In the Blink of a Decade

Saturday Dinner

We walked back into the cottage and were greeted with a sight I was not expecting to see. The table was set so beautifully it looked like it was a picture in a Martha Stewart Magazine. The table was draped in a white linen tablecloth. There were rustic 4 rustic lanterns running down the centre of the table that had a white nautical rope weaving through them and linking them together from one end to the other. The plates featured a navy blue anchor and were sitting on a navy blue charger plate.

The men were carrying in fine white china dishes filled with their creations. All the ladies looked from the table to the men trying to figure out who had set the table this way. Finally Fisher said “I could take credit for this, but Uncle Les has an interior designer, this was all in a box in the cupboard with a picture for instructions on how it was supposed to look.”

Alinta smiled “But you set it up, it looks great baby!”

Now that the men’s decorating skills were no longer the focus everyone started to take a seat. Fisher signalled for me to sit beside him. I took a seat and was sandwiched between him and Hallie.

To my internal dismay, Casey sat directly across the table from me. I refused to acknowledge his presence.

We started passing the dishes around the table family style and I busied myself filling my plate with bbq chicken, mashed potatoes and Caesar salad.

Fisher looked at me and said “Tell me all about my niece. The last time I had a video chat with you she sang me the ABCs, what is she up to lately?”

I smiled “She is getting all ready for kindergarten this fall. She can’t wait to go to school like her big cousins and friends at daycare. She amazes me every day.”

Hallie chimed in “tell him about her reading!”

I smiled again, “Yes she is staring to read. She can sound out words and can now get through a Level 1 Early Reader book. She’s had an obsession with books since she was a baby, I don’t know why I bother buying her toys.”

“She is really starting to read already!?” Fisher asked.

“Yes, I wish I could take credit for it, but my mom has been teaching her for the past few months when we visit. I have helped her a little at home, but mostly she just picks up a book and starts trying to figure it out on her own. I don’t know where she gets it from, I was still struggling with the ABCs at 4.”

Fisher laughed “Look at you now, you are so S-M-R-T smart.”

I laughed “Gee thanks. You are pretty S-M-R-T smart yourself.”

“It’s the alcohol and weed. I kill off all the weak brain cells and am left with the good ones. You are only as strong as your weakest link.”

Casey snorted across the table “Yes, that’s what the beer and weed has been doing to you all these years.”

I tried to ignore the fact that he had been listening in to our conversation and redirected the conversation.

“How is it being back” I asked Fisher.

“A little weird. It’s nice to see my parents but weird living with them while we find our own place. The house is so big we really don’t see each other much, but it doesn’t feel like home anymore. Alinta really wants to make the most of our time while we are job hunting so we made a day trip to Niagara Falls this past week and booked plane tickets to Calgary to go visit my brother in a couple weeks.”

“What did she think of the Falls?”

“Pretty much what everyone thinks of the Falls…she was like wow that’s a really big waterfall.” He laughed.

“Well I am glad you are home, we missed you” I told him.

“Cheers to that, missed you too doll.”

We clinked glasses and Fisher gave me a look challenging me to chug the rest of my glass with him. Old habits die hard, I finished the contents in a couple swallows and we smirked at each other.

Fisher filled up our glasses and I noticed Casey staring at me. Maybe it was the wine, but I couldn’t comprehend what he would be staring at me for so I just stared back raising my eyebrow and giving him a what the f**k do you want look. I can get a little feisty when I drink.

Casey just kept staring back and I debated my next move. Luckily our staring contest was broken up by Peter knocking over his wine glass.

When the commotion died down I resolved to be more interested in my food than the company. I couldn’t deal with whatever game Casey was playing with me.

I thought my peaceful focus on my food strategy was working, but as I came to my last couple bites Casey said “Your plate is empty, what else are you going to focus on to ignore me?”

He hadn’t been quiet about his question and the table fell silent now waiting to see how I was going to respond.

The wine I chugged with Fisher had pushed me from tipsy to drunk and I was no longer in a keep the peace mindset when provoked. I pasted a devilish smile on my face, looked Casey straight in the eye and said “I’m not ignoring you, you are just not worthy of my time and attention.”

Casey said “Can’t we just move past the bad image you have of me? We had a lot of fun together.”

I started laughing like a hyena and I thought Hallie was going to reach over the table and slap him with the look she had on her face.

I laughed so hard tears starting to drip from my eyes and I was having trouble breathing.

Fisher decided that was his cue to chime in and said “Casey, lets drop it.”

I calmed down and got my breathing back to normal, but the whole table was still silent and I decided someone needed to break the tension. I lifted my wine glass and said “Cheers” then downed it. Everyone but Casey drank with me.

I picked up the end of the bottle and said “I’m going for a swim, who’s coming with me?”

I started to walk to the door and Austin called out “Shelly, you don’t have a bathing suit on.”

I turned around and smiled “It’s dark, I don’t need anything except my birthday suit.”

Hallie laughed “You would be the first one skinny dipping. I’m coming, but tomorrow morning remember this was your idea, not mine bitch.”

I turned around and headed out the door not looking back to see who else was following.