Just Me Again.

45: Can We Talk?

SILAS HARRISON

The dinner went well – I accepted it to be awkward quiet dinner, but gladly it was not. Maria's friends are affable. It didn't take long before we all were talking about random things like it wasn't our first time meeting properly. Maria on the other hand was quieter than usual. Her outburst earlier the same night confused me. I don't know what it was about. I tried to ask her, but she asked me not to press her, and I didn't, but it worried me. I dropped her off to Charlie's apartment after dinner while Paige, Rene, Kathie, and Charlie went with Marcus. She was quiet the whole ride and it was bothering me. I didn't push her to tell me what was wrong since she asked me not to. When I came back home I took off my tie and threw it on the bed while Bear came running to my room. He sat on the bed as he played with the tennis ball.

I sat beside him and scratched his back as he played. I was lost in my thoughts when my cellphone rang. I took it out of my pants pocket to see it was a call from Elizabeth. I answered it, "Hey, dumbass." I spoke with a tired smile on my face. Today was a hectic day. There was a lot to do in the office – I wish for dad to come sooner. I could use his help. I could imagine Elizabeth rolling her eyes from the other side of the phone, "Shut up, idiot." She replied. "So you called me to tell me to shut up?" I asked her jokingly. "You have so much time to waste by making a phone call long, Silas." She replied. I chuckled, "What do you want?" I asked her. She sighed, "Did you sent my bag to Charlie's apartment?" She asked. I yawned and laid back on the bed, "Yes, I did." I replied. "Okay, thank you." She said and paused for a moment before she spoke, "So, you all went out for dinner tonight?" She asked. I nodded, 'Yes, we did." I replied short. "Tell me, how are Maria's friends? Are the nice to talk to or are they bitchy?" She asked. "That's a ridiculous question," I replied. She groaned lowly, "Just answer my question." She said back. I sighed and sat as Bear jump off my bed and went out of the room, "They are great. Paige and Rene are sweet and friendly girls. There – you got your answer." I replied.

She was quiet for a few seconds before she spoke, "Do you remember Freddie?" She asked out of the blue. I knitted my eyebrows together as I tried to think of a person named Freddie. "Uh – I can't think of any Freddie I know at the moment. Remind me who he is." I asked her. "Freddie Stanley – my class fellow from school?" She replied. I thought about her few friends that she had in school and instantly remembered Freddie. "Oh, the same Freddie you had a crush on?" I asked with a smirk. When she didn't reply immediately I laughed. She sighed, "Yes, the same Freddie." She replied. "What about him?" I asked her. She sighed, "I can't believe that I am about to tell you this." She mumbled, but I heard her. "Well, - uh – we – we are – were in a relationship." She finally said.

I gaped, "You were in a relationship with a guy? I thought you were into girls." I joked. "Seriously Silas, it is not a good time to joke. I should have called Marcus or better – I should have called anyone of my friends but guess what? I don't have any and those I have – I am talking about Maria and Charlie here – I never got time to socialize with them because either I was working or I was looking after our mother!" She yelled at me before she cut off the call. I was left astonished. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that she was crying while she yelled at me.

She never behaved like that. It was the first time she ever yelled like that. She also never complained about taking care of mom. She volunteered since she was already living in London. I immediately called her back but she didn't pick up her the call. I didn't give up and called her one more time and this time she picked it. "Eliza, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to offend you like that." I spoke. She didn't speak immediately – instead, she spoke after a long pause. I honestly thought that she wasn't online for a few seconds. "It is okay. I am sorry – I didn't mean to yell. I am just so frustrated." She took a deep breath.