Polaroid Cancer

Casey had finally decided on black lacy leggings, a black skirt and a dark blue jumper with a screech owl print on it. She hoped she didn’t look like a total idiot, because she definitely felt like one. Slipping her feet into a pair of navy blue flats, she briskly made her way to the front door.

Oliver was waiting in his car, he smiled at her handsomely when she stuck her head out. Casey waved, put her index finger up so he would know to wait a few more seconds, and trudged back inside, snatching up her purse. She definitely couldn’t forget that, it gave her something to hold onto when she didn’t know what else to do with her hands. Casey made her way to the vehicle and clambered inside, Oliver bent over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“You’re beautiful,” He murmurs, and starts up the car. Casey rests her hand on his knee, her palms were already starting to sweat from nerves.

The drive was a lot longer then what she had anticipated, or maybe it is because her mind is feeling more sluggish then usual. Oliver parks his car in his parent’s driveway, shuts it off and stares over at her. Casey is gripping her bag in a white knuckled embrace, she stares back at him and gives a fleeting smile.

“Don’t be so bothered, love,” He says gently, resting his hand on top of both of hers. She focuses sharply on the tattoos that envelope his skin, all of the different colors help sooth her worries a bit.

“Lets go,” Casey says finally, after a very pregnant pause.

His parents are waiting patiently in the living room, watching a program on the television and Casey can’t really concentrate on much else besides Oliver holding her hand. Matt and Tom are sitting on the couch, both laughing ridiculously loud at whatever is being played and everything just seems so noisy and sharper.

“Hello, dear! We’ve ‘eard so much about yeh from all th’boys,” Oliver’s mother smiles while standing up to give Casey a hug.

Taking a silent, shaky breath she accepts it and replies, “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Sykes.”

“Please, call me Carol, and this is Ian,” She says, and he waves excitedly from behind his wife, a huge grin covering his countenance. While the both of them are briefly looking at each other, Casey wipes off her palms and sticks out a hand, in which Ian takes and pulls her into a steady embrace.

“Oi, dad, she’s my girlfriend,” Oliver laughs, helping Casey stand up straight and gives her a quick kiss on the nose.

“Are yeh ‘ungry?” Carol asks.

“I’m starving mum!” Tom calls, a slight frown on his face.

“Aye, I know Tom! But Casey needs a proper welcome an’ she gets fed first,” His mother growls, hands pressed on her hips as she gives her son a death glare. Tom shrinks down next to Matt and continues staring at the television.

Casey catches Matt’s eye and he gives her a friendly smile, opening his arms for a hug. She motions for him to stand up and he does so, both lean in for a tight hold.

“Yeh doin’ fine,” He whispers and gives her shoulder a short squeeze, “Now off yeh go.”
Carol is already in the kitchen, Oliver had trailed close behind his mother murmuring something excitedly to her. When Casey joins them, both stop talking and look away guiltily, staring down at the food that Carol has prepared.

“I hope yeh like bean burritos,” She smiles, holding up a glass container with three burritos resting in them. Carol slips past Casey before she can even move out of the way and sets them down on the dining room table, Oliver is in close pursuit with an identical container, three more burritos laying inside it.

Mrs. Sykes beckons Casey over and has her sit in the middle chair. Oliver joins her on the left side and Tom quickly sits down on her right, Matt is giving Tom a glare filled with daggers while he sits down across from Casey. Ian and Carol make themselves comfortable at the opposite sides of the table, both of them glancing around at everyone.

Oliver shovels a burrito out and plops it on Casey’s plate, she thanks him, and waits until everyone else gets one before she starts eating, feeling weird if she started in on it first. Casey begins cutting it, suddenly worrying that the beans will give her gas, she pecks at it slowly so everyone will finish earlier then she does.

“Aye, where’s Oskar at mum?” Oliver asks, after taking a bite of his food.

“He’s up in me bedroom. Figured he’d be alright up there while we ate lunch,” Carol replies.

“You have a pet?” Casey pauses, looking very much confused, staring at her boyfriend.

“I got ‘im only a month ago, mum’s been takin’ care of him,” Oliver says, giving her a bright smile, “He’s a small dog. I promise ‘e wont be a bother.”

Casey shrugs, “I don’t mind. I have a dog of my own, don’t I?”



After lunch, everyone sits out in the living room waiting for Carol to come back with the much anticipated Oskar. Casey is genuinely excited to see the dog, it made sense now why Oliver had a puppy book at his house. Oli has his hand rested on her leg and is smiling at her every time she looks at him. Finally, after what seemed like hours, his mother returns with a very tiny dog.

When her boyfriend said the dog was small, he really meant small. Chum would eat it alive if it ever came across his path.

Suppressing the disappointment that is welling up in her chest, Casey smiles reflexively as the little animal is set on her lap. It’s big bulgy eyes are staring at her as if it will start crying large crocodile tears. It nudges its way over to Oliver’s lap, Casey doesn’t object.

“He’s really cute,” Oliver sighs, and Casey can’t help thinking for split second that her boyfriend is possibly gay. She quickly snubs out the thought: guys liking dogs is a good quality. “I figured Chum might want a friend, I ‘ope they get along.”

“I do too,” Casey mumbles out cheerfully, she reaches out to pet Oskar. He raises a lip at her and Casey just sets her hand back down in defeat. I hope that damn dog and I get along, if anything.