We made our way into the living room. My dad was sitting on the couch with a mug of coffee and a newspaper on the table in front of him and the TV blasting CNN at top volume. He saw us walk in and muted the TV in an instant.
I went on my knees, “Good morning sir,” standing up proved to be a little difficult because I didn’t gauge how sore my back actually was from all the bending over that I did.
“Good morning, what happened to you?” he asked.
“I’ve been bent over a table for the past few days trying to finish up a dress for Tuesday. I just need to sleep it off.”
He gave me a look that clearly said that he didn’t believe me, but he chose to drop the subject in favor of turning to Miles who was standing a few feet behind me. I left them to exchange pleasantries and went into the kitchen to help my mum.
She was looking through the top cupboard when I walked in.
“I didn’t know if you would actually come so I didn’t cook anything.”
“It’s fine; I don’t plan on saying so long because I want Miles to be able to go back home early.”
She turned to me with raised brows, “That’s very thoughtful of you.”
She must have found what she was looking for because she muttered a small ‘yes’ under her breath. She took out a small plastic bowl followed by a couple of small saucers.
“Take the chin chin to the parlor; I will bring the chicken later.”
I took the items from her hand and was walking into the living room when I heard my father speak, “Hope she isn’t giving you much trouble.”
“Hey!” I exclaimed, “I am right here and I am zero trouble, thank you very much.”
My dad turned to Miles as if to say ‘do you see what I mean’ which in turn had Miles quirk the corner of his lips upward. I scoffed at their little interaction and placed the bowl and saucers on the table just as my mum appeared from the kitchen with a small dish of fried chicken.
I could tell that Miles felt clearly out of his comfort zone as my mum gestured for him to help himself. His shoulders had gone rigid and his eyes darted from the dish to her and back. It was amusing to see someone who is usually so put together look so out of place.
“I don’t eat on the job; but thank you.” I saw mum’s face fall slightly at his words so I decided to step in.
“She’s not going to stop unless you take it,” I whispered to him, “And it’s considered bad manners in our culture to have someone around and not feed them.”
He sighed and took the saucer from her hand with a small ‘thanks’. My phone buzzed at that exact moment and I took it out and saw a text from Olivia. There was a picture attached and I opened it not expecting to see a picture of Nathan and I.
It was taken outside of Grayson’s office two days ago. Miles was supposed to be right behind Nathan in the picture and I would know because I saw it in an article but I am assuming he was cropped out by Olivia.
Olivia: I didn’t know you guys were going on special dates.
Me: I swear I hate you. And I won’t be sending you a picture of my finished dress.
Olivia: That is so unfair; I always see it first.
Me: I guess you’re going to have to wait and see it with the rest of the world.
I knew she was going to respond with a flurry of messages so I put my phone on silent and watched with a small laugh and shesent a bunch of messages ranging from pleading to demanding to threatening to see the dress.
“You look happy,” my dad said suddenly and my eyes snapped up to his. “You’ve been smiling to yourself.”
“I was just talking to Olivia.”
“It’s not that; you’re happier,” I looked at him in confusion, “You look as stressed if not more than usual but there’s something happier about you. I don’t know what it is but you’re not as sad as you were the last time you were here.”
“In my defense; the last time I was here you showed me a picture of my ex boyfriend’s new girlfriend and proceeded to tell me how you always hated him.”
“In my defense he was an idiot.”
“Touché,”
