"So what's the deal with your family? I don't think I've ever heard you talk about them..." Lee tore me from my thoughts as he asked me questions instead of talking about himself , which to be honest I was happier with. The attention was away from me and my problems for a while but now I can't completely avoid it.
"That's just because there's not much to say... My mom died a few years ago. My dad is a history teacher at my high school and my brother is a typical seven year old. That's all there really is to it."
"I'm sorry about your mum... How did she die?"
"... Some err... Some guys broke into our house and she got in their way. My dad and I came home and found her."
"Oh that's awful. I'm so sorry." I shook my head to say it didn't matter, just hoping the topic could be changed. "Surely there must be something that's better than how you make it all out though? Your dad can't be like a total bore surely? Not to raise a daughter like you." He smiled, realising I didn't want to talk anymore about my mom. I shrugged a little, not really wanting to talk about him either but not being able to think of a decent enough excuse. "Come on. Try and think of just one thing your dad does, did or used to do that always makes you laugh."
I tried to think back to before I left and especially to before my mom died because my dad found everything a lot funnier before that day.
"He used to love Halloween. It was always one of his favorite holidays. And this one year he'd agreed to take me and Joey trick or treating because every other year there was always a reason we couldn't go, whether he was travelling with work or had other commitments but the place he'd bought his costume from had delivered the wrong one to us. He was supposed to be Peter Pan but the company sent him a..." I trailed off as I continued to remember, I was already smiling to myself about it. "It was a Cinderella outfit. Dress, blonde wig, gloves, everything you'd need to be a proper Disney princess. But it was already to late to get anything new so instead of wearing something he already owned or not going out trick or treating with us... He wore it. He made a very good and surprisingly convincing Cinderella to be honest. We all got a little concerned. But it made us all laugh and my brother was so happy that we could still go out trick or treating with him. I was a little embarrassed to be seen with him at the time, but I couldn't help but love him for committing to it."
"Your dad sounds pretty mental... And like a pretty awesome guy."
"He used to be. He's pretty subdued nowadays. Since my mom died he's never quite been the same, despite trying to pretend he's the same, mainly for Joey's sake, who is completely oblivious to the change. But I guess it's kind of understandable that he's different..."
"Yeah. Not everyone has to go through what you all did. That must've been horrible to deal with."
I just nodded as I carried on eating my food.
The conversation then moved back onto a less serious topic and we just carried on enjoying our time. As we ate dessert I felt Lee's foot rub up and down my leg. I glanced up to see him smirking back. We both quickly finished eating and Lee paid the bill despite my demands to pay for my own food and then we headed back to Ben and Joe's house.
***
It was nearly ten by the time we got back to Ben's house. Lee walked me to the door like always.
"Thank you for dinner, it was really nice." I smiled. "And the film wasn't bad either."
Lee returned a smiled and stepped forward, pressing his lips against mine. It was barely a second before I'd reacted and started to kiss back, wrapping my arms around his neck as the kiss became more heated. We broke apart after a minute or two, breathing heavily.
It's Not A Question But A Lesson Learned In Time - Chapter Twenty-Two
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