Tales from another broken home.

Chapter 51: Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones.

And when I see you I really see you upside down.
But my brain knows better.
It picks you up and turns you round.

If you feel discouraged.
There's a lack of colour here.
Please don't worry love it's really bursting at the seams.
Absorbing everything.
The spectrums a to z.

This is fact not fiction for the first time in years.
And all the girls in every girly magazine,
can't make me feel any less alone.

I 'm reaching for the phone.
To call at 7:03.
And on your machine I slur a plea for you to come home.
But I know it's too late.
And I should have given you a reason to stay.

From "A Lack of Colour." By Deathcab for Cutie.

Mike's parents were going to be here in 3 hours and my Mam was freaking out. Me and Mike were helping her clean every last inch of the house and when Ryan called over she roped him into helping me clean my room. My room wasn't too messy, maybe a few things were out of place but overall it was okay so I just threw a few thing in my closet and threw on a cd. Ryan rolled onto the bed and ended up on top of me.

"Hello there." I laughed.

"I'm kinda hyper today dude."

"Well if you mess anything up my Mam might actually kill you."

"Yeah Ri, what's she stressing about."

"Mike's parents are arriving in a couple of hours and she's nervous about meeting them and she's got a test in her hairdressing school when she goes back."

"Well I should probably go then."

"Nah stay around for awhile."

"Any particular reason you want me to stay?" Ryan teased.

"I don't know your kinda cute and I need something pretty to look at."

"Aww..I'm touched." Ryan laughed.

"Not yet your not."

I wrapped an arm around him and we ended up wrestling on the floor.

"Well aren't you guys macho."

It was Carrie.

"Hey Carr." I smiled.

"My Mam sent these for you." Carrie smiled handing me a get well soon card and a box of her Mam's cookies.

"Oh cool. I love your Mam's cookies."

"How you doing?"

"I'm okay I guess. Just taking each day as it comes."

"Well that's good cuz I was......kinda worried about you." Carrie started crying.

"Hey come on I'm okay. It was tough at first but I had good people to help me through."

"I didn't come over cuz I thought you'd want space. I'm such an idiot."

"Carrie I know you care about me you don't have to worry about that."

Carrie smiled and hugged me. We were listening to music when my Mam burst in.

"Guys I'm sorry Mike's gonna be here with his parents any minute so your all gonna have to go."

"Ok I'll see you later Ri." Ryan smiled and walked out with a hand on Carrie.

"Are Ryan and Carrie going out?"

"No I don't think so." I muttered.

"He's a very handsome young man he'd be a real catch for Carrie."

"I guess."

"Anyway you, clean your face and comb your hair."

"Mam chill. They're old people they probably can't see real good."

My Mam laughed for a second before returning to her nervous cleaning. I was washing my face when I heard Mike's car pull into the drive. I ran out of my room and stood by my Mam. She hugged me tight.

"This is going to go great." She smiled.

Mike walked in and introduced his parents to us.

"Guys this is my Mam Lorraine and my Dad Mike senior. Mam, Dad this is my fiancé Alex and her son Riley."

"Wow your both called Mike thats gonna be confusing." I smiled.

"Why don't you just call me Grandpa Mike then." The old man smiled.

"Michael your embarrassing the child. Come here to Grandma honey."

Before I knew it I was being kissed from all angles and was coated in lipstick and that strange old woman smell. They really seemed to like me and my Mam. We all sat down in the sittingroom and my Mam brought in coffee.

"Well Michael you never told me you had found yourself such a good looking family." Grandma smiled.

"Well I guess I just lucked out big time." Mike laughed.

"So Riley you play sports son?" Grandpa Mike asked.

"Eh I skateboard."

"Riley's more of a musician, his band won a battle of the bands and even recorded a record." Mike added.

"Well that's great. Our family have a strong musical tradition."

We talked for quite a while and then my Mam served dinner. I went to bed early to let my Mam and the new in laws talk. I went online for awhile and there was an ad on MySpace from a guy wanting to start a band. I emailed him not really thinking much of it. I almost instantly got a reply. The guy wanted to know about other bands I'd been in and I sent him MP3's from the album. Ten minutes later I had a reply asking me to come to an audition at a local club at 9. I knew my Mam would never let me go and I was really interested in this new band now. I grabbed a hoody and my guitar and managed to climb out on to the roof and then onto the roof of the garage and onto the grass. It was 8:45 so I had to run to make it to the club for nine. When I got there it was surrounded by scene kids and there was a bouncer on the door.

"Eh I'm here for the audition." I smiled.

"Do you have I.D."

"He's cool Don. He's with me." Came a voice.

A guy who was probably about 20 came out from behind a door. He had long jet black hair, was wearing a Misfits shirt and had red streaky makeup around his eyes.

"Hey I'm Jerry."

"Hey, I'm Riley."

"Yeah our drummer had heard of you and when you mailed he said to get you right over here."

"Oh who is he?"

Aaron walked up and hugged me. "Just go with this please." He whispered in my ear. I was kinda shocked but followed Aaron and Jerry into the room they had just walked out of.

"Basically Riley were looking for a singer. Aaron said you were good and we heard your stuff and now your top of our list of people."

"Ok. I kinda need to talk to Aaron outside for a second."

Aaron walked out with me.

"Dude what the fuck?"

"I'm sorry Riley. I just wanted the best singer I could get for this band. If you'd just listen to us play you'll want in."

"Ryan will freak the fuck out."

"I thought you guys were split up."

"We're back together and goin strong."

"Please Riley just listen to us."

I walked back in.......