Cliff's Good Deed

23 - Man Talk

Something was off with Hannah. Cliff had quietly observed her during her give and take conversation with Izzy's boyfriend. She fidgeted, seemed annoyed at Aaron, and then passed a signal to his sister about wanting to go to the bathroom. It had all started with her scare over seeing her ex. Cliff knew Hannah tried making light of it, but she had been rattled.

He hoped by going off together Hannah and Izzy would talk. His sister would tell him later if she sensed anything amiss.

"Your date is gorgeous," Aaron said, breaking Cliff from his thoughts.

"Yeah, she is that."

"How long have you been seeing her?"

"This is our third date."

"Nice!" Aaron exclaimed. "I hope you two hit it off."

Cliff liked Aaron. He treated Izzy like a princess and with respect.

Aaron lowered his voice. "I have something to discuss with you."

Cliff regarded the man but stayed quiet. He wondered why Aaron seemed so edgy.

Aaron leaned over the table. "Your mother and father are hard to approach. They're so aloof. Izzy looks up to you more than she does to them. I don't really know what the issue is with them. She's so open and unfiltered about everything, but whenever I ask about her relationship with her parents, she changes the subject." He paused and regarded Cliff inquisitively.

Izzy had good reason to feel as she did, but it wasn't his place to tell. "You'll have to take that up with her."

He sighed. "Yeah, well, seeing as how you're the one she respects, I want to give notice I intend to propose to her."

What he said didn't shock Cliff. The romance between Izzy and Aaron had gone on for a long time. Then he realized what Aaron was asking of him. "Wait. Are you asking me for my blessing?"

"Yes, because if you have a problem with me asking her, then Izzy will also have a problem. She won't do anything to displease you."

What he said made Cliff smile. "I'm not sure that's true, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Anyway, I would never stand in the way of my sister's happiness."

"So, you're okay with it then?"

"I'm okay with whatever Izzy decides. When are you thinking of asking her?"

"Soon, when I sense the timing is right."

Cliff frowned. Aaron picked up on his mood change. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

Cliff recalled what his sister told him about insisting on a long engagement. While Cliff was thinking, some guy walked slowly by the table giving him the side eye.

Aaron kept talking. "We're practically a married couple already. Putting a ring on her seems like a formality, but I want her to feel secure about my commitment."

Cliff wondered if the guy had been Hannah's ex. He memorized the man's appearance and would ask her about him later. Turning his attention back to Aaron, he said, "I wish you luck, but here's some advice. Don't push her to set a date. If she asks for a long engagement, agree to it."

Aaron sat back in his seat and took a breath. "Thank you. Can I ask you to keep this conversation between us?"

"Yes, of course, I won't spoil it for you." Cliff would be happy for her, but he ached thinking of the day when she would leave him. He would miss having her presence in the room across from his. He knew his days living at home would end when he got married. He wondered which of them would leave first.

The guy Cliff had seen pass by earlier lingered at the periphery of the crowd staring at him. He pushed back from the table, stood, and pointed at the stranger. He shouted, "Hey, you, come here. Yeah, you."

Should Cliff be forcing a confrontation?