Canon

The next morning Bobby was sound asleep on the sofa. He was almost too tall for it so his body was curved like a small child during nap time. Niall got Jack dressed for the day so the three of us could get some breakfast. I decide to slip Bobby a note saying that we would be back soon and left my number so he could call in case of an emergency. Niall groans impatiently as I jot down the note for his dad, leaving it carefully in a place I knew he’d see.

‘Why are you doing so much for him?’ He complains, grabbing a hold of my hand to rush me out the door. ‘It’s not like he deserves it.’ Niall grumbles as he locks the door before taking Jack’s hand in his.

‘I have an uncle who’s like that.’ I confess, avoiding all eye contact with Niall as we’re in the elevator, ‘my mom’s older brother – he doesn’t come around much these days, my dad won’t allow it. Apparently, when he was drunk one day watching me when I was either two or three, I can’t really remember, he puts me down for a nap and forgot that he left the stove on. Of course, he had easily knocked back a handful of beers. I don’t remember what happened exactly but he burned down his apartment and the one upstairs that day. That’s all it took for my dad to kick him out of our lives. I know that it bothers my mom that she can’t have a healthy, normal relationship with her only brother. She used to sneak me to see him and I hated it. I hated seeing him like that. His words were always slurred and he was already dirty. He doesn’t have anyone but us and we see him once out of the year. I know that your dad is not my uncle and I don’t want to ignore your personal issues with him but I figure it couldn’t hurt to make him comfortable.’

‘You never told me that.’ Niall speaks quietly after my few moments of rambling as we walk to the car. Thankfully, Niall had slipped Jack his phone and he was lost in some sort of video with superheroes.

‘I’m not asking you to change your feelings for you dad, it’s not my place. I just want you to attempt to look after him while you still can, like make sure he eats and is taken care of.’

‘I guess,’ Niall replies helping Jack into his car seat, placing the oversized dinosaur into his lap, ‘Jack what do you want for breakfast?’

‘Um, pancakes!’ Jack smiles happily kicking his feet.

‘Pancakes it is,’ Niall replies looking at him through the rearview mirror, ‘If you ever want a ride to your uncle or just to vent, you know you can always come to me about it, right?’

‘Thank you.’ I smile intertwining my fingers with his.

Niall decides to drive to a diner right on the outside of town so we wouldn’t run into anyone we knew. I knew wasn’t afraid of Damon, but he was definitely terrified of getting Jack involved in whatever he was planning. I slide into the booth beside Jack while Niall sits across from him in a fairly empty diner. I glance around not recognizing any of the faces. Everyone had to be over the age of 35.

‘I’m sorry that I haven’t told you how could you look yet today.’ Niall muses from across the table eyeing me, ‘and how much I appreciate you.’

‘Uh oh, what do you want?’ I tease with a small smile, ‘you’re never this nice.’

‘Okay, smartass.’ Niall laughs folding his arms across his chest.

‘Money in the swear jar!’ Jack chimes causing the older couple beside us to look over.

‘I am going to be broke before this weekend is up.’ Niall scoffs sliding a ten-dollar bill across the table with a grin, ‘that is for last night too. Don’t spend it all in one place.’

After breakfast, the three of us go a little bit further out of town to an animal sanctuary. Niall parks the car, lifting Jack up in one arm and holding my hand with the other. I spot several families walking amongst the animals.

‘Welcome!’ Some perky teenager stands at the gate, ‘aren’t you just the cutest little thing?’ She beams up at Jack. Jack scrunches his face before turning in Niall’s arm. I’m guessing she was a bit too cheerful for Jack’s liking. ‘Uh oh, someone doesn’t want to talk.’ Her overly-wide smile never faded as she directs her attention to Niall, ‘enjoy.’

‘Mm, thank you.’ I beam sarcastically, getting our tickets from her hands.

‘Someone’s jealous.’ Niall stifles out a cocky laugh as I glance back at the girl.

‘You’re just so cute.’ I roll my eyes at him walking over to the gate of goats.

‘Don’t be like that. I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m not letting you go anytime soon.’ He replies pulling me into him once he sets Jack down to get a better view of the goats, ‘don’t get too close Jack.’

As I open my mouth to reply, a brightly colored peacock struts its way towards us. I grab a hold of Niall’s tattooed arm with big eyes. Braver than Niall and I combined, Jack gets directly in front of the peacock clapping his hands excitedly.

‘No, no, no.’ Niall grabs him up before joining the other families towards the other animals, ‘who in the H-E-L-L has a G-O-D-D-A-M-N giant bird walking around freely like that.’ I couldn’t help but laugh at Niall’s attempt to get around Jack’s swear jar.

Niall wraps his arms around my waist as I hold onto Jack’s tiny hand struggling to keep up with him. I hold up my phone taking a picture of Jack as he walks a few feet in front of us.

‘Let me see, you’re a pretty bad photographer.’ Niall jokes pulling my phone from my hands. ‘Stand right here.’ He instructs while keeping a close eye on Jack, ‘God, you’re beautiful.’ Niall mutters to himself staring at my phone.

‘Hi, excuse me,’ I flag down a nearby couple reaching for Niall’s hand, ‘Can you take a picture of the three of us please.’ Niall complains under his breath with a nervous smile pulling Jack onto his lap. I slide next to Niall holding onto his arm. They take the picture before continuing down the trail. ‘Look.’ I muse happily handing Niall my phone.

‘We look pretty good, huh Jack?’

‘Uh huh.’ Jack cups the screen with his tiny hands to shield it from the sun.

Finally, back at the apartment Bobby sat on the sofa watching TV. He looked much better than he did the day before. He had a cup of what appeared to be coffee wrapped in his hands carefully. He stares at Jack with realization and nervously towards Niall. Niall cautiously pushed Jack towards me, behind his leg.

‘I want to thank you.’ Bobby extends a shaky hand out to his son, ‘You didn’t have to let me stay here but you did.’

‘It’s not a problem.’ Niall steps aside leaving his father’s hand hanging.

‘Thank you to you too, Lizette, was it?’ Bobby directs his attention towards me with a hopeful smile.

‘That would be me. Lizette Matthews.’ I shake his hand, ‘And please, don’t mention it, I’m happy to help.’

‘So, how’d you meet my boy?’ Bobby wonders slouching down into the sofa already picking up the remote.

‘I met Niall at school, we have a few classes together.’

‘School?’ Bobby raises his eyebrows with genuine surprise, ‘I thought for sure he dropped out like his brother.’

‘Niall is one of the smartest people in our senior class.’ I inform him, glancing over at Niall who was taking Jack to his room for a nap. Tara’s orders.

‘Oh, is he now? Do you live here with, Niall? Bobby continues with his line of questioning. I didn’t necessarily mind seeing how this was the first real conversation I was having with him.

‘No, sir. I stay with my parents.’

‘Your parents. You said your name was Matthews, you wouldn’t happen to know the Chief downtown, would you? Any relation with that prick planted twenty-four-seven to his golden high horse?’ Bobby wonders rubbing his hand over his light stubble. As I’m talking to him, I couldn’t help but notice just how much Niall looks like Bobby. Especially with the dark hair.

‘That would be her dad, so thanks for that.’ Niall hovers in the doorway, his tattooed arms wrapped around one another.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any disrespect. I just don’t have the best track record with the police force.’ Bobby explains frantically placing a hand on his chest. Clearly feeling anxious just thinking about it.

‘C’mon Lizette.’ Niall pulls me from the couch before his dad or I could say anything else, ‘I swear I’m going to kill Greg.’

Niall and I lay in bed watching TV while Jack sleeps between us. During the movie, I feel my eyelids growing with weight with each passing commercial. When I woke up Jack was quietly playing with Niall down on the floor. It was dark out so I wondered just how long I had been sleep.

‘There she is,’ Niall calls, ‘We’ve been waiting on you to go get dinner.’

‘Actually, can you drop me off at my house. Just for a little bit so I can check in so my dad doesn’t decide to go by Rose’s looking for me.’

‘Yeah, sure.’ Niall nods, ‘looks like it’s just us guys, Jack.’

I kiss Niall lips before sliding out of his car to go inside. My mom and Elijah were on the sofa while my dad was under the sink, with a flash in his mouth. ‘Hi, I’m back.’

‘How was Rose’s?’ My mom wonders patting Elijah on his back lightly.

‘Good, the same Leonardo DiCaprio movies and Talenti gelato.’ I shrug walking towards my room, ‘Actually I was headed back over there after getting a change of clothes. I’m going to help her with her English paper before Monday.’

‘You can always have Rose over here, you know?’ My dad pipes in, briefly removing the flash light from his mouth. ‘She’s like family.’

‘Next time.’ I promise before hurrying to my room avoiding any more questions.

Just going to pick up something to go. Do you want anything?

Whatever you get, just get me the same. Swing by and pick me up when you’re finished?

Be there in 30

I send Niall a quick reply before grabbing a change of clothes to head back to his apartment. While waiting for him I decide to check my emails on my laptop. I had a new email from Georgetown, advising me to confirm my attendance in order to save my spot in the incoming class. I run my cursor over the “Save My Place” option nervously. I close my eyes with two quick clicks the screen changes.

Welcome, Lizette!

There was a long list of things I had to do before Fall. I sign out and remind myself to get back to it later before all the good class were taken. Niall sends me a text saying he’s outside.

‘Bye, I’ll be back early tomorrow!’ I practically run out the house before my dad offers to walk me out to the car. I hear them call out bye in unison just as the door shuts behind me.

‘You ready?’ Niall wonders as I fasten my seat belt. I nod my head causing him to pull away from the curb and down the dark, tree-filled road. I let the window down soaking in the cool air from the night. Jack’s in the backseat already on the verge of falling asleep once again. Niall reaches over placing his hand in my lap with a nearly invisible grin. ‘I would say this weekend’s gone pretty good, yeah?’

‘I think so. Tara definitely doesn’t have reason to not let you see Jack this summer.’

Once we step off the elevator, I wanted to kick myself for speaking too soon. Niall’s apartment door was wide open, with several empty beer cans scattered throughout the floor. I hold Jack in my arms looking around for Bobby, who was nowhere to be found. Just as Niall goes to lock the door, Bobby stumbles through with a beer can firmly wrapped in his hand.

‘Fucking typical.’ Niall mumbles, kicking an empty beer can down the narrow hallway. ‘I’m guessing you stole money out of my room to get that.’

‘It was outside.’ Bobby slurs leaning heavily against the sofa. If it wasn’t there he would’ve fell over in seconds. ‘A whole box of it. Just sitting there.’

‘God, you’re pathetic. I’m calling Greg. He’s leaving, now.’ Niall pulls me along with him to sit on his bed. I try to keep Jack preoccupied with his dinner while Niall argues back and forth on the phone with Greg, ‘he’s on his way.’

Down the hall, I could hear Bobby ranting and rambling about his life and sons. Niall puts on a Spider-Man cartoon for Jack on his phone and placing a pair of headphones on his head. Bobby stands right outside the door yelling out something along the lines of two disappointments for kids just his luck. Niall places his hand on the doorknob, his fists formed into two tight balls.

‘Don’t open the door, please.’ I beg feeling my hands shaking, ‘Niall please don’t.’

Niall sits on the floor silently with his back against the door staring towards the wall in front of him. It felt like Bobby’s drunken rant on for an eternity before Greg’s voice finally echoes off the walls. Denise hovers quietly in the doorway, uneasily looking around at the mini Horan family reunion.

‘There he is,’ Bobby nearly shouts pointing a boney finger at Niall, ‘You think you’re so much better than me. You got your fancy apartment. You little live-in girlfriend. You look down on your own father like he’s not shit. After all I’ve done for you. I’ve dealt with you and your brother’s shit for years.’

I grab a hold of Niall’s arm pulling towards the hallway before things could escalate. Greg mutters something to Bobby placing a hand on his shoulders only to be shot down as Bobby yanks away from him.

‘You think you got it made, don’t you? Living a perfect life without your bum of a father. Raising your own brother’s kid? That’s rich.’ Bobby slurs with an amused laugh, ’you call me pathetic? What in the hell are you then?’

I squint at his last few drunken words, staring at Niall and then to Greg. Greg places a hand on his mouth in shock at his dad’s outburst. ‘What the hell did you just say?’ Niall questions pulling away from me before approaching his family.

Something tells me Bobby, drunk or not, was telling the truth.