The Tick Tock of the Clock

Rolling over I froze at the face only a mere inch from mine, and it wasn’t that of a little four-year-old. Sitting up slowly I looked at Pete lying next to me, his arm sliding down my side as I sat up. Rolling my eyes I placed it against his chest and crawled out over him looking at the clock as I went.

As I walked out into the living room I looked around at how clean it was before wandering over to the couch and looking down at Brendon sleeping peacefully, Andy and Pat were in the two rooms in the upstairs part of the villa so I didn’t have to worry about them.

Slowly I wandered back into Pete’s room. Jack was sleeping next to him in the spot I’d once been in. Smiling I grabbed a pair of pants and my black pull over sweater and slipped into both items of clothing I stepped into my moccasins and grabbed my bag before backing out of the room slowly praying Jack wouldn’t wake up while I was gone.

Leaving the hotel was rather hard there were people everywhere in the lobby for five am in the morning. The people littering the street didn’t help either as I walked towards the nearest grocery store to grab things for breakfast and snacks later in the day for Jack and the guys.

“Sorry.” I muttered as I bumped into some lady in the lobby knocking her over. Setting the few bags down I helped her up as best I could. “I’m really sorry.” I muttered picking up my bags again as she smiled at me.

“Don’t worry about, but that’s a lot of groceries.” She laughed at the four bags I had in each hand. I sighed at how it would only last the morning and possibly enough for their lunches.

“We’ll you know, you gotta be prepared.” I muttered putting a four down and pulling my phone out dialing and stuffing it between my ear and shoulder as I picked the bags back up. “I really am sorry.” I stated heading to the elevator, pressing the button with my elbow.

“Hello?” came Joe’s groggy voice through my phone.

“Wake up, you’ve gotta take Mady to the airport in about an hour,” I paused stepping through the large silver doors opening for me. “So you guys have enough time to go through the check-in and everything.” I muttered pushing the floor button with my elbow again and waiting. The elevator was oddly empty for how many people were hustling and bustling through the lobby.

“You couldn’t knock?” He groaned with a huff as he possibly got out of bed. Faintly I heard ‘Mads get up, come on Mads. We gotta get going.’ I smiled at how sweet he was being for five thirty almost six in the morning.

“I’m not in the room, I went and got food.” I stated. “I didn’t feel like paying for room service.” I added knowing that would be his next question, That and I felt like shopping and cooking this morning, a rare feeling I get in the morning but none the less a feeling I got.

“Oh, okay. Thanks.” The line went dead, but I held the phone to my shoulder anyway as I moved down the hallway to the room quickly. Setting the bags down I first put my cell phone away before opening the door and coming in.

I could hear Joe and Mady in there room getting the last of things together as I snuck to the kitchen grabbing the pans I’d need to make breakfast. I froze looking over at Brendon as a few of the pans clanged loudly. He hardly even shifted in his sleep. Smiling I went back to cooking.

“I smell food.” Brendon muttered about thirty minutes later sitting up as I put more bacon into the pan. “I love you.” He whispered staring at me.

“Go wake Andy and Pat.” I muttered lightly nodding he bolted up the stairs, no more than five minutes later Andy came stumbling down the stairs. “Can you get Pee…” I trialed off as the door opened and Pete stumbled out of the room. “Never mind.” I smiled at Andy as he grabbed a plate with Pete and began filling it with food. “Is Jack still sleep?” I asked Pete yawned nodding slowly.

“I can’t wake him!” Brendon whined from the top of the stairs.

“Slap him.” I muttered lightly knowing I’d given Brendon and impossible task. “If he doesn’t wake up just forget about it.” Nodding he ran away. All three of us froze listening to the sizzling of the bacon and sausage in their pans then a loud crack of skin against skin for a second. There was no scream only a ‘are you kidding me? That didn’t work?’ before Brendon came storming down the stairs annoyed. “I’ll get him don’t worry about it.” I smiled at him turning the bacon over in the pan as they all moved around me.

“So, where are Joe and Mady?” Pete asked as he sat down at the table looking around at who was around him.

“Airport, they already ate.” I muttered still cooking. “Andy can you watch this?” I asked only trusting his cooking skill, or lack there of, with the food. Nodding he stood up walking over to the cooking food and watching it ready to deal with it when he needed to. “Thanks.” I muttered walking back to Pete’s room and lifting Jack out of bed. With a groan he opened his eyes. “Time for breakfast.” I muttered nodding he hugged his blanket close to his chest as I wandered back into the room. “What’d you want?” I asked pointing at the large plates filled with food around the stove top. He shrugged snuggling up to my chest as I looked at the cooking food then Andy eating some already cooked bacon. “You going to roll the sausage over?” I asked he glanced at me and shrugged.

“I like it kinda black.” He stated simply. Rolling my eyes I grabbed a plate for Jack and smiled at him waiting for him.

“Do you just want a little of everything?” I asked he nodded wiggling in my arms. Setting him down I began putting little bits of food on his plate: eggs, bacon, sausage, a few small pancakes and some hash browns. Moving to the table I set the plate in front of him as he sat a chair over from Pete and Brendon. He didn’t seem to found of Brendon and how loud he was, and I’m not too sure how he feels about Pete or the others. “Do you want juice?” I asked he nodded standing in his chair to see his food as best he could. “Hold on.” I passed Andy shoving him. “Flip them.” I hissed at him. Grabbing the tongs he did as told rolling the now slightly black on one side sausage. I grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and sighed praying he could drink out of the cup and not slip it everywhere.

“Hey buddy.” Pete muttered lightly. “Move.” He stated I watching Pete wave a hand at Jack lightly with half opened eyes. I paused as Jack looked at me with wide eyes a bit unsure. “Here.” Pete lifted Jack in one arm and put down the large phone book in the chair before sitting Jack on it. “There, now you don’t have to stand.” He smiled taking his seat a chair over from Jack who looked a bit surprised that he was sitting at the table rather easily. Pouring him some juice I pushed the small cup towards him.

“Try not to slip it okay?” I asked, he nodded eating slowly as Pat wandered down the stairs, one side of his face red. “Good morning.” I laughed at him while he groaned a bit upset that he was up.

“My face hurts.” He whispered grabbing a plate as I ushered Andy away from the stove and went back to cooking taking the darkening sausage out of the pan and replacing them with uncooked ones. “Like I was attacked.” I glanced at Brendon; his head was down as he ate.

“I’m sorry, but at least there’s breakfast.” I muttered he nodded sitting at the table next to his attacker with out even knowing it.

“Good morning!” Brendon muttered cheerfully trying not to be to suspicious about the incident that happened mere minutes ago involving his hand and what looked like the right side of Pat’s face.

“Good morning.” Pat grumbled as the other two simply grunted in reply to welcome him to the breakfast table. Finishing the cooking I turned off the stove and grabbed a plate myself sitting across from Jack making sure he didn’t spill his juice as he drank it, other than that I didn’t have to worry about him. I’ve discovered he’s not a messy eater, I don’t even have to ask him to wash up after he eats, he does it on his own.

“So today,” I muttered all four looked at me. “We’re going in partners so no one gets lost or hurt or stuck… or anything like that hopefully.” I muttered they nodded. “I’m going with Pete so I don’t get a call saying he’s being annoying, or they lost him,” I turned to Pat for the first one then to Andy for the second one.

“I lost him that one time!” He shot throwing his arms up.

“At a major Arena with hundreds of fans outside.” Pat shot in smiling at Andy glared at him.

“Andy you’ll keep star wars in check because I know you both will wanna go on the major roller coasters and what not.” That got a smile from the red head. “Pat you’re stuck with Brendon.” I stated simply both staring at me like I was crazy: Pat because he wasn’t really a hyper person where as Brendon’s crazy hyper and Brendon simply because he’d attacked the man this morning and saw trouble in his future if Pat found out. “No trading partners.” I muttered and went back to eating. Pete pointed at Jack then at me. I nodded understanding what he meant by the actions. Nodding slowly Pete finished eating and stood up putting his plate in the sink.

“I’m going to take a shower.” He declared wandering to the bathroom.

“Are you done?” I asked Jack he nodded holding his hands up to me to show me he’d washed them. “All clean.” I smiled at him he nodded looking around for something to do. At the moment I was packing backpacks with Pat with the essentials: Sunscreen, lunch, waters, and juices. Brendon was watching cartoons with Pete, Andy was showering and Joe was having more to eat since he arrived back. “Go watch cartoons with Uncle Pete and Uncle Brendon.” I muttered watching as he glanced over at them a bit worried. “They won’t hurt you, I promise.” Nodding slowly he walked over climbing onto the couch next to Pete holding his blanket close to him as he stared at them instead of the TV.

“Hey Kiddo.” Pete smiled over at him. “All done eating?” He asked, Jack nodded slowly shifting a bit nervously under Pete’s gaze it seemed. “Did you clean up?” He asked softly. I glanced at Pat who shrugged. Nodding Jack held his hands up. “Well that’s good. You know were going to Disney Land in a matter of hours right?” He asked excited by the fact Jack looked back at me then at Pete and nodded. “Are you excited?” Pete gasped as Brendon hit him.

“Shush, you’re ruining the show.” Brendon shot. Glaring Pete flicked him and turned back to Jack with a smile.

“So are you excited?” He asked again earning a glare from Brendon in return. Jack shrugged lightly looking down at his sock covered feet playing with his blanket nervously. “I know I am, I get to meet Cinderella.” Pete muttered a bit childishly, a wide smile plastered on his face as he nodded thinking about it. “Do you like any Disney Princesses?” Jack shook his head and tucked his legs up to his chest. “None?” Pete muttered a bit sadly, obviously hoping he might get something out of Jack. I still hadn’t told him he didn’t talk. I think they guys all think he’s just nervous.

“He likes Alice in Wonderland, but that’s not really a princess.” I called finishing up the last bag. Pat walked off to go use the other shower. “Thanks Trick.” I called to him, only getting a muffled response of some sort from him.

“Would you wanna meet Alice?” Pete asked leaning towards Jack who shrugged. “I bet she’s nice.” He muttered

“Pete.” He looked at me. “You’re starting to scare me.” I stated simply confused as to why he was being nice to Jack. I figured he’d be ignoring the kid afraid of the deadly disease he cared.

“Why?” He muttered getting up walking over to me. I sighed. “What?” He whispered to me.

“What are you doing?” I asked he shrugged lightly. “I thought you didn’t like kids.” I whispered to him, he shrugged again.

“He’s a cute kid, I don’t mind him.” He stated crossing his arms over his chest. “Why?”

“It’s weird seeing you talking to a kid, that doesn’t belong to you.” I muttered he shrugged again with a sigh. He seemed to be thinking of his response or the right words for his response, so I waited.

“Well, he basically dose. I should get use to him and have him get use to me because I’m going to be seeing him almost every day. Besides he’s a really cute kid, and he’s really smart.” He shrugged. Nodding I sighed. “Okay?” He muttered placing his hands on my shoulders. Nodding he smiled patting my head and walking back to the couch.