Turn Back Time
One
"So, uh, hope you don't mind the sleeper couch...The guest room isn't ready yet." Alex said, rubbing the back of his neck. Something we had in common. You see, underneath his cool exterior, impressing all sorts of new people, he was still awkward and he almost never knew what to say to me. I'd learned by now that our social malfunctions were hereditary. Our parents, now divorced, were doomed, just like us.
I tucked a stray chunk of hair behind my ear, and gave a strained attempt at a smile. "Perfectly fine."
As uncomfortable as this situation was, on the inside, I was fighting back a laugh.
"Are you and Elise still together?" I asked, after a pregnant pause. I shifted my weight from left to right.
He nodded, "Yeah.. She's out with her brother right now with the rest of her family. You'll be meeting them later."
"Good, good." I said, looking out at the road. We'd been standing in his driveway, in front of his new Lexus, for the past ten minutes. So far, my Arizona experience had been limited to my lungs choking on the hot and humid desert air, and seeing three cacti on the way into Tempe. Oh, there was a lot of red dirt. Don't forget the dirt.
"Yeah... Um, do you want to go inside?" He asked, gesturing to the front door.
I smiled slightly as he took my suitcases, and followed him through the front door.
It smelled like expensive furniture. The couches were leather, and the fake fire place was lit. I stared at it, watching the flames dance, trying to think of a good reason to have a fire going in an Arizona June. When nothing came to mind, I turned, and noticed Alex was headed for the stairs. He'd set my things down by the downstairs bathroom. I continued fiddling aimlessly with my ring.
"If you're hungry, there's some hummus and pita bread out on the counter!" He said, over his shoulder.
My mind immediately went to thoughts of how much of an adult he'd become in the years he'd been gone. I could guess that he didn't drink instant coffee anymore, or choose Spaghetti-O's over legitimate pasta. He'd probably rather have eggs benedict than the Aunt Jemimah pancakes he used to crave at odd hours during the day.
I let loose a sigh, and seated myself on the stiff, new Laz-Boy.
Had it even ever been used?
I tucked a stray chunk of hair behind my ear, and gave a strained attempt at a smile. "Perfectly fine."
As uncomfortable as this situation was, on the inside, I was fighting back a laugh.
"Are you and Elise still together?" I asked, after a pregnant pause. I shifted my weight from left to right.
He nodded, "Yeah.. She's out with her brother right now with the rest of her family. You'll be meeting them later."
"Good, good." I said, looking out at the road. We'd been standing in his driveway, in front of his new Lexus, for the past ten minutes. So far, my Arizona experience had been limited to my lungs choking on the hot and humid desert air, and seeing three cacti on the way into Tempe. Oh, there was a lot of red dirt. Don't forget the dirt.
"Yeah... Um, do you want to go inside?" He asked, gesturing to the front door.
I smiled slightly as he took my suitcases, and followed him through the front door.
It smelled like expensive furniture. The couches were leather, and the fake fire place was lit. I stared at it, watching the flames dance, trying to think of a good reason to have a fire going in an Arizona June. When nothing came to mind, I turned, and noticed Alex was headed for the stairs. He'd set my things down by the downstairs bathroom. I continued fiddling aimlessly with my ring.
"If you're hungry, there's some hummus and pita bread out on the counter!" He said, over his shoulder.
My mind immediately went to thoughts of how much of an adult he'd become in the years he'd been gone. I could guess that he didn't drink instant coffee anymore, or choose Spaghetti-O's over legitimate pasta. He'd probably rather have eggs benedict than the Aunt Jemimah pancakes he used to crave at odd hours during the day.
I let loose a sigh, and seated myself on the stiff, new Laz-Boy.
Had it even ever been used?