Two Fish

thirty four || elver

Elver woke the next morning and checked his phone. He had three messages from Liam and threw the phone down in disgust without even seeing what they said: he didn’t want to have anything to do with Liam anymore. After dressing and going downstairs, he grunted good morning to Cathy and his mother, who was standing at the sink. Then he stopped.

 “Dad, shouldn’t you be at work?” Elver asked as his eyes fell on his father sitting at the table, eating breakfast. He smiled.

“I’ve taken the day off for your mother’s birthday. It’s about time I had a break,” he said. Elver turned away in disgust when his mother giggled and bent down to kiss her husband.

“Ew. This is a family breakfast, you were meant to get this over and done with when you were away,” Cathy said, wrinkling her nose. That made her parents laugh and break away.

“We’re going out for a meal tonight, Elv. You probably don’t want us cramping your style but you have to come,” his father said, shovelling a forkful of scrambled egg into his mouth. Elver gave a small smile.

"No. It’s fine,” he said. “Not that I actually have any style for you to cramp,” he added under his breath.

“Good. We’re going to Roses,” his father said. Elver blushed as if they all knew about his and Alaska’s time there. His father nudged him.

“So. I hear about a girl called Alaska,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Cathy!” Elver exclaimed. Cathy shook her head and pointed accusingly at their mother.

"Mum, I expect better of you,” Elver said.

“Hey, I’m just sharing the news that my little Elver’s got a girlfriend,” his mother said with a mischievous grin. She put her arm round his shoulders. Elver flushed.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he protested. Cathy snorted.

“You spend every day together,” she said, grinning.

“Well, you spend every day with Ella, and she’s not your girlfriend,” Elver retorted.

“That’s not the same,” Cathy said. Elver raised his eyebrows accusingly.

“Careful. Are you saying it’s not the same for girls to like girls?” Elver joked. Cathy looked completely taken aback.

“She’s my friend, idiot.”

“And Alaska’s my friend.” Elver smirked.

“Let’s just settle this,” his father said, setting his fork down on his plate.

“Thank you.”

He grinned. “Alaska isn’t Elver’s girlfriend. Yet.”

This comment launched a whole new argument and afterwards, Elver realised how much he missed how his family used to be, before his father got a new job and was hardly ever around. He worked all hours of the day, back late and gone early, since he had been promoted.

“You’re forgetting something,” Cathy said, tapping her long nails on the kitchen table.

“Huh? Me?” Elver asked. He poured himself a glass of orange juice.

“Yeah. Have a little think.” She made a point of staring at the calendar, held on the fridge by an army of magnets.

“Oh! Sorry, Mum,” he said. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, hun,” she said. He hugged her properly though his mother was half a head shorter than him: he had inherited his father’s height.

That evening, the only correct clock in the house struck seven and it was time to leave. Elver’s mouth hung open when he saw Cathy. She was a tomboy and usually settled for jeans and a t-shirt, occasionally throwing a hoodie into the mix but now, she was wearing a stunning midnight-blue slip dress and a pair of black mock converse underneath.

“You look nice,” Elver said. Cathy blushed.

“Uh, thank you.” She scurried downstairs, past her brother.

A few minutes before they had to leave, their mother appeared in a swishy, floor-length skirt with a long cardigan over the top. She had somewhat tamed her corkscrew curls with a piece of ribbon. Her husband had dressed up in his best trousers and a button-down shirt. Elver felt like the odd one out in a t-shirt and skinny jeans but nobody commented. His family wasn’t one to fuss about presentation, as long as any stains were hidden and rips looked intentional.

“Let’s hit the road, Jack,” Mr James said. He locked the house behind them and opened the car door for his wife. She thanked him and he bowed. “Only the best for you, my dear.”

Twenty minutes later they were seated at a corner table in the posh dining area, surrounded by Friday night chatter. In the middle stood a slender vase that displayed a single rose in homage to the restaurant’s name.

“Oh, hun, we need to pay the water bill,” Elver’s mother said as she perused the cream-coloured, cursive menu.

“What? I thought I’d already paid it,” his father said. Cathy and Elver rolled their eyes at each other.

“Come on. Just relax and forget about bills,” Cathy groaned. “It’s your birthday, Mum.”

“You’re right, Cath,” their father said. “Here. Take your pick.” He offered the wine menu to his wife. She took it and gasped.

“We can’t afford this, Joe,” she said, scanning the extortionate list.

“It’s a birthday treat. Forget about prices,” he said with a lazy smile.

Despite the restaurant being full, the service was quick. The hamburger set down in front of Elver looked huge, far bigger than he remembered Alaska’s being on their night out. As he took his first enormous bite, his gaze landed on a girl across the room. Her tangled ringlets fell past her shoulder blades. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and together, they looked out of place in the fancy eatery. Elver’s heart stopped. Though he carried on eating, he couldn’t tear his eyes from her. He wasn’t positive if it was who he thought it was; he could only see her back. While his parents discussed work, he wiped his mouth and slipped off, telling Cathy he was going to the loo. She furrowed her brow at him: he’d already been the moment they’d arrived, but nodded and speared a twirl of pasta with her fork.

Elver stood up, his hands quivering. He tried to walk past as casually as possible, glancing at the table on the way to the conveniently-placed loos. Now he was positive and he couldn’t help but stare. It was definitely Alaska, and she was with a boy.