"Frank?! What do want us to do with the presents?!"Miranda yelled from the lounge.
"Leave them! Dont touch them at all!"I dropped my scrubbing brush and darted into the lounge.
Miranda looked at me,"Dont worry. I havent touched them. Do you want me to move the table at all?"
"Uh. Just leave it there. Clean around it as best as possible,"I smiled sheepishly before realising she couldnt actually see because of the mask.

"Frank! I am not cleaning this kitchen by myself get back in here!"Vicky shouted.
"Coming!"I went back in to find her basically in the fridge. All the food had been thrown out, but half of it had oozed and the other half had grown its mould onto the actual fridge. Everything needed washing. We havent even looked in the pantry yet.

"Hey Frank. How is there power?"Vicky asked as she scrubbed at the wall of the fridge.
"Hmm?"My arms were submerged in hot soapy water in the sink as I scrubbed furisouly at the shelves from the fridge.
"How does the house have power? And water and heating and everything?"Vicky poked her head out and looked at me,"If no one's been living here for four years then why is the power still on?"
"I- have no idea..."I stopped scrubbing and stared at her. That was a really good thought,"I'm just gonna check the mail."

I dried my hands and went outside. It was only now that I noticed it was packed full, splurging its contents onto the ground. I grabbed as much as I could and carted it all back inside. I chucked all the papers into one of the bins and started sorting through the envelopes. There were a bunch of urgent ones from the power company, a few from the phone company and then a hand written one.

I stared at my name on the front hard. I couldnt recognise the writing at all and there was no return address either. I carefully opened it and pulled out the short letter.

Frank,
I have organised for the power, water and phone to go back on the day you get out. I will be paying the bills for the first year. By then you should hopefully have found a job that pays well enough for you to live here. I apologise for taking the girls from you but it had to be done. Lots of love, Nana Kat.
P.S Sorry for the mess.

"Jesus christ,"I stared at it in disbelief.
"What is it?"All three girls said at once.
"I- this letter from my Nana. You know the one who took my sisters from me? She's paying for everything for a year from now... I cant believe she organised this.. I mean I'm still angry at her for telling Lily and Claire I was dead, bet that backfired when I was on the news, but this is still..."I sat down on the stairs as the girls came and stood in front of me.
"Did she say anything about the mess?"Deandra asked.

In answer I shoved the letter at her and raced upstairs. All the doors were closed. I went straight for Claire's room, flicking the light on as soon as I opened the door.
"No,"I breathed when I got a look at her room. Everything was gone. Her bed was stripped bare, he closet was open and empty and none of her little nick nacks that she loved to collect were there. I had hoped that something would be here, so they would have to ccoem and get it. But there was absolutely nothing.

I sat down on her bed feeling severely lonely and depressed. Something was sticking out from under the bed. I reached down and pulled out Claire's favourite soft toy.
"God dammit,"I sighed. I had gotten this for her on the day she went to school without crying for the first time. She had been so happy with it and now it was stuck here. I got up and took it into my room. I set it on my bed as my eyes caught sight of the photo of Gerard and I at Disneyland.

I picked it up and stared. Why had I ever said I didnt need Gerard? I needed him now more than ever. The look on his face made my heart do flips. I thumped it back face down and banished the thoughts of regret.

"Frank?! Do you want something to eat?!"One of the girls called downstairs.
"Fuck yes! Jesus christ I'm starving!"I shouted back as I realised just how long it had been since I had last eaten. I had had nothing to eat since prison. And their food wasn't exactly the best.
"You wanna come with us?! We're getting chinese!"

"Yeah gimme a sec!"I yelled before standing up. I took one last look at my dusty bedroom, making a mental note to dust it, before racing downstairs,"What sort of chinese takeaways is open at three in the morning?"
"The best one,"Miranda grinned.