The Meeting

The Visitor

Over the next few days, I helped my dad redecorate. We went to the local DIY shop and bought some new paint for his living room and began to paint over the walls that had been the same colour since mum died. We had the radio on in the background and we occasionally stopped to dance around the room together. God I had missed this man. There was a knock at the door and as Dad was up the ladder I headed to open it, covered in paint from head to toe from the dance party.

That's when I saw her, standing in the doorway giggling at my appearance.

"Leah!" Was all I could mutter from my mouth.
"Hi Alex, redecorating?" She smiled.
"Suppose to be, more paint on me than on the walls though." I laughed back to her.
"I can see that. I hope it's okay that I kind of just landed here." Her voice now lowering as the realisation of her spontaneous action set in.
"Of course it is. Sorry - come in." I stood back in the doorway to allow her to enter but it was clear she wanted to me to walk first. I lead her to the living room, Dad still up on the ladder.

"Dad, we have a visitor." I shouted to him over the music, trying to use the clean part of my hands to turn the music down.
"Oh my god, Leah! How are you pet? Congratulations on the World Cup!" Dad gleamed at her.
"Hi Peter, it's lovely to see you again. I was just saying to Alex that I hope you don't mind -" she began before my dad interrupted her.
"I hope you aren't about to say you hope I don't mind you showing up here. You will always be welcome, always." My dad said, his words reassuring her to the point of relaxation.
"Thanks Peter. Do you two want some help?" Leah said, obviously unsure as to where to place herself. She had most likely expected my dad to be at work.
"No no, Alex was just about to shower anyway and I'm going to finish this." Dad said, gesturing me to go and get cleaned up so I could actually speak to Leah.
"Do you mind?" I asked her, worried to leave her feeling uncomfortable in my house.
"Course not, I can wait." She said, smiling at me softly.

I headed off to the shower, spending the first five minutes in the bathroom trying to come to terms with the fact Leah was now in my house. I got dried and dressed as quickly as I could, worried that it would be awkward between Leah and my dad but when I arrived back into the living room they were drinking tea and laughing about Aoife screaming at the tv during the match. Leah looked up as I walked into the room and I could feel her eyes looking me up and down. The second I made eye contact with her she looked away, blushing lightly that I had caught her looking at me.

"Have you eaten?" I asked Leah.
"Not yet, have you?"
"No, I could murder a burger though. Fancy it?" I said, hopeful.
"Sure, why not." Her smile getting bigger as she spoke.
"Dad?" I couldn't leave him out but I knew he would say no. He loved Leah and he had a glimmer of hope in his eye that there was more to this than Leah being hungry.
"I'm good, you two go. Enjoy yourselves." He replied, raising his eyebrows slightly with the last comment.

"I just need to call Grace, Leah. I don't want her seeing that I'm with you on some social media site before I've told her. I'll be back in two." I said, pulling my phone out to make the call.
"Of course, I understand." She replied, with no nastiness or callousness in her voice.

I ran upstairs to call Grace, I didn't want to just text her. After just three rings she picked up the phone.

"Alex, I thought you'd still be busy painting?" She said, laughing at the thought.
"Don't get me started, I think I have more paint in my hair than on the walls if I'm honest. Remind me never to try paint our house when we get one!" I said, almost forgetting why I was calling.
"Careful Alex, you might just accidentally commit to something there! Anyway, what's up?" She asked, sounding a little concerned.
"It wouldn't be an accident, I want that with you at some point. But anyway, I need to talk to you about something. If you say you aren't okay with it then I will stop immediately but I need honesty, okay?" Firmly ensuring she knew I would be understanding.
"Of course, go on." Grace now sounded a little taken aback by this conversation.
"So Leah has just shown up, think she wants to talk. I was going to maybe grab some food with her? Nothing fancy, just a burger. I won't go though if -" I was interrupted before I could finish.
"Go." Was all Grace said, I didn't have enough words to work out what her tone was.
"I want to know how you feel about it though. I'm not sure I would feel too good about you heading out with your ex." I said, trying to level with her.
"Alex, you need closure. Today may just be that chance for you to get it. I trust you and I trust your intentions. You're a good person Alex, call me after okay? I hope Leah is okay too, she's clearly going through something if she's come the whole way here." God this girl was amazing. To even care for Leah was something I wasn't sure I could do if I was in her shoes.
"Fuck that - I'm not just going to call you after having dinner with my ex. I'm coming to see you, make sure you know that it was just dinner." I said, wanting to never make anyone feel how I had to.
"See Alex, you're a good person. I miss you too. I'll see you tonight."