wine I bought from the grocery store and walked up the short walkway to the front door. Just as I raised a hand to press the doorbell, the door opened and a mass of red hair came barreling toward me.
“UNCLE ELLLLLLLLL!”
I gathered my niece in my arms for a hug and asked, “Hey Sweetpea, what are you doing here?”
Before she could answer, Cassidy, whom I hadn’t noticed was right behind her said, “We were just leaving. Thanks again, Dev. Heyyyyy, El.” She turned back toward Bee who was standing in the entry way between the kitchen and hallway that lead to the front door. They exchanged a series of blinks and eyebrow raises before Cass and Sophie shuffled out of the door.
“What was that about?”
“Oh. Cass got caught up at work and asked me to pick up Soph so she wouldn’t be charged extra for being late.”
“Nah, nah…I’m talking about—”
“What kinda wine is that?” Bee said and advanced toward me to take the bag.
I handed it over and shrugged my coat off to hang on the coat rack. Bee had already walked back toward the kitchen, so I joined her there. I smelled spaghetti; so going with the red wine was the right choice. I had a fifty-fifty chance though. Bee could only cook two meals well; both of them were pasta based – with either a red or white sauce. I made myself useful and set the table. After I placed the last of the silverware down, I looked up to see Bee staring at me with a look on her face I couldn’t quite place.
“I can’t figure you out,” she said finally. “Can you grab the salad out the fridge? I’ll bring this over so we can chow down.”
I grabbed the salad and dressing from the refrigerator and brought it over to the table. We plated our meals and tucked into eating. Conversation was sparse as we stuffed our faces, but we talked around the reason I had come over here anyway. Instead we chose to stay on neutral topics like work, Sophie , and the gym. After finishing our food, we cleared the table. Devorah loaded the dishwasher while I sat in the living room area waiting for her, at her insistence. As I sat waiting, I thought about what the hell I was going to say to get back in her good graces and get us over this stupid little fight.
“You look like you’re deep in thought,” Devorah said, as she sat down next to me.
I hadn’t even heard her approach.
“Either you’re a ninja or this carpet’s padding muffles every damn thing. I didn’t even hear you come in here.”
Devorah threw her head back with laughter. She quickly sobered and turned toward me.
“Before you start, can I say something?”
I was taken aback, but intrigued, “Shoot.”
She inched a little closer, fidgeting with her nails. I maintained eye contact until her gaze fell onto her hands. She released a small breath and then raised her head to look me in the eyes once again.
“So I just want to say that I was kind of a jerk the other night and I’m sorry that I made you put me out.”
The shock at her apology must have shown on my face because she just continued talking.
“I just…I sometimes don’t know what to say and that was a prime foot in mouth moment. I didn’t realize the impact my words would make. You always seem so nonchalant and I didn’t realize how harshly they may have been received.”
She grabbed my hand and continued, “I’m only annoyed because when your hands are on me I can hardly think straight and to be frank, I don’t like that feeling. I don’t like being out of control.”
I tucked that tidbit of information away to revisit later.
“So. Yeah. Sorry for being a jackass,” she finished, breaking eye contact once again.
I grabbed her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet mine before I spoke.
“We both overreacted. I’ll own up to my part in that. So if you accept my apology for kicking you out like you were Pamela James, then we can start this
“UNCLE ELLLLLLLLL!”
I gathered my niece in my arms for a hug and asked, “Hey Sweetpea, what are you doing here?”
Before she could answer, Cassidy, whom I hadn’t noticed was right behind her said, “We were just leaving. Thanks again, Dev. Heyyyyy, El.” She turned back toward Bee who was standing in the entry way between the kitchen and hallway that lead to the front door. They exchanged a series of blinks and eyebrow raises before Cass and Sophie shuffled out of the door.
“What was that about?”
“Oh. Cass got caught up at work and asked me to pick up Soph so she wouldn’t be charged extra for being late.”
“Nah, nah…I’m talking about—”
“What kinda wine is that?” Bee said and advanced toward me to take the bag.
I handed it over and shrugged my coat off to hang on the coat rack. Bee had already walked back toward the kitchen, so I joined her there. I smelled spaghetti; so going with the red wine was the right choice. I had a fifty-fifty chance though. Bee could only cook two meals well; both of them were pasta based – with either a red or white sauce. I made myself useful and set the table. After I placed the last of the silverware down, I looked up to see Bee staring at me with a look on her face I couldn’t quite place.
“I can’t figure you out,” she said finally. “Can you grab the salad out the fridge? I’ll bring this over so we can chow down.”
I grabbed the salad and dressing from the refrigerator and brought it over to the table. We plated our meals and tucked into eating. Conversation was sparse as we stuffed our faces, but we talked around the reason I had come over here anyway. Instead we chose to stay on neutral topics like work, Sophie , and the gym. After finishing our food, we cleared the table. Devorah loaded the dishwasher while I sat in the living room area waiting for her, at her insistence. As I sat waiting, I thought about what the hell I was going to say to get back in her good graces and get us over this stupid little fight.
“You look like you’re deep in thought,” Devorah said, as she sat down next to me.
I hadn’t even heard her approach.
“Either you’re a ninja or this carpet’s padding muffles every damn thing. I didn’t even hear you come in here.”
Devorah threw her head back with laughter. She quickly sobered and turned toward me.
“Before you start, can I say something?”
I was taken aback, but intrigued, “Shoot.”
She inched a little closer, fidgeting with her nails. I maintained eye contact until her gaze fell onto her hands. She released a small breath and then raised her head to look me in the eyes once again.
“So I just want to say that I was kind of a jerk the other night and I’m sorry that I made you put me out.”
The shock at her apology must have shown on my face because she just continued talking.
“I just…I sometimes don’t know what to say and that was a prime foot in mouth moment. I didn’t realize the impact my words would make. You always seem so nonchalant and I didn’t realize how harshly they may have been received.”
She grabbed my hand and continued, “I’m only annoyed because when your hands are on me I can hardly think straight and to be frank, I don’t like that feeling. I don’t like being out of control.”
I tucked that tidbit of information away to revisit later.
“So. Yeah. Sorry for being a jackass,” she finished, breaking eye contact once again.
I grabbed her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet mine before I spoke.
“We both overreacted. I’ll own up to my part in that. So if you accept my apology for kicking you out like you were Pamela James, then we can start this
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