Chapter 4

We've all found our rooms and unpacked. Seth's is the one next to mine and our bathroom is joined, and the others are spread out around the house with similar room layouts to mine, except my room and mom's room are the only ones that have a balcony.

I walk out of my room to the corridor when I get tackled by a small figure.

I look down to see Cory clinging to my legs, hiding himself behind them.

"Cory, what's up?" I say placing a hand on his shoulder.

Just then before he can say anything, screaming comes from the corridor

"DELIA!" Yells four voices, sounding scared and bundled into me making me stumble backwards.

"Guys, what's wrong?" I ask Tom, Joe, Jack, Lee and Cory who are all clinging to my legs looking scared.

"Chris., Chris said..." Cory starts and I frown.

"What did Chris say?"

"He told us there are...m-monsters in the closet of our rooms..." Joe whimpered.

I growled slightly and looked up in the direction they came from. Stupid Chris. Scaring the little kids, he's such an idiot.

I crouch down to their level "It's Ok. There are no monsters." I say trying to sooth them "Chris is winding you up."

"You sure?" Tom whispers.

I look down at him and smile reassuringly "Yes. Positive" I say then smirk slightly "You wanna get him back?" I say and they all look at me.

I smile and stand back up "When I say, tackle him to the ground,

Okay?" I say and they all nod, smiling mischievously.

I smirk and head down the corridor to where they came from and they follow.

I push open a door to see Chris and Evan in there talking and laughing at what they obviously just did and I stand with my arms crossed by the door frame with the kids out of sight staying behind the wall.

"Chris, come here a sec" I say smiling innocently

He eyes me suspiciously "Why?"

I smile "I wanna show you something" I say unfolding my arms

He sighs and pushes himself up. Chris makes his way over towards me, I smirk and take a step back and when he's getting closer and glance at the boys "Now" I say and as quick as a flash they bundle into the room and jump onto Chris making him stumble backwards and topple onto the bed.

I laugh and glare at Chris "That's what you get for scaring little kids" I snap "You're mean Chris mean!" I glare at him as Evan cracks up laughing and Chris is being jumped on by the little ones.

"Okay.....okay....sorry" Chris sputters out between laughter and being jumped on and trying to push them off.

"Kids. I think you should try to get some sleep now. It's been a long day!" Mom's voice carries down the corridor as she comes up the stairs towards the room.

"Mom....help!" Chris whines struggling to get the five kids of him

I hear mom's footsteps, then she appears in the room and smirks, shaking her head, "What do you do to them this time?" She sighs, walking over to the bed and pulling Tom off first.

"He scared them mom." I say glaring at Chris.

Mom shakes her head "Chris" She sighs and he just smirks standing up from the bed and from the kids.

"Right. Get to bed." Mom says pointing to the door and they grumble and slowly walk out the door "I'll come see you in a bit"

"Delia came too." Tom pouts looking up at me

I smile and ruffle his hair "Course, go get your Pajamas on." I say and he grins and runs along to his room.

I turn and step out the room too when mom says "Oh, Delia, can I talk to you a second please." She says come out of the room too.

I look at her raising an eyebrow, "I'll be in my room, come in a bit" She says and turns walking down towards the big room at the end of the corridor.

I raise another eyebrow and glance back in the room to see Chris smirk.

"Oooh....what have you done now Dee." Evan smirks and I roll my eyes following mom. I haven't done anything.

I get to mom's room and push open the double door leading into a big room, a king sized bed, balcony, closet, ensuite, TV, everything.

I see mom rummaging through some drawers and go towards her.

"What's up mom?" I ask curiously

She turns and smiles at me and motions me to come follow her and sit on her bed.

I hesitantly sit down next to her, what is she doing?

She brings a small wooden box onto her lap.

"Delia...honey.." Mom starts "I know that you didn't get to say goodbye to your dad, before we left this morning and I'm sorry that you didn't, I should have given you guys some time too" She says turning to face me and I advertise my eyes to the floor.

"But honey, I want you to always feel close to him no matter how far we are away from his ashes" She says her voice breaking slightly and I lift my gaze to her, I hate seeing mom upset.

She opens the wooden box "So I would like you to have this" She says placing her hand in the box and bringing a gold chain out.

She takes my hand and places something in it.

I look down to see a gold thin chain in my hand with a small gold heart shaped locket attached to the end.

My breath catches in my throat and I look up to mom wide eyed, "W-what no, no I can't take this mom" I say.

She smiles sadly and picks it up from my hand opening up the heart shaped locket and then placing it back in my hand, to see a picture of my dad and me when I was about 3 I feel a lump rise in my throat as I bring it closer to me as my vision slightly blurry.

"It's for you Delia, your dad got it for you when you were born and we made a promise to give it to you when you turn eighteen, but well...things changed."

"I have something for all the boys....but only Charles, Aston and Blake have one....obviously it isn't a heart locket.." She says chuckling softly

I never knew that......I never knew the three older ones had a picture of them and dad when we were little.

I feel a single warm tear fall down my cheeks as I look at the picture in the locket in my palm and bite my lip looking back up to mom.

I wrap my arms around her neck, hugging her and clutching the small locket as she hugs me back.

"Love you mom" I whisper into her neck "I love him mom".

She hugs me tighter and rubs my back "I know, I know honey" She says her voice wobbling and she kisses the side of my head "He'll always be with you sweetie, always" She says as I pull back and give a slight nod and small smile closing the locket back up and standing up from the bed.

Mom squeezes my hand tightly and lets go, smiling slightly at me with watery eyes.

I smile and turn to go back out before I collapse into tears.

I wipe my check and head to my room placing the delicate gold chain onto my dresser then turning to go to the boy's room to say goodnight.

I do then come back to mine and slip on some pajama shorts and tank top not bothering to shower, I'm too tired.

I hear my bathroom door open and Seth comes in, using the bathroom as a shortcut to mine from his.

I smile at him and then go towards him and wrap my arms around him hugging him tight and he hugs me back, obviously seeing that I need it.

"Night, Dee" He says pulling back and kisses my hair "Love ya" He smiles.

"Love you too" I smile back letting go and he goes back to his room through my bathroom.

I smile slightly and climb into bed.......Seth always knows when I need a hug.

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TBC…