Hidden Footprints

"So let me get this straight? You snuck in because you were worried only to hear her having sex with some 'Alex' guy!" Toby reiterated, suppressing a laugh. He was lying on his bed with his feet up against the wall above the headboard whilst I was sitting with my back against the headboard looking at him.

"Yes, yes I did! How about you stop reminding me?" I asked him, exasperated by him constantly reminding me about what I'd heard. I was truly scarred for life and I would never be able or allowed to forget it.

"Oh, come on! You know I'm only messing. It's just too funny not to torture you with." Toby told me just as he burst into laughter.

"Boys, keep the noise down a bit please." Leah stood in the doorway, with her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at Toby and I. "Ella has been sick lately so she's gone to bed early."

"Okay mum, sorry." Toby instantly stopped laughing as Leah walked out of the room. I looked over at my phone and as if on cue my phone started to vibrate signalling that I was receiving a call. I grabbed the phone and answered it.

"Oh hey Mum... Yeah I'm fine- No I was checking if you were okay... Okay I'll be round in a minute- I'm at Toby's... Love you too." With that I ended the call and threw my phone back on to the bed.

"What did she say?" He curiously asked me, using his arms as a pillow to prop his head up to look at me as he talked.

"She was just wondering why I rang her, and told me to come back home to make some dinner for us both." I told him as I made my way over to the edge of the bed to get my shoes on. "Wanna come round? I could make some dinner for us all." I offered since I knew he hadn't eaten.

"I'll have to ask my Mum but I think that should be fine." He said as he got up.

                                ---------------------------------------------------------

I stood in front of the stove, cooking spaghetti bolognese for Toby, my Mum and I. Toby's Mum had allowed Toby to eat at ours since she hadn't started cooking yet so we'd headed over to mine. Toby and I didn't mention anything to my Mum about earlier but I could tell from Toby's facial expressions that he was trying his hardest not to laugh as he looked at me.

"Francis! The sauce." Toby almost yelled at me, diverting my attention back to the bolognese sauce. I quickly plated the food up and took my plate and my Mum's plate upstairs.

"Take yours and we can sit in my room." I told Toby as I walked up the stairs with the two plates. I went into my Mum's room and handed her the plate along with cutlery.

"Thanks Francis." She told me as began to eat. I walked in to my room, where Toby was and put my plate down on my desk.

"Do you want a drink?" I asked him, standing up once again with a quiet sigh.

"Only if you're having one." He replied as he grabbed his spoon and fork and began to dig in to the meal. I went downstairs and grabbed three cans of coke and headed back upstairs. I went into my Mum's room once again first.

"I got you this." I placed the can on the cabinet beside her bed and smiled at her.

"Francis, I've gotta tell you something." She patted the spot beside her on her bed as she took the plateful of food and put it on the bedside cabinet. "Sit down. It's nothing too serious, don't worry." She said casually, looking at me.

"Okay." I said, knowing where this was going.

"I've been seeing someone lately. He's really nice. His name is Alex." She said calmly to me before smiling. I could tell in her eyes that this was a genuine smile and that she was happy. "I love him-"

"Where's this going?" I asked bluntly.

"Well... We're getting married." She announced, studying my face to read me but I let out no emotion. I didn't know how to react. I'd never even met the guy and they were getting married?! I got up and made my way over to the door wordlessly. "Say something.." She pleaded with me.

"I've never even met him and you're getting married?!" I raised my voice but immediately regretted it.

"You're meeting him tomorrow Francis and don't you raise your voice at me. I can't help who I love! I thought that you would be happy for me. I've finally found someone. You won't have to look after me 24/7. You can be a child again!" She yelled at me but I remained silent. She was right. I sighed and left the room slamming the door behind me and made my way over to my bedroom, forgetting Toby was in there.

"What happened?" Toby asked, scaring me half to death.

"They're- getting married." I mumbled, plopping back on my bed, hoping this was just a dream.

"Why aren't you happy about that?" He questioned, looking a little confused.

"He's going to steal my Mum from me." I admitted quietly knowing that what I was thinking was a bit ridiculous.

"Don't be daft! You and your mum seem so close that I don't believe some guy will able to break the relationship you both have. He's going to take care of her yes but that'll give you more opportunities for you to act your age. You've been brought up looking after your Mum. You need a break acting like an adult Francis. You even think like one, and you're thirteen." Toby told me confidently, and if to say 'I'm right and you know it' although I knew he wasn't like that, most of the time. I didn't want to admit it but him and my Mum were right. I sighed and lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Maybe you're right." I sighed, defeated.

"I am. Now go back to your Mum and apologise. I bet it took a lot for her to admit that to you." He acted as if he was the parent and I didn't like it.

"I'll do it in the morning." I sulkily told him, rolling over so my back was to him. "You can't keep telling me what to do." I mumbled more to myself than Toby.

"Yeah, you're right, I'm sorry. I'm being a control freak again, sorry." He apologised sincerely as I rolled back over to look at him.

"I'm sorry for being sulky Tobe." I said with a shy smile. He smiled back at me and hugged me. We hugged each other for like five minutes till Toby got a call from his Mum telling him to be home.

"Okay Francis, see ya tomorrow. Thanks again for dinner." He said bye before walking not even thirty steps and going in to his house.

I closed the door and headed back upstairs to my room.

"Francis, is that you?" I heard my Mum and sighed, stopping as I got in front of her bedroom door.

"Yeah, Mum. It's me."

"Come here son. We need to talk." She said to me in a demanding but calm tone and I couldn't help but do as she said. I opened the door slowly and walked in, keeping my head down. I wasn't ready to look at her yet. I perched on the edge of the bed but kept my head down.

"I know that everything I'm telling you will be quite a bit of shock all at once, but I want you to know and to understand me more. We've always been close and now you're at the age where I can tell you these things." She explained in a calm tone never taking her eyes off me. "Tomorrow you're gonna be meeting up with Alex. It'll be just the two of you." She moved her hand on to my shoulder as I looked at her.

"Will he be living with us?" I curiously asked before earning a slow silent nod from her. I sighed as I got up from the bed.

"I'm sorry, Francis. I thought you would be happy like I am." She told me.

"It's just a lot to process all at once. I mean, next you're gonna tell me he's got kids and they're all moving in too?" I sarcastically said getting replied with silence. "He's got kids, hasn't he?"

"Yeah well only one." She mumbled.

"Great." I sighed and walked out of the room towards mine.