St. Elsewhere

The silence in the kitchen was unbearable.

Sean was sat opposite Mia, holding a cup of tea clenched in his hand.

Mia still hadn't really looked Sean in the eye.

He still hadn't answered Mia's question.

The awkward silence was killing Mia and so she bit the bullet.

"Why are you here Sean?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Sean almost spat out.

The slight aggression shocked Mia.

"Not really…"

"I haven't heard from you in almost three weeks, no phone calls no texts no nothing." Sean ranted. "But still you manage to tell Lauren what's going on." Now he almost sounded jealous. Sean kicked himself mentally for even saying that.

"Sean you're not being fair. There're some things I just can't explain."

"Well why not?" Sean shouted, reaching the end of tether and now getting up from his seat and standing to his whole height, which made the kitchen seem even smaller than it already was.

"Because it's not fair on either of us!" Mia shrieked back also standing up. This was the last thing that she needed. "Maybe you just need to sort out your ego and leave your pride on bloody tour!"

There was stunned silence in the kitchen.

"What should I do?" Sean asked almost menacing.

Mia's father however saved the hour by appearing in the kitchen doorway, obviously having heard the commotion.

"Mia, sorry to interrupt, but you need to pick your mother up from the hospital."

Mia just nodded and picked up her father's car keys from the kitchen counter and turn around to look at Sean, whose angry face had been replaced by a confused expression.

"I'll see you out." Mia said simply as she pulled on her green trench coat.

Outside Mia unlocked her car and was about to get into the drivers seat leaving Sean stand on the pavement, when he stopped her.

"I'll drive you."

Mia just shrugged her shoulders and walked instead to the passenger seat throwing the keys violently at Sean.

The drive was filled with buzzing tension that seemed to reverberate around the tiny space between Mia and Sean.

After being directed to the hospital in a cold and indifferent fashion by Mia, Sean pulled into a parking space and switched the motor off.

Neither of them moved.

"Mia what's happening?"

Mia didn't even look at Sean and just shook her head.

"For God's sake!" Sean exclaimed angrily and bashed both of his hands against the steering wheel. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because it would only make things worse." Mia said with a break in her voice. "I've got to get my Mum. Are you alright with getting a cab back?"

Sean just nodded.

Both of them got out the car, Sean handing Mia the car keys. She took them form him, a blank expression drawn across her face.

Mia then walked straight ahead to the hospital entrance not saying anything to Sean, who walked to the taxi rank to get a cab back to Mia's house to then pick his own car up.

Mia was hoping that he'd go back to London, but that was the last thing on his mind.

He was going to stay on Oxford.