Awkward Dinner
1298 Words
Mum called me downstairs for dinner after a few hours of hiding out in my bedroom. Usually I would be annoying my younger, stepbrother downstairs and helping mum in the kitchen, but there was something about Michael that made me stay in my room. As I creeped downstairs, I heard Michael and my brother Thomas talking in the kitchen about something uninteresting, I'm guessing. Thomas is younger than me by three years, although we have separate dads. We are fairly close and get along as you would expect a brother and sister to get along. When my mum moved here after my father died she met my stepfather, Keith, soon after and everything just happened quickly. Luckily for me, Keith didn’t mind that I wasn’t his and has treated me like his own ever since he met me.
I sat down at the dinner table with everyone else and the conversation between Michael and Thomas quickly came to a halt.
“Sorry it's nothing special Michael, I would’ve planned something nicer if I knew you were coming” She stated, sounding almost bitter. I mean I don’t blame her who just shows up out of nowhere with no warning when she haven’t seen them in 18 years.
“Don’t be silly! I'm sure it's delicious”, he said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself.
“What are you talking about Mum, you’re a good cook”, Tom said as he started to dig into his plate. Piled onto our plates was a freshly cooked lasagna, pasta and all. None of this packet stuff. A side of salad with fresh ingredients from our vegetable garden and freshly squeezed lemonade, also from our garden.
“I mean, I'm sure Michael is used to finer foods”, she continued. I mean who is this guy? Mum makes everything from scratch, I mean EVERYTHING. What could possibly be better, unless he had been getting a five star chef cooking for him every night which I somehow highly doubt. A heavy silence filled the dining room as we began eating.
"So I heard you're having a birthday party this weekend" Michael stated while picking at his salad. He seemed almost disgusted by mum's cooking but wanted to be polite and try and eat it.
"Yes, it's going to be faerie themed, I've already started decorating in the backyard" I replied trying to keep the conversation flowing as this dinner had become a little awkward. As soon as I mentioned faeries, Michael and my mum gave each other a side glance. "I mean i know it sounds childish but it's not really!" I quickly followed, feeling like I needed to explain myself.
"Yer Harry is obsessed with them" Tom chimed in, chuckling to himself. "Mum used to tell us stories about them all the time" he continued.
"No, I think it sounds lovely, it seems like a great theme", Michael replied with a huge grin on his face. I mean, what is this guy's deal? Is he trying to impress me or something, because what middle-aged man would be interested in faeries?
"It seems your dad's love for faeries passed down to you" he continued. I just looked speechless, Mum never told me she got all her stories from dad. Maybe that's why I'm so invested in them, like a sub-conscious tie to my late father.
"If you need help with any of the set-up, I'd be happy to help" Michael said so enthusiastically. I coughed up my peas.
"Are you not just passing through?" I asked. I mean, don't get me wrong, he seems nice and all, but I don't reallly want some random guy hanging around my birthday party.
"Welll.. yes.." He seemed at a loss for an answer.
"Michael is staying the weekend, if that is alright with you Harriet?" Mum interrupted.
"Oh so you'll be here for my birthday?" I said, a little disappointed that Mum is allowing a stranger to be here on the biggest night of my life.
"I promise you won't know I'm here, Im just enjoying catching up with your mum!"
"Right, I guess so". I mean it already sounded decided like I didn't have a choice.
"I might excuse myself if that's OK!" I continued as I stood up from the dining room. Although I had no real issues with Michael staying for the weekend, i felt weird around him. Not uncomfortable, just like there was something they weren't telling me. I didn't really give them a chance to reply as i walked out the back door onto the deck looking out towards my backyard.
In just a few days, my dream is to transform the yard into a magical wonderland. At the moment, it looked like a perfectly manicured lawn that my stepdad spends way too long ensuring it's perfect all year round. It has a large pool in the back corner and a large area for sitting and a fireplace in the other corner. Between that and the house is just lawn space that my brother and I spent years playing all sorts of games on. It was the perfect space for children, but now that we are older, it has become the perfect space for entertaining.
"Sorry if I upset you in there", Michael said, coming up behind me, causing me to shriek in surprise.
"s**t! Can you not creep up on people like that. You gave me a heart attack", I spat in annoyance.
"I told you, you wouldn't know I was here" He chuckled. He was almost proud of himself that he scared a seventeen-year-old to death.
"It's OK" I replied, continuing to look out towards the yard. It was all of a sudden too quiet. I was well aware that Michael was still next to me and staring out into the night. What he was thinking about I have no idea.
"I mean why are you here!" I said out of nowhere, breaking the crisp silence.
"As I said, I'm just visiting your mum on my way through" he said calmly.
"I mean you said that, but its odd to me that you show up out of the blue. Mum has never spoken of you and now your staying a few days for my birthday." He didn't reply straight away. "It just feels like you and Mum are hiding something", I continued.
He chuckled before replying "Wow, nothing gets past you does it Harriet!, I mean it sounds like your mum doesn't talk about your dad much at all, so I'm not surprised you haven't heard of me, and as I was passing through this area i remembered that your mum moved here all those years ago and I just found myself tracking her down for a visit" I took some time to ponder before i replied, I mean i guess he is right, mum rarely talks about dad and if it is, its always when talking about faeries. we stood in silence again. This time not awkward, more like we were both contemplating things.
"What was he like..." I asked hesitantly. I know it hurts mum to talk about dad, so maybe i can learn more from Michael. "How did you know him?"
Another small silence like he was thinking about what to say. Before he got a chance to reply, mum cleared her throat, interrupting us, almost as if she didn't want him saying anything to me about dad.
He had a small glance to mum "He was as magical as your mums stories are", was all he said before walking past mum and I for inside.
Magical? What does that even mean? I thought to myself as i said goodnight to my mum and brother and headed up to my room.
- Writer
