Passenger

“Why do we have so much food?”

I rolled my eyes as I wiped down the counter and quickly walked towards the fridge, where I pulled out my biscuit dough, that had risen and flicked flour at Annie with a chuckle.

“Because it’s Thanksgiving silly.”

“I know that.” she complained as she parked her chair by the dining table and walked carefully towards the wooden island table in the heart of Gran’s kitchen, and took a seat on the stool closest to me and watched me roll out the firm dough, before I began cutting it and motioning for her to place them on a baking sheet, “But it’s just you me and Gran.”

“No it’s not.” I corrected her with a soft voice, knowing that the treatment and medication was slowly taking it’s toll, “Michael’s Mother invited us to her home for Thanksgiving dinner.”

She frowned at me, and placed the dough on the sheet, “I don’t- I remember!”

I glanced at her, unsure with narrowed eyes, “Are you lying?”

She blushed, and immediately looked down. And I pulled my gaze away from her, and gripped the counter, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Bird.” Annie pleaded, and I opened my eyes starring at her.

“What?”

“I’m fine.” she smiled at me, before she continued placing the balls of dough on the tray and I continued cutting them.

The Doctor’s had warned us, up being released from the hospital, that due to new medication, Annie could experience memory loss- permanent or partial.
She’d been good for a while- not showing anything serious. But after a few days of being home, she started forgetting what she had been doing, what she was supposed to do, or plans for later in the day. Gran, had called the Doctor, and he said as long as she was still familiar with ideas she had, we had nothing to worry about.

Gran agreed with his words. While I was still very hesitant.

As the door bell rang, I heard the loud pitter patter of Annie’s feet leaving the kitchen just as I walked down the hall way putting my earrings on, and heading back into the kitchen, to help Gran with the other food we were going to bring.

It would be the first time I would be meeting Michael’s family, his sisters their husbands and children, and it would be the first time I would be meeting Michael’s Mother. The infamous Debbie Phelps.

“Nervous?”

I glanced at Gran who was dressed and ready to go as I she took out the baked mashed sweet potatoes. And I placed the biscuits I had made into a basket, smiling as the rosemary leaves I had placed on them just before they went into the oven remained intact.

“Sort of.” I said softly, as I heard Annie greet Michael.

“It’s perfectly normal to be.” she smiled at me kissing me on the cheek.

“Look who I found.”

I pulled my gaze away from the biscuits and smiled as Michael walked into the kitchen, with a beaming Annie on his back.

I laughed as Michael dropped her in the chair, and Gran ordered her to finish getting dressed leaving Michael and I alone, with a small wink.

He looked handsome, casual, in jeans, dress shoes, a white shirt and a button sweater, that I knew instantly his Mother had optioned for him to wear.

“You look nice.” he smiled at me crookedly as I took off my apron, and allowed him to push me back against the counter, his hands on the small of my back, while I wrapped my wrists around the back of his neck.

“You look dapper.” I chuckled, pulling him closer to me as I felt him play with the material of my beige dress, as he tickled my tight covered legs.

“That wasn’t a proper hello.” he laughed, leaning his head down slightly, as I felt his breath on my lips, as I stood on my toes.

“It wasn’t.” I breathed, our lips, a fragment away from touching, “This would be though.”

He laughed, before our lips crashed delicately, my fingers tugging at the hair at the nape of his neck, his hand on my hips gripping me gently, holding us closer. My mouth had just parted slightly, as his opened and closed on my bottom lip and sighed contently, before a squeal of disgust pulled us apart.

“Gross.”

I laughed at Annie, before glancing at Michael, who gave me a content smile before I pecked his lips once more quickly.

“I tried to keep her in the room, but she was just so excited to see you Michael.” Gran said as she walked into the kitchen, bearing my coat, and Annie’s, her own already on her shoulders.

Michael laughed, and slouched down to kiss my Grandmother’s cheek and give her a hug, “It’s fine Ruth.”

“Can we go now?” Annie sighed, as Michael took my hand, as I gathered all of the food we were bringing, into grocery bags ready for the ride.

“Are you hungry?” Michael asked Annie from my side, his arm sliding around my waist.

“Are you?” she challenged back, knowing the answer.

“Always.”

❊

Michael and I were in the kitchen washing dishes, when Debbie kicked him out and left the two of us alone.

I was frightened, as I was startled.

I wasn’t his girlfriend. We weren’t ‘in anything’, and yet, he had brought me to his Mother’s house, introduced me to his family, and let me be a part of a Holiday, something, that is a very big deal.

“You’re much more beautiful then Michael described.” she smiled at me, taking the dish I was rinsing, that I had been rising for over three minutes from my hands, and stacking it in the drainer.

The way she said it, the way she smiled, reminded me of a kindness Michael had, and it was very clear where he got it from.

“Thank you,” I said shyly, turning off the faucet, as I washed and rinsed the last dish.

“Annie is very lucky to have you.” Debbie said, motioning for me to sit at the small breakfast table in the heart and center of the kitchen, “You’re very responsible, sweet and honest. And I can see that’s why Michael likes you.”

I remained silent, my cheeks continuing to burn red.

“You are incredibly different then any of the other girls Michael has brought to meet you. It might be your lifestyle, but you are genuinely happy and I can see it very clearly.” Debbie smiled, “You’re kind, and you seem right. You are not faking. But I must ask, what do you see in Michael.”

I had read in interviews, that Michael grew up with three women in the house- and with that they were very protective of him, warding away gold diggers, and girls with ulterior motives to him.

“Well.” I breathed, blinking quickly and running a hand through my hair, “He just came along, and fell into place with how I was. He’s the only guy, I’ve ever been with, that had actually made an effort to get to know Annie, and that means so much, because Annie is my life. I work to help her, I work to pay for medicine, to keep her happy, and let her have a normal childhood.”

I sniffed, startled, by the tears in my eyes, as Debbie smiled and covered her hand with my own, “Michael’s genuine and kind, and so different, then anyone I’ve ever known, and I feel like he doesn’t know it, and I want him to,I guess that’s why we work.”

Debbie chuckled as I sniffed and grabbed a paper towel and blew my nose gently.

“He’s very lucky to have you.”
“I’m very lucky to have him.” I smiled, “And it’s incredibly clear, where he get’s his confidence and loving nature from.”

I sat at the table. My fingers intertwined, as I pressed my mouth into them. Taking in the silence of the kitchen, Debbie had gone back to her family, while I opted to stay.

I had never given much thought to why Michael was great, I knew he was, but I never pointed out the reasons. The more I thought about them, the more I felt my self starting to fall for him, harder then anyone.

“You okay?”

I jumped, glancing at the door way, where Michael stood, with a smile as he walked towards me, while I stood.

“Yeah. I really am.” I smiled as he interlinked our hands, pulling me closer, until our lips met and I smiled into the kiss, smiling after peck, after peck after peck.

“Come outside with me.” he said letting go of one of my hands, while we headed towards the small white, windowed door, where we headed out into his childhood yard.

It was quaint and cute, and empty. Their was a small play set to the left of the fence, and a small pool on the other side.

I shivered into the cold, as he led me gently towards the swing set and we both took a seat on a swing, our hand still connected, in silence.

I stared up at the night sky, clear as ever, seeing the small amount of stars hanging above our heads, laughing as I spotted the occasional plane.

“My Mom adores you.” he said, causing me to glance at him, as he smiled at me, and unfamiliar gleam in his eye, “She told me, she’d disown me if I messed this up. Coming from her, she means it.”

I chuckled, as I stared at him, feeling his thumb rub up and down the inside of my hand.

“Annie, loves you.” I said, smiling, “She sees you as another part of her family that she never had, an older brother. And I would never dream of messing this up.”

He stood suddenly, causing me to stare with lips pressed together.

My legs were kicking the swing back and forth, but as he stopped in front of me he gripped the swing sets chain, and pulled me to a stop.

“I really like you.” he said with a smile, his linear dimples adorning his face, “You make me feel so weird, and it drives me crazy when I’m not with you and I don’t feel it, and I want to see where we can take this.”

I blushed, standing up taking his hands, letting him intertwine our fingers again. As I stood taller, straighter, “I want to see where this goes too.”

He laughed as I made a face, before his went serious again, “I’ll be there for you, for Annie.”

I smiled, speaking softly, “Seems perfect”

His lips were pressed firmly together, making his face stiff. His eyes were set as he stared at me, his eyebrows straight.
I followed the movement of his lower face, and smiled as our lips met, and my arms wrapped around his waist, his hands resting on the small of my back once again.
The kiss was much more intense then any before.
Maybe because we were now a thing, a something.

Letting my mouth part slightly, allowing his tongue access, as our heads tilted to the side, and the kiss grew feverish, and fantastic. Each time we pulled away for a breath, it was too long, and we had to fall back. His touch, made me whole.

“I’ll be here. Know that. Your grounded Bird.” he whispered quickly, out of breath, before our lips connected again, his hands in my hair, and mine at the nape of his neck, quoting Annie, and causing me to smile,.

And It felt good, to have a something.