Painting Flowers

Jack slowed down as he steered the car over to the curb and pressed the brake to stop in front of the familiar white house. Putting it in park, he glanced over to the seat next to him and smiled to Soph as she turned to him. He could see the nervousness in her eyes and he reached over and took her hand giving her a reassuring smile.

“Everything’s going to be fine, I promise. You don’t need to be worried.” He said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

She nodded slightly and he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. “I promise everything will be ok.” He repeated as he glanced at the house behind her seeing the curtains in the front window moving. “Are you ready to go in? They’re all watching us out the front window waiting for us.”

She manages a small smile and nodded again, “I guess some things never change.” She said as she let go of his hand and reached for the door handle.

He laughed as he followed suit, getting out of the car and walking around to meet her at the other side. She reached out to reconnect their hands as they walked up the sidewalk towards the door. He didn’t even bother knocking as they walked up to the door and he took the old doorknob in his hands and opened the door leading her inside.

There was the faint noise of people in the kitchen and he rolled his eyes to himself as he realized that they were just trying to make it look like they hadn’t been watching them out the window moments before. He toed off his shoes and Soph did also and he took her jacket from her and hung it up next to his and led her down the hall a little more to walk into the kitchen.

“Mom?” Jack called as the he walked into the familiar room of his childhood home and saw the woman in question with her back to them at the stove doing something. When he called her name again, she turned with a huge smile on her face and rushed over to them with open arms.

“Jack! You’re home!” She said as she wrapped her arms around him and gave her a bone crushing hug. “It’s so good to see you sweetie! How was tour?”

Jack shrugged, “It was ok. Glad to be home even if we are leaving in a few days.” He replied as he looked to Soph next to him and smiled. “Mom, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Sophia.”

He held in a laugh as his mothers facial expressions changed as she looked to Soph. At first she looked happy to meet her, then it quickly changed when she looked at her and he saw the look of recognition as he looked to her face. Then she gasped as she looked from Soph to Jack and back to Soph with wide eyes.

“Jack, is this who I think it is?” She asked as Jack just nodded as his mom began to freak out, asking Soph a million different questions and pulling her into the kitchen so they could talk while she finished up dinner. Jack stood there for a few moments wondering if his girlfriend was going to be held captive by his mom the entire night when someone tapped his shoulder and turned to see May there.

“Hey baby bro,” she said as she hugged him. “I take it mom found out about Soph?”

He rolled his eyes and nodded, “Yep. And I’m probably not going to see my girlfriend for the rest of the night now.”

“Aw, don’t be too sad. You have been with Soph since you guys got back from the UK. I think it’s time to share her now.” His sister teased as he blushed and rolled his eyes trying to hide his embarrassment.

It was true though. Ever since they had gotten back from the UK, Jack and Soph switched between their apartments and spent as much time as they could together. Also adding a few first dates into the mix. They only had a short time together before both of their bands went on tour again so they were trying to spend as much time together as possible.

Code Name For Crushes were going to do a US tour now seeing how well the news of the new band came from Europe while All Time Low was going over to Asia and a few other places overseas where they had neglected for a little while.

“When do you leave by the way?”

Jack glanced back when he heard footsteps coming to see Joe walking through the front door and gave a smile to his brother before turning back to May. “Um in like three days. Soph is leaving tomorrow though so this is really the last night we have.”

“And you decided to share her instead of keeping her all to yourself? Aw Jack, I knew I taught you good manners.” His mother teased as she sat at the table across from them and hugged Soph again.

Loud noises were heard and then the front door opened again and Jack rolled his eyes knowing exactly who it was. “Oh Mamma Barakat!” The voice yelled as Jack’s mom gasped and stood up rushing over to the front door.

“Alex!” She yelled followed by a ‘Oof’ as she gave the lead singer an equally as tight hug as she had given Jack a while before. “And you must be Zooey, Alex’s new girl. It’s nice to meet you sweetie!” His mom continued as she pulled them into the kitchen.

Jack couldn’t help but laugh as he saw Alex’s pained expression from the hug and Zo’s nervous look. Someone kicked him under the table and he looked over to his sister knowing it was her and saw the look telling him to be nice. He just stuck his tongue out as she stood and went over to say hi to Alex and Zo.

“It’s nice to meet you too Mrs. Barakat,” Zo said politely as she handed her a bottle of wine the two of them had brought and Jack silently cheered. Zo had then best taste in wine and always made sure they had the good stuff on the bus whenever they toured, and he knew she had brought something equally as yummy again.

His mom waved her off, “You can call me Joyce dear, Mrs. Barakat makes me feel old. And thank you for the wine, we’ll certainly put it to good use.”

“Just make sure Jack doesn’t get his hands on the bottle. We’ll never get a taste otherwise.” Alex said as Jack glared at his friend.

“It’s not my fault your girlfriend has such good taste in alcohol.” He muttered as Alex laughed and hugged him.

Joyce just laughed at the two boys as she went back to finishing the food and the girls went to help. Alex, Jack, and Joe disappeared into the living room until Joyce called them for food and they got up as quickly as they could and rushed into the kitchen. By then Jack’s dad was also home from work and after a quick hello, they all sat down and began to pass the food around.

See, I told you everything was going to go fine. Jack signed to Soph with a small smile when she actually wasn’t having a conversation with someone else.

“Jack, what have I told you about signing at the table? You would think after being reminded so much when you two were younger that you would remember. If you can’t say it out loud, don’t say it at all. I don’t want you two talking about anything inappropriate at the table.” His mom scolded as Soph blushed and Alex and Jack’s sibling started laughing.

After they finished dinner, Joyce decided to assign her children to clean up while the rest of them went into the living room. Jack sighed as he stood and helped clear the table and joined May at the sink as she started to wash the dishes while Joe took his time trying to get out of putting the dishes away.

“Hey Jack,” May said as she handed him another plate and he began to dry it. “Don’t let her go now that you have her again.”

Jack looked to his sister with a serious expression, “I have no intention to ever again.” He replied seriously as May started to squeal and threw her arms around him. “Eww! May! You’re hands are wet!”

“That’s what she said!” Joe yelled behind them but both of them ignored their brother.

“I believe you, I’m just glad she’s back. I haven’t seen you this happy since before she left the first time.” Jack just nodded and promised her he wouldn’t.

Once they were finally done, they joined the others in the living room and immediately Soph made room on the couch next to her for him. He smiled as he sat down and took her hand giving it a light squeeze. There was a conversation going around and he tried to pick up on what it was since Soph seemed to get a little confused at different points because too much was going on at once.

Sometimes he wished that he could do something about her hearing. But in reality, there was really nothing anyone could do. They were even told so when she had first lost her hearing back when she was five. Still Jack wished he could. Just so conversations could come a little easier to her and that she didn’t have to get embarrassed about asking someone to repeat themselves when she couldn’t read their lips very well.

He knew she hated her hearing aids and hardly ever wore them and wished that that wasn’t the only way she could hear a little better. She had mentioned a few times that the hearing aids only let her hear background noise and only a little at that. That’s part of the reason she hardly ever wore them besides the fact that they were uncomfortable. He couldn’t blame her though, she explained that they felt like you were wearing earbuds 24/7 and he knew he would never be able to do it.

But there had to be some way to make it a little easier on her, if somehow there was and he was able to find it, he would do it. Just to make life a little better. For her to experience what hearing was like again after 15 years of silence.