The Simplest Thing in the World

To avoid any more awkward conversations with Ruth, I slipped into my room once inside the apartment. She was sleeping on the couch while the cat lay beside her. A few minutes later, the cat scratched at my door. The orange ball of fur slipped into the room as I cracked the door open, and he jumped up onto my bed. I scratched him behind the ears, “Hey, there, Orion,” I said. He cuddled up next to me, and I lost myself once again in a book, but not just any book. Dad’s book.



Later that day as the light began leaving the sky, Harold came knocking on my door.

“Celia?”

I had been lying on my stomach across my bed. I propped myself up into a sitting position as I approved his entrance.

“Hello,” he said rather formally.

I know Harold and I are related and all but that doesn’t mean we have an instant connection. Sean and all my friends back home just assumed that I would immediately jump into the man’s arms the moment I saw him. They forget that I barely know the man. It doesn’t matter he’s my dad’s dad. It’s still awkward. Harold knows this too. I can tell. I give him props for trying though. Lord knows it must be hard having a wife with Alzheimer’s AND a teenager in the house. Harold scuffed his shoe along the floor like a child. He actually resembled a five year old boy for a moment. You know, if five year old boys were 5’6”, slightly hunchbacked, wrinkly old men.

“Would you like to go out for dinner? I thought I could take you to one of my favorite places.”

My face lit up at the chance to get out of the house. I wanted to see more of London. A nice Sunday dinner sounded nice.

“Sure. I’d like that.”

He smiled. I could tell he expected me to decline his offer.

“Give me ten minutes?” I asked.

“Only if you give me fifteen,” he replied with a chuckle.

I laughed, “Deal.”



Twenty minutes later I emerged from my room with a new set of clothes on and touched up makeup. I entered the living room quietly, trying to avoid Ruth yet again. She lay sleeping on the couch. Did this lady do anything but sleep?! Orion followed me, swerving in and out of my feet before jumping up beside his master. Harold stood in the doorway talking to who I assumed was Meredith. Harold motioned for me to approach them and closed the door when I reached them.

“Meredith, this is my granddaughter, Celia. Celia, this is the woman I was telling you about earlier. This is Meredith. She’s a very lovely woman. She has a daughter around your age as well.” He said with a smile.

Meredith shook my hand, “Yes, I do. She’s quite a handful sometimes if I might add. She’s out with friends right now, though. Maybe you’ll be able to meet her soon though, eh?”

“Yeah,” I said with a forced smile. “Maybe.”

“Well, we’ll be off. Ruth’s asleep, so if you could just pop in every half hour or so and make sure she’s doing alright, I sure would appreciate it.”

“Of course, Harold. You two have a nice time.”



Harold and I walked. We walked for a long time. By the time we got to the restaurant, I was sweating. I had always thought of myself as a fairly in shape person, but my worn out legs were telling me a different story. The eatery looked sort small. Very small. Something told me it wasn’t a very well-known place. A waitress named Tabitha sat us in a small booth near the back and left us with some menus.

“So, tell me more about you.” Harold requested as we look over the entrees. “Tell me about your friends back home. No,” he said with a mischievous smile, “Tell me about this Sean fellow.”

I blushed slightly. There’s something about talking to adults about your love life that’s just plain weird.

“Uh…what do you want me to say. He’s a great guy.”

Tabitha came by with our drinks and took our orders.

“How long have you been together?”

I looked down at my hands, feigning interest in a hangnail. “Well, we’ve been dating for about a year and a few months.”

“Where’d you meet him?”

“School. I met him in the seventh grade. I actually hated him at first.” I replied with a chuckle. “He was always picking on me, and telling me I was a nerd because I liked to read. Of course, Zoey told him off one day, and he never did it again.”

Harold took a sip of his water, “And who is Zoey.”

“She’s my friend. My best friend.” I said sadly.

His eyes drooped a little, “I’m sorry, Celia. I’m so sorry. I know this must be hard on you, moving to a completely new place with people you don’t even know. It must be hard.”

“Why didn’t you come to the funeral?” I asked.

Tabitha was back with my ravioli and Harold’s fish and French fries.

“You’ve seen your grandmother. Her illness…it isn’t something that’s managed well. Could you imagine her being at the funeral? I mean, she still thinks Carter is a toddler. She has no idea he’s….She couldn’t have done it. Going just wasn’t possible.”

“Maybe for her, but not for you! You could have been there!”

He shook his head, “And left Ruth all by herself? What if something had happened? I barely leave her home for a few hours alone! God forbid I leave her for a few days!”

“But, Meredith! What about her? She could have watched her!”

Harold hesitated, “Now, Celia, I think that’s enough. The situation wasn’t ideal. I know that, but it was just complicated.”

I took a bite of my food, and then looked back up at him, “He was your son. What’s so complicated about that?”



A light tension filled the rest of dinner and the walk home. Harold tried talking to me, but I wasn’t really in the mood anymore.

“Would you like to get some sweets?”

“No,” I grumbled. My grandfather let out a small sigh.

I really doubt Harold had thought he would have to look after a teenager again. He must have forgotten how difficult we could be.

“Are you sure?” He tried again. “My favorite pastry shop isn’t too far from here. Just around the block from our flat, actually. They sell all sorts of goodies. Chocolates…cakes…ice cream…”

“I said no.” I said a little too sharply.

“Alright,” he said sadly. “It was just a suggestion.”

I began to feel bad for snapping at him. It wasn’t his fault that his wife was crazy and his son died. No…that was mine…at least half of it.