Chapter 5

SONG: SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME - ROCKWELL


"Jesus your mother's got clothes, you know no one is around to see how pretty she looks." Frank mumbled to Rose as he was making space in the side carriages for all the luggage as Rose sat on one of the benches waiting for her mother and Uncle to return.


"Not hers." Rose nodded towards her Uncle continuing to look behind him and manage all the luggage being carried for him as Lily walked in front of him with a singular suitcase.


"Rose, petal can I talk to you for a second, I just want to-" Lily began to sympathetically speak to her daughter who didn't look happy with her as Lily and MacGregor stepped onto the boat as Frank stepped off to pack all the luggage on the boat. As soon as she saw her mother approach her Rose stood straight up stating she was unable to talk and that Frank needed her help, of course he didn't if you saw the size of him, Rose just couldn't face the disappointed look on her mother's face again, as much as she was angry at Lily for snapping at her, she was mad at herself for being reckless and stupid to come on this trip just because she didn't want to be bored at home.


"Now you've done it!" MacGregor sighed from behind Lily as she spun around and glared at him. "Not you as well." Lily sighed frustratedly. "I'm saying nothing!" MacGregor raised his hands in surrender, but you couldn't miss the slight sarcastic grin spread across his face. "Yeah, well then say nothing." Lily strutted past her brother. MacGregor was about to follow his sister when a splash came from behind him, and he noticed Frank had tossed one of his cases into the river. "What on earth do you think you're doing? That will need to be retrieved immediately!"


"Be my guest." Frank smirked making Rose chuckle until suppressing it when she noticed her Uncle glaring at her. Frank continued to chuck MacGregor's things into the river after MacGregor named them and Frank demanding they were useless; however, Rose was distracted from the argument going on between the two being weirdly interested in watching the crates of different animals being lifted over the building into the marketplace where they recently were.


"The liquor?"


"That one can stay." Frank turned to place the case onto the boat.


"Now, listen here, you buffoon, if you scuttle any of my luggage, I will.... Gosh there's a lot of you, isn't there?" MacGregor stuttered when Frank turned with a stare.


"Yeah, there is."


"Hey 'Frank owes me money'?"


"What?!" Frank walked up to Rose standing next to her looking up to where she was pointing, towering over her.


"What kind of birds are in those crates being lifted?"


"Macaws I don't know." Frank shrugged moving back towards his original place getting ready to leave the dock.


"Huh! So does that include my mother?"


"What?!"


"Can't you hear her she's in that crate of birds." Both men rushed to stand either side of the teenager following the crate as it was lowered into the marketplace. Frank had his attention suddenly caught by a group of men leaded by the short, chubby man dressed in all white that was at the bar earlier on. "Nilo! He's got your engine."


"Oh, we gotta go!" Frank hopped onto the boat grasping the steering wheel trying to get themselves out of the dock before being caught by Nilo.


"Not without my mother!" Rose stood her ground and so did MacGregor, but also for his toiletries. "Why are they chasing us anyways?"


"I have no idea!" Then a sudden sound came from the marketplace which is where they saw the crate containing Lily in being lowered, the sounded was the screeching of birds that were flying over the tattered buildings.


"Mum." "Lily!" MacGregor and Rose spoke in sync looking at each other then back the birds fleeing away. "Here" Frank moved MacGregor to in front of the steering wheel. "Turn starboard. Resume heading." Frank hopped off the boat before MacGregor could protest telling him he didn't know what he meant. "Don't even think about it!" MacGregor caught the knowing smirk across his niece's face as she followed Frank who ran into the marketplace to fetch Lily. "He can handle himself you'll just get into more trouble with your mother." "Mmmm?"


"Don't 'mmmm' me I may not be a parent, but I can still as hell act like one."


"Ohhh no is that, that Nilo guy over there?" Rose pointed in a random direction automatically catching her Uncle's attention as she took the opportunity to hop off the boat as well. "What do you he's not- ROSE DOROTHY HOUGHTON GET BACK HERE NOW!"


"Sorry Uncle Mac can't hear you!" Rose sped off to find Frank and her mother and much to her surprise she found her mum kicking the sh- crap outta some guys that we trying to get a hold off her. Lily saw her daughter but before she could warn her a big, quite scary looking man grabbed hold of Rose dragging her away from Lily before Lily could get to them both she was shocked to watch her daughter elbow the man in his privates instantly knocking him down. "HA HA! Mum did you see that?! I elbowed a guy in the crotch! Are you proud of me?!" Rose grabbed her mother's arms, shaking them with excitement waiting for her mother's reply.


"Yeah, yeah whatever celebrate later we gotta get out of here!" Lily grabbed her daughter's wrist yet again dragging her round the corner, maybe punching a few guys, you know just the normal badass Lily Houghton. As they turned a corner they were met with another man, Lily being on protect mode she assumed it was someone out to get them so you couldn't blame her when she threw a punch at the man, the man who turned out to be Frank. "Oh God sorry Frank!" Lily panicked however Rose was unable to hold her laughter.


"It's alright. Strong form." Frank reassured before throwing someone into a wall. Lily running off forgetting to keep hold of her daughter's wrist leaving her with Frank as she went on the rooftop Frank warned her not to go up there, but no matter how much he protested, Lily whilst releasing animals in cages she still went up there. Rose and Frank followed Lily as she hurriedly walked along the rooftop only to end up going through a weak one, landing on the hard floor, cushioned by a sack of goods. After helping her up the three ran off to where MacGregor was waiting. Frank and Rose both dived into the water as Frank protested Lily to jump in whilst Rose had a guilty look spread across her face as she watched her mother run up a washing line tower grabbing a towel to zip down the slight slope to another dock where the rest were heading on the boat.


Lily looked like she was fine until she came across another towel whilst zipping down the wire covering her eyesight only to be collided, yet again, but this time with a sack of washing powder causing her to lose balance and control of the towel that was keeping her on the line, causing her to land legs up in a pile of sacks. As she got up and dusted herself off, she hurriedly hooped onto the boat to join the rest of them.


"Tucking in a spot of sightseeing? How nice of you to join us." MacGregor helped his sister onto the boat.


"Why didn't you jump into the water?"


"I don't wanna talk about it!" Lily raise her hands in surrender. "Where's Rose?" She asked her brother before he nodded to the teenage sat at the head of the boat with her knees tucked up to her chin, looking distant and down.


"She can't swim by the way." MacGregor told Frank as Lily glared at her brother.


"You booked a river cruise, and you can't swim?!"


"I have no intention of swimming!" Lily sighed just wanting to talk to her daughter in peace without having to argue with anyone.


"And what about the 20 guys chasing us around town?"


"I may or may not have something in my possession that may or may not be of interest." Lily shrugged yet again, before she went to talk to her daughter something caught the attention of both adults. "Rose! Come here please. Next to me where you're safe!" Lily beckoned her daughter over only to be met with a confused face.

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