven smirks as she joins in.
