raincoats and wellies | stylinson au

Chapter Two

Louis

-

My gran’s apartment was small and cozy. It was the perfect abode for a woman of her age.

I always imagined American housing being far different from my own flat back home but it was relatively the same.

Though I did find her small American kitchen somewhat confusing. For starters she didn’t own a kettle, instead she had a little single serve machine that could make only one cup at a time. Madness.

“How are you feeling?” I asked, as I sat her cup of tea on the little wooden tray beside her recliner.

“Just lovely now that you’re here,” she smiled, eagerly picking up the cup without giving it the chance to cool down.

I took a seat on the small couch next to her, catching a glimpse of the television as I sat down.

“What is this?” I asked, though I was already familiar with the show. It was a program that my mom and sisters also watched. I on the otherhand never really got into it.

Maybe I'm small-minded but I’ve just never been impressed by American television.

“American television is such shite,” I scoffed.

“Some of it is questionable,” she said. “But this is a good one.”

I shrugged, reaching forward over to retrieve my tea, preparing and suffer in silence.

“Have you called your mum and told her you’ve settled in?” Gran asked me.

“I will,” I told her, looking down at my watch that was still set to London’s time. “Later on tonight.”

“How are the twins?” she asked.

“Fussy,” I grimaced, recalling the time I tried to burp one of them only to have him puke in my ear. “They’re also quite colicky.”

“They can’t be as bad as you were at that age,” she said, smiling.

“I’d bet on it,” I chuckled.

“How are your sisters?”

“Same as usual,” I replied. They were almost as irritating as the twins.

“And you?”

“I’m fine,” I tell her, reaching forward to set my empty mug on the coffee table.

“Have you met anyone?”

“I just got here, Gran.” I said.

The only conversation I’d had in my two hours of being in America was with the shaggy lad I’d encountered on the lift. He was a good-looking guy sure but he was beyond maddening. That taxi driver that had driven me here was less annoying and he had passed my grand mum’s apartment complex twice before finally letting me out.

“I’m very aware of that,” she scoffed. “I obviously meant back home in London.”

“Right,” I chuckled.

“So you don’t have anyone special in your life?” she asked. “No girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

“No,” I answered simply.

“Oh,” she said. “Well maybe you’ll meet someone nice here.”

“I doubt that,” I said. I hadn’t come halfway around the world in search for a fling. I’d come to take care of my Gran and nothing else. Though maybe I’d be open to visiting the space needle thing if the opportunity comes around.

“Why’s that?”

“Because I came for you and I plan on giving you all of my attention,” I tell her, reaching for her hand and grasping it gently. “Besides I’m not much interested in dating right now anyway.”