Talk  [The Other Side]

"So your friend has come to stay over for a few days?" William Lawson asked.

"Yes," Jacob nodded.

"With his tiny sister who has decorated my bedroom walls with crazy colourful cartoons?"

"Y-es." He had no idea what his uncle was talking about.

"Is this even legal?" the older man asked with a distraught look. He had only recently begun to feel that he was somewhat competitive at looking after a difficult teenager going through a phase and now another difficult teenager who had not moved from the bed since he had come in had arrived with a hyperactive kid. "Can I have Charley's father or mother's number at least?"

Jacob took a deep breath, "Connor."

His uncle raised his eyebrows in question, looking very confused.

"His name is Connor," he repeated. "Look, William, he is my friend-"

"And I am so happy that you're finally mixing with the people at school and Connor is a great guy from what I have seen from his couple of visits before but I would freak out if it was so late at night and you weren't home. Think of his parents!" William implored.

His nephew sat down with his head in his hands, trying to pick a side, to choose what was right without understanding what right was in this case.

Jules ran into the room, "Jakey! You have got to see my artwork!"

He raised his head in response and gave a tired smile, "Of course. Let's go see."

She jumped around, immensely happy, "I want to show it to Connor too but he's asleep." She took Jacob's hand or rather just held on to his pinkie finger, "Is he okay?"

Jacob exchanged a worried glance with his uncle and looked back at Jules, "Yeah, he's alright, just a little tired. Don't worry too much."

"I want him to be happy again," she said as they climbed up the stairs.

He swallowed, "Me too."

She dragged him to William's room and he had to stifle a gasp as he saw her artwork. The white walls were covered from floor upwards to wherever Jules' hands had reached. Every shade of colour in the crayon box and weird stick people with Medusa hair caught in what seemed like whirlwinds of green and red were now adorning the walls.

"I told you I didn't need paper," she giggled. "You like it?"

He was at a loss for words, "Uh...its...its amazing. I love it."

"Yeah, right?" she laughed. "Connor said we're staying here for a few days so can I choose this room?"

"How about you share with Connor in my room? I'll take the couch downstairs because this is-erm-William's room..."

Jules nodded, "Yeah that seems okay. I'll go get him so that he can see it then."

Two minutes later William was led into the room with Jules dragging him with his trouser leg. Jacob winced as he thought of what his uncle would say. He had seen the start of Jules' artwork when he had come home from the office and told Jacob he was horrified.

William's mouth fell open as he saw the completed decorations of his earlier immaculate minimalist whitewashed room.

Jules tugged at his trouser leg, hopefully, "You like it?"

"I...I think...its amazing. Yeah, I-" he shook his head and smiled, "-I love it."

"Eeep, you're the best, Alfred!" she hugged. He looked so surprised by the gesture that it took him a whole minute before he returned the hug.

"My name is William not Alfred though," he smiled crookedly at her.

She shook her head, "I am Batman and you're my trusty butler Alfred J. Pennyworth and Batman is hungry so let's go get something to eat."

He looked at Jacob to confirm whether this was actually happening and Jacob shrugged, "She calls me Gordon sometimes and Connor is Robin."

"Kids these days know about Batman?" his uncle asked. "Well, Batman, let's go find you something to eat."

He looked over his shoulder as Jules bounded downstairs, "I want to talk to Connor when he wakes up okay?"

"Yes," Jacob sighed.

He went to his room where Connor was staring at the ceiling.

"Hey," he greeted him.

Connor didn't look at him as he asked, "Do you think I write well?"

"Yes?"

"Can I use your laptop?"

Jacob nodded and gave him his laptop and password.

"Thanks."

Jacob looked around the room awkwardly, his leg twitching. Finally he said, "You're awfully quiet."

"I thought you didn't like it when I went on and on?"

"C'mon, you know I didn't mean for you to give me the cold shoulder. Connor, I am worried. Talk to me."

"About what?"

"Anything," he replied. "Talk to me about my house, this room, what you're doing on the laptop, your feelings. Anything! Just don't sit there all silent and closed off while I go crazy trying to think of something I can do to make it better."

Connor put the laptop aside, "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to say. Saying makes it worse somehow. If I don't talk about it, maybe it will go away?"

"That's not how-"

William appeared at the bedroom door, "Oh good, you're awake. Uh, your Mum is here. She's threatening me with the police if I don't produce you so...just go talk to her? And you're welcome to stay as long as you like of course." He looked at the two boys and then added, "I'll be downstairs. Also, I didn't call her."

"If you want I can..." Jacob looked at Connor.

"Its fine, I have to face her anyway. Better now than later when I've had time to falter over my resolve."

What happened next was the loudest shouting match the house had ever seen or heard. It went on for a good twenty minutes where Connor's Mom told him to quit being a baby and come home. Jacob had never seen Connor in a temper and it was kind of scary to see his best friend put his foot down and refuse to an inch. Also, it was kind of cool.

At the end, a tearful Jules was taken home by a very angry Mrs. Trent who had told her son to carry on his little drama queen stunt for as long as he liked if he wanted to be a nuisance to his parents.

"Fine," Connor crossed his arms over his chest. The slight wobble in his voice as he stared defiantly at everyone in the room before storming upstairs didn't go unnoticed by Jacob.

"I apologize for my son's behaviour," Mrs. Trent said before she left with Jules. "You are at no compulsion to keep him under your roof. In fact, just tell you can't keep him and I'm sure he'll see sense and come back home."

Jacob decided, then, that before he said something to Mrs. Trent that he would regret later, it would be a good idea to slink away.

But William firmly replied, "I see no problem in his staying over for a few days. I think he just needs some time to figure out some things."

"I'll miss you, Alfred," Jules cried as she said goodbye.

William's eyes softened, "I'll see you around, Batman. Don't let the bad guys win, yeah?"

He watched as the two of them walked out and he had nearly close the door when he noticed that Mrs. Trent had seated Jules inside her car but was herself standing outside, on the sidewalk. He frowned and opened the door wider. Maybe something was wrong?

He walked over to her and ventured, "Is everything okay, Mrs.-"

She turned slightly shocked, "Yes, I'm fine."

He wanted to say, uh no you're not when he caught sight if her red eyes swimming with tears.

She looked at him, guessing what was going on his mind, "I didn't mean all that, you know? I love my boy but everything...everything is just going out of control. He hates me. Jules hates me. Arthur isn't the man I knew. You probably think I'm an awful mother. My life is a mess and," she laughed coldly, choking on her tears, "I tell strangers on sidewalks about my troubles. I'm sorry. I should go."

William gave a small sympathetic smile, "I'm William Lawson. I am Jacob's good-for-nothing, mostly useless uncle. I teach Archaeology at the Uni but its just a recent gig. I used to be an artefact collector's agent and go round the world without a care. I fought with my brother till the day he and his wife died. I never got to say sorry or goodbye. I am scared out of my wits about Jacob because I am so ill-equipped for this whole parent job but I'm glad my nephew met your son because things have been better for him since they became friends. There you go. I'm not a stranger anymore." He frowned as he wondered what had prompted him to come abreast. His face flamed red as he realized what all he had said.

She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it. When she looked at him again, she seemed less haggard, less tired, "You'll take care of him? Tell him I love him and miss him dreadfully?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She nodded gratefully, "It means a lot. Thank you...for everything."

"You're welcome."

Even after she had driven off, he watched the road for a long time before trudging back to his house.

***

When we were younger, my kid sister, Zai, went to our aunt's place and told her she wanted crayons but didn't need paper because the walls of her house were so empty and inviting. I thought it was something Jules would do too.

Question time: Would you like to see a special Lawson family cast, Trent family cast, maybe even Summers and Jackson family casts? As in I could post a chapter with all of the actors who are closest to how I imagine the older people to be? I could do a Jayalakshmi too. It would be so cool.

Also, send me gifs of Douglas Booth please? I can't seem to find good ones of his.

Lastly, as the countdown to the end begins (Nine more to go!) I have some good news that I'll tell you all in the next chapter so vote/comment while I go reply to your comments from last chapter. See ya! 

*gets down on both knees* please, please go vote for my books in the FCRAs by FairytaleCommunity (details in the previous chapter).