♥ Chapter Two; "Break the Silence"

I did manage to get some sleep, but only for a little while. I was awoken early by the sounds of Madi and Darren making their way out to work, the front door has to be slammed shut or the most delicate breeze will open it wide. I decided to get up and dressed but when I came downstairs to make myself some breakfast I was greeted by a few lonely piles of dirty clothes. The pair of them must have been in a rush this morning so I decided to gather the rest of it and put it on for a wash.

I had thrown the clothes in for a normal wash, they'd probably be done in about an hour or so. I wasn't meeting my client's guardian until lunch and thought I could spend the few hours I have painting. I was so busy cleaning up the mess Madi and Darren had left that I hadn't hear my mum's feeble knocks on the door and just as I lifted my paintbrush she gave up and let herself in.

I'm not going to lie, I had completely forgotten about her visit since I had been so busy doing nothing all week, or so it seemed, so it was a surprise to see her. It had been a while since I had visited her last so I guess this time she took it upon herself to visit me instead, regardless I was happy for a while.

She gave me one of those legendary hugs that only a mum could give and I thought that nothing could ruin the serene moment we were having, not even my mysterious worrying phase. Then she spoke;

"Have you had any breakfast yet, dear?"

"You know, Rochelle, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"

She droned on while she was preparing some delicious pancakes; I tried to help her but when it comes to the Kitchen I am clueless. She tried to reassure me "practice makes perfect" but I guess she meant "proper practice makes perfect". It's always a disaster waiting to happen when I try to prepare a meal - if I don't burn it and ruin the pots and pans then I've gone and dropped it.

During breakfast my worries were basically none-existent - I hadn't a care in the world - or so it seemed. It was short-lived because right after I had finished eating the Washing Machine had leaked water all over the floor, I guess I should have put all those clothes on at a "delicate" wash... I'm most certainly not the Domestic Goddess, if that role isn't filled by my mum then my sister is sure to take her place.

While I mopped up the floor my mum took it upon herself to hang out the wet clothes on the line instead of just tossing them in the Dryer, like I would have done. She was still outside hanging up the clothes slowly, one by one. I thought it would be the best time to ask for her advice since she always has the right words to say but just before I could get a word in my watch started beeping - It was already 11 O'clock and time to head out to work.

Just as I had said good-bye I was already saying "Hello" to another. To my convenience my client only lived two doors down from me and so it was just a short walk away, I was greeted at the door by, whom I can presume to be the little boy's guardian, "Amelia" his grandma.

At first she seemed very eager that I had arrived at her house after a week of working away and she invited me in to discuss the renovation. The moment was about to be turned on its head when she finds out it's the complete opposite and I'm barely passed stage one...

She invites me into her living room but I don't take a seat, we both stand close to the door (for a swift exit perhaps?) and she begins by telling me how excited she is to see the room designs and of course I have to pain-stakingly tell her that my plans are not yet finished, she is not pleased one bit and I grimace at her reaction. She is borderline furious with me but for her dignity's sake I think she held it back. 

She reluctantly allows me to inspect the young boy's room the way it is and to take the measurements I need but of course she is breathing down my next the entire way.

When I enter the room I can immediately see why the little boy is so happy to be getting a new room. It looks like the lad has inherited the room from his sister or even his mum from when she was a child. The room is designed for that of a little girl, not a growing lad! The only thing the boy could be remotely happy about is the pirate themed toy chest sitting next to his bed. 

The room is filled with clutter but seems rather bare and empty, white walls and a wooden floor doesn't spark the imagination of a seven year old and already I'm making plans for something great. I thank Amelia for being so patient with me and quickly leave the house, before she changes her mind about bottling up her anger with me.

When I get back the place is completely empty, my mum must have toddled off back home and my sister doesn't seem to be back from work yet so I set about getting to work right away. When I make it up the final step and get inside my sister is waiting for me there... (sigh)

She is clearly here for a reason but I don't acknowledge her all too much as my priorities are elsewhere. She begins by rambling on about her day at work and how sorting out the mail stressed her out when she has to sort out the bills for the house, she just went on and on with the nagging.

"Why are you even in here?"... I think to myself.

Then she did something I wasn't expecting, she walked over to my sketching table, took the pencil out of my hand and dragged me up to my feet and she just stared at me right in the eyes with a determined look on her face.

At first we both just stood in silence, it was hard to avert her soul invading stare, I couldn't even speak, all I could manage was a strange muttering sound to break the silence. Right then she interrupted me and blurted out something and very loudly might I add;

"I am Pregnant."

At first I didn't know what to say, I just stood in shock.

♡ Chapter One; "Artists' Block"

It was the moment I had been waiting for all week; I was finally getting something.

I remember fondly of the times when I could just sketch without a worry, as soon as my pencil hit the paper the designs would just come to me and my client's smiles would grow with each stroke.

I was envisioning toy soldiers, a UFO play house and endless hours of fun for my newest client; A seven year old boy. He told me it's his "dream to be a space man" and a space man he shall be in his new room. I had drawn out several other sketches for his room but none of them would compare to this; it was all coming together in my head and I couldn't scribble down my ideas quick enough.

The scratching of my pencil against the paper was oh-so satisfying and possibly even therapeutic in a strange way to me because it meant only one thing; I was "in the zone."

"Sis...?"

A quiet murmur silenced my pencil and I turned in my chair to find my sister distancing herself from the table with that familiar innocent look on her face; she wanted something.

 She knows not to interrupt me when I am working and seeing as this had been the first time in the week I had been able to focus I was overcome with anger, she's my baby sister and so this feeling was very alien to me but I couldn't help myself. I needed an outlet for this build up of emotion and she just happened to bug me at the wrong time.

After uselessly balling at her for a good ten minutes she finally got in an edge way; 

"I thought it would have been fun, OK?"

With that she stormed out of the loft and retreated downstairs. I suppose I did go over the top, after all she did only want me to help her prepare the night's dinner. I'm a confessed workaholic and growing up I never really had time to be with my sister - I am considerably much older than her and I had to take on the responsibility of adulthood early in her life.

I stood alone in my bedroom, staring at the ground as a wave of embarrassment hit me. My sister doesn't have a bad bone in her body and yet I couldn't control my anger towards her. 

I've been so frustrated with my lack of work lately, going an entire week without getting anything prepared for a client is unheard of in my case; for the past ten years I've worked my way up the ladder and am now a household name when it comes to redesigning rooms and my clients put their trust in me.

I just wanted to get my sketches done for that little boy, he seemed so pleased that he would be getting a room all to himself but I should have known better...

After twenty minutes of sulking at my sketching table I came to the conclusion that the sudden creative flow I had been having wouldn't be coming back for the night and so I made my way downstairs to help my sister prepare dinner, although I was hesitant at first.

However I had spent so much time mulling over the argument we had that she was already finished and  dishing out the salad. So I just sat there feeling completely useless. Her boyfriend Darren tried to break the silence in the room by telling everyone about his new promotion at work but neither I nor my sister are all too interested in how cars work so his enthusiasm fell on deaf ears.

I felt like a total idiot for what I had said to my sister and was too ashamed to take my usual seat next to her at the breakfast table instead I took the solitary seat by my working table and reviewed the files of my client hoping to read something that would spark an interest, but there was nothing.

I could hear the buzz that was my Sister and her Boyfriend had talking behind me but I didn't feel like talking, or eating really. I just sat for a while and listened intently to the cute conversations they have with one another, but that just made me feel even worse.

I followed my sister into the living room, both of us leaving Darren to clean up the dishes, and proceeded to give her the most heart-felt apology possible from me. I'm not really one to be sensitive with anyone other than my sister - so she gets special treatment from me all the time and telling her that I didn't mean what I said to her lifted her spirit. Her smile was infectious - I was still feeling down - I couldn't help but smile back.

I decided to call it a night and head up to my room when Darren and Madi got a bit too intimate for my liking. You could say I am rather protective of my baby sister and so it took me a while to warm up to the man she is now macking lips with and as you can imagine I am not sticking around for the show.

It was rather uncomfortable for me when I first moved in with my sister and her boyfriend; I thought taking up residence in their converted loft would have made things easier since I didn't get along too well with Darren then but it didn't make the ride any less bumpier. Especially when there were sights like these.

Once again I attempted to complete the sketch I had started earlier but it was to no avail so I decided to kill some time by connecting with the world outside and watching the News. Usually I don't have time to pick up a newspaper or flick on the TV, I don't find it all too interesting really but tonight my mind just wasn't in the right place; I couldn't focus on anything remotely important.

 The TV didn't do much for me and I turned it off not long after it had heat up and got some life back into it. I don't even know why I have that useless thing anyway - I hardly use it. I filled my time with taking a long, hot bath; thinking about what I'd do tomorrow. My working hours are pretty flexible but I needed to get back into the groove of things so settled upon revisiting my clients house and taking some measurements, maybe finding a little inspiration from his room as it is. 

Still feeling oddly down I finally went to bed but whether I would actually sleep was something else.