When I Was His

80

All is right in the world, my family is all together and are getting on and I have ark by my side. Its time to head home but its not a bitter occasion as my gramps is coming back with us for a few weeks, he's going to stay in my bedroom at my parents house. I'll definitely have to make time to visit my family now.

Ark huffs as he squeezes in the car beside my sister and niece, he had wanted to sit up front with me but my dad's legs playing up so he needs the extra room. Ark grumbles under his breath that he should have just caught a flight home, my dad laughs and throws him a tissue. "dry your eyes mate"

My dad's cheeky attitude always makes ark laugh so he cracks a smile and sarcastically dabs his dry eyes.

"do you need to grab some stuff from your place"

I look at ark through the mirror and raise my eyebrows, I don't have the slightest idea what he means "what"

"your staying at mine for the week remember, your helping me entertain my mother and daughter" he looks slightly worried like he thinks I've changed my mind.

"oh yeah I just forgot for a moment, yes I'll need to pick up my uniform and some new clothes. Should only be an hour"

"meeting the family, its getting serious then" my dad says as he winks at me.

"there will be wedding bells next" he jokes.

"ill be bridesmaid, but don't even think about putting me in an awful dress" my niece Becca announces.

"hey no ones getting married, your gonna scare him off" I chastise, in all fairness ark doesn't look fazed.

"were only teasing, your way too young for that. You need to enjoy your life." my dad says with a smile, he confided in me that he really likes arks and thinks we could work. My mom on the other hand is still sceptical, she has been kind to him but its clear to me that she doesn't think that were a good match.

" can you change the channel, I can't stand this song" Becca complains from the back.

"behave its kiss, who doesn't like kiss" ark replies obviously shocked by her admission.

"me there just old guys in leather and studs it's like a geriatric domentarix convention" she says dramatically.

"oh really, well I just happen to have gene Simmons number maybe we should call him and tell him your views" ark says as he pulls out his cell.

"who's gene Simmons"

My dad almost swings around, the shock in his face makes me laugh loudly. "you don't know who gene Simmons is. What do they teach you at school."

"he's the lead singer of the geriatric domantrix band you hate so much" ark jokes.

"your not really calling him are you, aunt Rose he won't really call him will he" Becca seems panicked but ark doesn't back down. He presses a button on the cell and requests for it to call gene simmons.

My dad and I are struggling to keep in our laughter as becca turns white.

"hey ark you OK man" a voice says through the cell. My niece looks at me with panic but I can only laugh.

"hey man, I was just listening to your music on the radio and my girlfriends niece wanted to let you know what she thought of the song" ark has a huge smile on his face as he hands his cell to Becca.

"hello Mr simmons, I love your band" she says sheepishly.

You can hear the smile on genes face as he replies "thanks darling what's your favourite song"

Becca looks at Mary who just shrugs.

"her favourite is I want to rock and roll all night same as me" my dad yells.

"that's my girls dad, this family had great taste doesn't it" ark jokes as he takes the cell back from becca who's finally seeing the funny side of it.

"not if there letting their daughter date you" gene replies with a laugh.

"dick" ark replies.

"hey man I have to go, pop round one day we haven't hung in a while"

"ill be there bye"

Ark ends the call and becca pinches his arm, "your a jerk"

Ark laughs and bumps get arm "im sorry I couldn't resist"

Talk of music stops as one by one everyone apart from me falls asleep, driving is boring when you have no one to speak to. I don't even turn the radio up out of fear of waking everyone. It's been a great week but I haven't had a moment to myself, even in my room I wasn't alone. Things have moved so quickly between ark and I that I haven't had a moment to think. Things have definitely changed between us, ark is like a different person. I have had to get to know him all over again, I'm worried that once again were moving too quick but I just can't put on the breaks.

The last week has been so good that I'm not ready to return to my job and reality. Its strange knowing that when I leave work tomorrow I won't be going home to my roommates ill be going back to arks house and meeting the two most important women in his life. I hope they like me, I'm most anxious about meeting his daughter after all she is older than I am.