Brian did not look like a butler. Instead, he reminded me starkly of a teacher from high school, the type who didn't care for gum or cussing and more than often blended in with the students rather than the teachers.
Admittedly, I'd imagined Brian to be in a suit and British looking. I was very wrong on both accounts. Brian looked to be in his late 20s, wore casual clothes, was Irish and is good to look at. The thought of Grandma's butler possibly being young had never crossed my mind. Weirdly enough, even as her own granddaughter, Brian could pass as her nephew.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Liv." Brian said kindly, his accent barely noticeably. He puts the grocery bags down and turns to greet me properly.
I like him already for calling me by my preferred name, "Finally?"
Brian nodded, smiling. "Caroline talks about you all the time- you're really as pretty as she boasts."
I gaped, "She speaks about me? Really?"
He laughed, a little startled by my strong reaction. "She does."
"Oh good! You've introduced yourselves!" Grandma said, walking in, "Darling, you look beautiful in the dress!" She's about to come up to me until her eyes catch Tyler and she immediately drops her bags to the floor and surges pass me instead to cradle his head, "Tyler! It's so wonderful to see you dear, you look so much like your- you're so handsome!" Grandma corrects herself quickly, her expression softening. Tyler doesn't notice, too happy within her presence. He leans into her hand like a cat wanting affection.
I let the two have their moment a little longer, second to his own, Tyler saw Grandma Caroline as a parental figure. It wasn't hard to understand how, even despite living a long way away, Grandma had a gift for making everyone feel loved- it's a good idea to stay on her good side.
"Grandma, this is Ash." Tyler said, introducing our smiley friend who didn't seem to mind being ignored for a few seconds.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am." Ash said politely.
Grandma waved her hand in the air dismissively- though clearly pleased, "I like you already!" She chuckled, "Do you like curry, dear?"
Ash grinned, flashing his pearly whites, "I do. Sorry for coming un-"
"None of that, dear, the more the merrier!" Grandma said, "You two can come and help me carry these into the kitchen and chop up some vegetables."
My friends quickly oblige, Ash mimicking Tyler without any hesitance as if he'd already adapted to the atmosphere.
"What about me?" I jokingly whinged, waving my a hands in the air for some attention.
Grandma glanced at me, "Can you still cook worth a darn?"
I reddened, "Well..."
"She can still only make ramen." Tyler snickered. Ash and Brian laugh at this.
"You're not any better." I said, grabbing the groceries out of Tyler's hand. "How hard can chopping a few vegetables be?" I retorted.
"You have the worst hand eye coordination, Liv." Tyler said, not stopping me.
I frowned, "Do not! I just don't pay attention sometimes."
"That's not any better, dear." Grandma called back from the kitchen, "Actually, you three can go outside and play, having Brian help would be faster than teaching and handling you lot."
"Play?" Ash repeated, amused.
"I have an old swing set at the back." I suggested, grinning. My friends happily oblige, following me to the backyard. Ash whistles, impressed at the sight of it, "Theres enough space here for another house. And how convenient that there's three swings."
Tyler laughed slightly, "Yeah, we were all adamant about there being three- enough for all of us."
I don't think Tyler realises Ash doesn't know what or who he's referring to- it certainly didn't sound like sarcasm either.
I proceed to quickly fill him in, "Cade, that is." I said quietly, enough so that Tyler wouldn't hear.
Ash nodded, quickly comprehending. I'd hoped he'd forgotten about the ordeal when we'd all gone out and I'd mentioned Cade, but I suppose remembering came in handy for rare moments when Tyler gets suddenly out of it. Even if anyone asked, he'd pretend not to hear.
"Oh, I forgot, one of them is broken though!" I said, hopping my way over to the swings. The furthest one to the right had rusted more than the other two and the seat was cracked- close enough to breaking with the right amount of weight.
"I could push." Ash offered.
Tyler smirked, getting onto his own swing and beginning to push himself forward with his feet, "Good, push me."
Ash laughed, "I was insinuating to push Olive."
"Bad idea, she weighs more than me." Tyler retorted.
I rolled my eyes, unbothered, "Okay fine, Ash get on. I'll push you. I can't hold on properly anyway." I said, gesturing to my sling. Gosh, I can't wait to get this thing off.
Ash hesitantly sits onto the swing. "Are you sure, I'm still pretty he-"
I push him and he shoots forward, letting out a small surprised yelp and quickly grabbing onto the chains. "You're thinner than Tyler." I said, smiling deviously, "See? You went up easy."
Tyler made a sound halfway between a laugh and a scoff, "You probably should've warned the guy before pushing him off to space, Liv."
Ash recollected himself as he swung back to me, looking as if I'd knocked the wind out of him. "Are you sure you aren't the Super?" He joked, brown eyes wide.
My two friends are too busy laughing to notice my momentary shock at the humoured comment. I need to get that damned SP out of my head. I smoothly begin to laugh along with them, "That's funny. But sadly, no. I'm just an ordinary girl who only has the brain capacity to envy Supers and their powers." I said lightly.
A strange expression crosses their face and I start pushing Ash again, this time- gently. "Better?" I asked.
Ash nodded, "Better."
So this is what we do for a while until Brian comes out to call us back in, telling us the food is all ready for dinner. We're all more than happy, exhausted from the thrill of swinging, laughing and pushing.
"Why're you all sweating? Go wash your hands." Grandma huffed, sitting down at the dinner table big enough to serve a party of people and only ever used by the couple that's currently out eating their own dinner tonight.
"Swings." Tyler said, washing his hands first before sitting next to Grandma.
"That old thing is still there?" Grandma mused.
"You're still here?" Tyler joked.
Grandma is more lenient than I remembered her to be- but I suppose she's always been that way with Tyler, and Tyler is lucky- she only whacks him across the arm before proceeding to fill up the plates for us, she gives both Tyler and I double the amount she gives to Ash and Brian.
Tyler and I both laugh at Ash's mildly dejected expression, when Grandma notices this she chuckles, "Those two are getting thin. They're not eating enough. Feel free to add more rice if you still feel hungry dear." She tells Ash.
Now all three of us begin giggling like idiots again and both Brian and Grandma are watching us, both amused and confused. We all dig into our food.
It's much better than takeaway.
"It's spicy." I hear Ash murmur beside me, when I turn to him on a mouthful, I find him flushed completely red. I almost spit out my food in surprise. "But it's delicious." He adds meekly when he catches my eye.
I swallow my bite and grin, "I hardly use to stand it, but she would put spice in everything so I had to." I tell him, then I pause, "Totally not stereotyping but aren't you Mexican?"
"Yes." He answered sheepishly, "I'm the only one in my family who can't handle spice."
I found myself imagining Reece and Ash sitting at a dinner table, Ash struggling to get through his food and Reece eating without a care in the world, one hand occupied by his spoon, the other by his phone.
"Oh hey, I'm half." Tyler interjected, beaming.
"I figured so with your surname." Ash replied.
The two share a fist-bump and I frown, looking over at my Grandma, "Could we possibly be-"
"We're a little Irish." She answered.
I hold my fist out to Brian sitting across from me whom is just as surprised as the rest of us. He laughs but obliges and we share a much more awesome gesture than my friends. "Boom. Your beloved Liv is in fact a little Irish." I declared smugly, "The Irishmen handle heat better than the Mexican."
Everyone laughs, and I now know that this is the delightful dinner conversation and banter I've been missing out on all this time. I wished it would never end.
"How long are you staying Grandma?" Tyler asked when we're just about finishing up on our food. Everyone is stuffed, the three of us- Tyler, Ash and I have had about two more helpings of the food- Ash had claimed he'd gotten numb enough handle it, but I'd still see him reaching for the water every few bites. You can really tell when someone has grown up with a sibling.
Grandma purses her lips, "A few days, sadly- I still have a job to get back to, you know."
Tyler pouts, pulling out a puppy-face I hadn't seen since we were young. "Oh."
Grandma chuckles, pinching his cheek, "I'm going to make you wish I was gone on the third day- I'm going to get my years worth of smothering I've missed on."
We smile. I don't think Tyler and I would complain about that. Sadly enough, I don't think the amount of smothering any human could manage in three days would be enough to make up for how much affection we'd missed on. A brief thought crosses my mind and I swallow back a lump that had formed in my throat.
Just as we're all delivering our plates to the sink and packing up, I hear a phone chime and turn to find Ash frowning down at his device. "I'm sorry to come and leave abruptly but I have to go." He said.
"Dining and ditching, huh?" I humoured, and when Ash doesn't falter at my joke, I awkwardly recoil, "Is everything okay?" I ask, now concerned.
When he looks up and catches everyone's expression, he gives us a reassuring smile. "Yes, I just have to go- there's something I forgot about." He's smiling, but he sounds a little irritated.
"I sure hope everything is all right. Off you go then, dear. It was nice having you here." Grandma said, pulling him into a smothering hug. Ash's smile broadens and he nods, pulling out of it- "Thank you ma'am. Me too." He said.
As Tyler was his ride, he has to leave with him too. When Ash turns to me to say bye, I catch him holding an expression I can't quite place my finger on. "Kimmy?" I guessed.
"Yeah-uh sort of." He said sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck.
I don't think he's going to explain further, I don't ask, I just hug him goodbye- a habit I've picked up from Kimmy- my friends all smell nice so I don't mind it in the slightest. "It must be important, so go!" I said, pulling out of the embrace.
He nodded, looking a little disappointed, "Yeah."
And then they're gone.
"I was hoping to have you three on the dishes, there's quite a load." Grandma said, putting her hands on her hips. She looks at me expectantly and I laugh, "I'll do them."
"Good, because I need to unpack." And then she's gone too.
I haven't had to do the dishes in a while- living off takeaway and cup noodles and all. My diet is atrocious... I pause. I think both my Grandma and I had forgotten I was in a sling. I quickly debate taking it off until I hear Brain, "Just the two of us then."
I nodded, a little relieved for some company- even if a new one. "Guess so." I said, "I could hand you the dishes."
"Great." He chirped.
So that's what we do for a while. Hand, wash, stack.
"Are you okay?" Brian asks suddenly, putting away a cup.
I raised my eyebrows, surprised. "Yes? Why?"
"Gut feeling? Not really sure."
I laughed, amused. "Well, thanks for asking anyway."
"You seemed kind of sad, is all."
I thought I was enjoying myself...didn't I appear so? The company of friends and family had made me feel lighter and happier than I'd been in a while. Unable to respond, I just begin to slowly nod- I realise that after I've stopped I should've been shaking my head.
"Sorry, I just felt like I needed to ask." He offers a smile before it suddenly drops as realisation seems to dawn on him, "Oh my god I sound like George." He muttered under his breath.
"George?" I echoed curiously.
Brian nodded, biting his lip. "My fiancé. Seems like his habit is rubbing off onto me." He explained sheepishly. "He's a therapist."
"That makes sense." I said. Brian had gone profusely red in seconds at the mention of George. If love feels like how it looks, it must be lovely.
"So...if there's anything bugging you... I may not be as much help, but apparently talking to a stranger about your problems kind of helps." He said gently.
I smiled, "That's really cool of you, but I don't really..." I trailed off, unsure how to finish. I use the back of my hand to wipe off water that must've splashed and hit my cheek. I proceed to keep handing him the dishes so he can wash them and we stand side by side in silence, the sound of scrubbing, clanking and squeaking filling up between us.
That is until Brian abruptly stops, dropping his sponge into the sink and it lands with a wet plop onto the water. I think he's waiting up for me to hand him another plate until I turn to find him looking right at me, concern etched across his soft features.
"Do I have something on my face?" I joked, reaching back up to rub my face with the back of my hand. I pull away from the wetness of my cheeks. I'm crying?
"Oh." I croaked, my tongue suddenly thick and the air suddenly suffocating.
"It's not part of my job requirement, but if it does helps to talk..." He suggests quietly.
I turn away from his gaze, my tears fall from my chin into the sink. "I don't really know why I'm crying." I tell him honestly, "Sorry about this. Kind of ridiculous huh?" What is wrong with me today?
"Something George always says is 'sometimes all you need is a good cry.'" Brian quoted, pitching his voice to mimic another, who I presume must be George. This makes me smile a little, at my expression, his face softens with relief.
"Could you possibly be stressed about something? College?" He continues hesitantly.
"I doubt it, I haven't even started college yet." I said.
"You don't have to keep helping with the dishes if you don't want to- I won't tell Caroline." Brian offers kindly, George you lucky man.
"Nah, I don't mind. Besides, that'd be rude of me." I said, smiling.
"Does your arm hurt?"
I shook my head, "Its been in this position for so long I forget I have another arm."
He chuckled, "How'd you break it?"
"Actually, I dislocated it falling down the stairs a few days ago."
Brian's pale eyebrows shot up, "That sounds horrible."
"Falling hurt a lot more." I said, "Wait, I take that back- getting it popped back in was worse." I smiled grimly at the recent memory of Reece popping my shoulder back into place.
"Ouch. Wouldn't you be on anaesthetic?"
"Ash's brother Reece did it for me, I had a gag in my mouth." I told him.
I'd expected him to laugh, but instead, his blue eyes widened in surprise and concern. "That's horrifying. I love George but even I wouldn't trust him to do something like that for me."
I laughed, "The thought of having my arm not attached to the rest of my body just terrified me enough to be desperate I suppose, apparently he did well though- so I trusted the right guy."
Halfway through talking amongst ourselves we'd forgotten what we were supposed to be doing- washing dishes.
"Do you have a cat by the way?" Brian asked, starting to pull up his sleeves again.
I raised my eyebrows, amused. "Nope. How random."
"Really? Why is there cat food in the cupboard?" He questioned, perplexed
"Oh! I have a cat that'd swing by for food sometimes. He doesn't come around anymore though." I recalled glumly, how depressing, it seems even a cat can no longer stand my presence.
"Sorry to say I'm glad- but I'm allergic to them."
I gasped, horrified. "You have to live a cat-less life?"
He laughed, "Afraid so. George hates me for it to this day, he use to have a bunch of cats growing up. He only found out I had allergies when we moved in together- I think he almost began crying. In all my life I've never hated something as trivial as being allergic to felines."
"I like this George guy." I say, amused.
"I got you beat, I love him." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the sides.
"Just this instance, I don't mind losing." I giggled, "You're a cool butler, y'know."
"Thank you." He grinned.
"I'm surprised you'd come all the way here for your job, isn't it a long drive?"
"It is, but it's no hassle, I have a sister that lives around here- I'll be staying over at hers and popping by here in the day to do my duties."
"What's having a sister like?" I asked curiously.
Brian didn't take very long to answer, "I'd imagine it's something like the relationship you and Tyler have."
The answer makes me smile. "If she reminds you of me then she must be awesome."
He chuckled, "She is, her name is Anna. I'm older, but she treats me like I'm a child."
"I have a boss called Anna." I said absentmindedly.
"You do? Well, she's a boss." He said, "She runs a café."
"Oh my gosh! Your sister is my boss!" I laughed.
"Huh. Everything seems to tie up in the weirdest ways."