Aedan's Story - 9. Chapter 9: Home Sweet Home?

July 5 2017

I woke up to more sunlight streaming into the window. It was 9:30 AM. It was nice to sleep in, cause I needed it from being sick. I stretched my arms and stood up. I stuffed my dirty clothes bag into my duffle bag. Jake was still asleep, snoring and sprawled across his bed, sleeping on his stomach.

My stomach growled. It had been a while since I last ate, so I made my way to the kitchen where breakfast was ready. "Morning, Aedan," Mrs. Grant greeted me. "Jake's still asleep?" she asked, setting down a plate with a couple waffles for me.

"Yes, ma'am," I nodded, sitting down.

"I'll go wake him up," she said. "We're leaving in less than an hour. Are you packed?"

I nodded for yes, since my mouth was full. Jake's mom went into our bedroom. I soon heard a little bit of yelling. I stifled a laugh, managing not to choke on my food.

Jake walked out; he had an obvious bedhead in his blond hair. He hadn't even gotten dressed. He was wearing only some oversized basketball shorts and socks. I finished breakfast quickly and went to get my bag and put on my sneakers. Jake came in ten minutes later with a glass of juice and threw on a t-shirt and some sneakers.

"Ready to go?" Jake asked, scratching his stomach and yawning.

"Uh huh," I sat on my bed, which I had made and tidied up.

Soon afterwards, we left the beach house and made our way home.

Later that day, Avalon, Connecticut

We arrived at my house in time for lunch. Jake's parents let him stay with me and my family for the afternoon.

"Hi mom," I said, entering the kitchen after Jake and I took off our shoes and left my bag at the door.

"Hi boys!" she said in a slight southern accent. She kissed my cheek, and I blushed. She then hugged Jake. "How was your trip?"

"It was fun," I nodded, brushing my bangs out of my face. "I'mma go unpack. Uh, is dad home?"

"No, hun. He's at work. It's Monday, Aedan. I'll make lunch for you boys if you're hungry."

"Thank you," Jake smiled.

"We'll be back in a few minutes," I said before turning around and walking back.

"Aedan. Are you sick?" She reached out and felt my forehead.

"Mom, it's just a cold," I sighed. "I'm fine." I coughed.

I grabbed my bag and led Jake downstairs to my room, which I shared with my brother River, who is 11. He was laying on the carpeted basement floor playing a video game on the Xbox.

"Oh, hey Aedan, and hi Jake," he said.

"Hey, bro," I said as he fist-bumped me and high fived Jake. "I need to unpack my stuff, okay?"

"Sure," River said. "I was just finishing."

My brother looked a lot like me, but he was shorter, and less thin. It's not like I was too thin, I was just growing taller fast. "Also, put on a shirt, dude," I ruffled his hair before he grabbed a green t-shirt from his bed, turned off the Xbox, and left the room. Jake and I laughed.

Our room was pretty messy. River slept in a bed in the back left corner by the window, while I had a mattress in a small loft on the left side. Under the loft was my desk where I had my laptop and art supplies and a comfy stool to sit on. In the middle there was a couple bean bag chairs and a Tv was on the right wall. In the back right corner was the door to the closet. Just to the right of the entrance door was the bathroom, which had the hamper for dirty clothes and the other usual bathroom stuff.

"This room hasn't changed much since I was here for Memorial Day," Jake laughed.

"Uh huh," I nodded before tossing some dirty beach clothes into the hamper pretending it was a basketball shot.

"Did you get as sunburnt as I did?" Jake asked, sitting down on a beanbag chair.

"Maybe not as bad as you," I laughed. "But I got a little sunbaked." I then sat in the other beanbag chair. "But, again, thanks for the fun trip."

"Anytime, bro." Jake paused and stretched his arms and popped his back. "Hey, uh, you are gonna tell your mom, right?"

"Yes, Jake," I rolled my green eyes. "Stop naggin' me like my mom does!" I laughed. This afternoon would be a perfect time to tell her, since dad's not home yet to beat the shit out of me for telling mom.

We ate our lunch in the backyard, sitting on the back porch. The yard was fairly well kept, as I had to mow the grass every couple of weeks. After lunch, Violet, my older sister, came out to sunbathe in the backyard. She was in a bikini, and I had to elbow Jake to stop him from staring and/or drooling.

"Aedan, get out of here please. I don't want you goofing off with your friend when I am relaxing."

"Pfft, okay," I chuckled. I was a couple inches taller than her despite being younger by over three years. Her skin tone was a bit lighter than mine, and her hair was shoulder length. I led Jake back inside where we played on the Xbox until he had to leave.

I went upstairs to talk with mom alone. Violet was still sunbathing and River was napping. She hugged me saying she didn't get one when I first came home. Her hug reached my sensitive ribs and I grimaced a little. "What's wrong, babe?"

"I, uh, just have a couple bruises there, mama." I lifted up my shirt a bit. They had turned yellow and were mainly on my left ribs off to the side of my nascent abs. "Don' worry 'bout me."

"Aedan how did you get these?" She asked seriously. "Don't fib to me."

"It... it was dad," I stuttered, explaining what happened in context.

"What? Hank did this?" I nodded. "I'll have to have a word with him when he gets home. I know he has his anger issues…"

"Thanks, mama," I hugged her again.

"Now, get to your room, sweetie. You need to rest. You're injured, and also sick." She handed me some orange juice.

"You cain't tell 'im I told you," I said, my southern accent coming out more so than usual. "He's gonna... you know..." I blushed and blinked a couple of times.

"Oh, don't worry, hun," she shrugged off my comments. "Just go rest, okay."

I wandered back to the basement and climbed the ladder into my bunk bed after taking a sip of juice and setting the cup on my desk. Home sweet home... I thought as I laid down, already anxious about my dad again.