I walked downstairs into the kitchen. A pot of water was on the stove.
"Hey," Brian said, looking up when I entered.
"Hey."
"Would you like anything to drink? We have sprite, orange juice, wine, beer, milk, tea, coffee, hot chocolate..." he rattled off.
"Wow," I said, pulling out a chair from the kitchen table and sitting.
"Yeah well."
"Um I could go for some comfort."
"Ok . . ."
"Hot chocolate."
"Ok great."
There was already a packet of hot chocolate and a cup on the counter. I started to get up.
"Oh don't get up I'll get it," Brian told me.
I sat back down.
"Oh ok. Wow that's really nice of you."
"Well, I want you to be comfortable here."
He opened the packet, poured it into the cup, filled it with water and put it in the microwave.
"Oh. I'm just so used to having to do everything myself."
"Oh."
"How long will the pasta be?"
"About 30 minutes."
"Ok. Hey who's Renee?"
"Uh, who?"
"Renee," I repeated.
"Oh. Friend of Lauren's. They're involved."
"Oh but um David and Renee are...involved. Kind of."
"Oh."
I heard Renee and Linda talking in the living room.
"Anything else I can get you?" Brian asked, taking the cup out of the microwave and setting it down on the table in front of me.
"No that's fine."
"Really? Because . . ."
"Well actually now that you mention it . . ."
"Yeah?"
"Is it ok if I stay here tonight?"
"Yeah sure. I think David might, as well, so. . ."
"Oh ok. With Renee?"
"Uh huh."
"Ok."
Renee walked into the kitchen, followed by Linda and then David.
"Hey Brian," Renee said.
"Hey Renee. Aunt Linda. David," Brian replied.
"Hi," Linda said.
"Hey," David said.
"Hey, um, David?" I said, looking at him.
"Yeah?" he said, looking at me.
"I'm going to stay here tonight if you could ring Elizabeth and your dad and tell them . . ."
I won't be home tonight.
"Yeah sure."
"Mmk."
"So what's for dinner?" Renee asked.
"Well Karen and I are going to have pasta...you guys can have some I'll make you some or you can go out somewhere..." Brian told them.
"Oh. What do you think hun?" Renee asked, turning to David.
"I don't know yet."
"Mmm ok."
