Elizabeth and Owen were next to come after Marcus. Owen looked thinner and weaker than before – everything that happened has affected him. He was mingling like before but, the spark was missing. Elizabeth looked quite different as well. She has colored her naturally brunette hair into strawberry blonde and cut her long hair into long bobs. She pierced her nose too – that looks pretty good on her. Other than that, she is still the same friendly out-spoken girl. I smiled as I looked at everyone laughing at something that Joe said to Elizabeth and in return Elizabeth smacked his head playfully. It was good to see Harrison's and Wayne's stilling together – laughing and enjoying after such a long time.
I have been ignoring Leo since I came. I won't be wrong to say that he is doing the same. That kiss changed everything for us – I wish I could turn back the clock and somehow undo that kiss. I don't know what I was thinking then. I was young, depressed, and madly in love with my best friend's brother. I sighed – so many stupid things I have done when I was younger and this would be on the top of the list.
"Charlie, can you please help me in the kitchen?" I snapped out when I heard Maria's voice.
I looked at her, "Huh?" I said and looked around to see almost everyone's looking at me. My cheeks burned as I cleared my throat. "Uh, yes – sure," I said and got up from the carpeted floor. I flinched as I felt a sharp pain in my knee – I shouldn't have sat on the floor. I glanced at Marcus to see him frowning while looking at me.
"Thank you." Maria sat and collected her crutches and stood up from the couch with the help of them. We both walked into the kitchen while the others resumed talking.
Maria was walking ahead of me while I was following her. She turned around to face me when we entered the kitchen and sighed, "What happened to you?" she asked.
I frowned, "What?" I asked – I didn't understand what she meant. Then I realized that she must have seen me flinching then and now because of my knee injury. "Oh – that. It was nothing – I slipped and fell on my knee. It hurts a little to fold my knee but, the pain is nothing compared to yesterday's. It is almost gone, now." I explained.
Maria knitted her brows, "What? What happened? How did you fall?" She questioned.
"Wait. You weren't talking about my knee injury?" I asked confusingly.
She shook her head, "No, I didn't even know about it." She replied. "Does it hurt much? Maybe you shouldn't be standing for long." She added.
I shook my head, "No – no, I am fine. What were you talking about then?" I asked.
"I was talking about you. You look unnerved today. Why is that? Is everything okay?" She said. "And I also couldn't help but notice some tension between you and Leo. Is everything fine? Did he say something to you?" She added. Her question almost made me choke on my saliva.
I was panicking internally but, I didn't lose my cool in front of her. I chuckled nervously, "What? I don't know what you are talking about. Everything's fine. My knee hurts – that's all." I tried to cover it up.
She exhaled and looked at me for a few seconds. "Okay." She finally said. "But, you can tell me anything, you know that right?" She asked.
I gulped, "Of course, I know that." I smiled. She smiled back and nodded her head. I felt guilty – I always tell her every small detail about my life and I was hiding something so big from her. I wanted to tell her a long time ago but, I am afraid how she will react.
After our small talk – I helped her with dinner. I put the plates on the table and helped her make the salad. Meanwhile, we were talking about this and that. I was chopping tomatoes when Silas entered the kitchen. I twirled around to see him opening the refrigerator's door while his eyes were on Maria – who was steering the sauce with a wooden spoon. He then glanced at me and smiled while I returned.
He cleared his throat, "It smells so good. I couldn't help but, come in. What are you making?" he asked Maria.
Maria twirled around and grinned, "I am making Herb chicken with lemon cream sauce. Leo taught me to make it. I ate it when I was visiting him and I couldn't stop eating so, I thought I should make it myself." She told him.
I felt like a third wheel so, I stopped chopping the tomatoes and turned around to face Silas. "Hey Silas, can you please chop these vegetables for the salad. My knee hurts from standing for so long." I semi-lied. It didn't hurt too badly but, I had to leave and give them some space.
Silas looked at me, "Sure. What happened to your knee, by the way?" he asked while unbuttoning his cuff buttons.
"I fell and hurt my knee. Nothing serious but, it just hurts." I explained.
"Oh, yeah sure – you should sit down," Silas said. I winked at him and glanced at Maria before looking back at Silas who was smirking now.
"Thank you," I said and washed my hands.
"Thank you." Silas mouthed and winked at me before I walked out of the kitchen.
I walked out and went to sit where everyone was seated. Everyone was busy playing Kathie – who couldn't help but, laugh as Elizabeth makes funny faces. I smiled and sat beside Joe who looked at me and then glanced towards the kitchen, "Where is Silas?" he asked.
I grinned, "In the kitchen with Maria. I felt like the third wheel so, I came out." I told him.
"Damn, I wanted to drink water." He complained.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "They are not having sex in the kitchen. You can go and drink water." She said to Joe – who just rolled his eyes, while everyone else chuckled.
We all talked a little more while we drank some wine. The dinner was ready so, Elizabeth, I, and Silas helped Maria in setting up the table with food. The table had only six chairs so, everyone couldn't sit. Owen, Pops, Silas, Marcus, Joe, and Leo sat on the table while we girls decided to eat in the lounge area.
I took some chicken and rice on my plate and walked into the lounge to eat when I heard Kathie's crying. I put the plate of food on the coffee table and excused myself to see Kathie – who was sitting on her father's lap while crying. She was trying to get off Marcus's lap while he was trying to hold her at her place, "I am so sorry, everyone." Marcus apologized and got up with his daughter in his arms and walked towards the balcony. I bit my lip and followed him as I saw that Kathie wouldn't stop crying.
"It's okay. It's okay – please, stop crying." He mumbled to his daughter while he bounced her while was still in his arms, but Kathie didn't listen to her father and kept crying.
"Marcus?" I called his name. He twirled around to look at me, "Give her to me. You should go and eat while I will look after her." I said to him.
He shook his head, "Thank you, Miss McGill but, no. You should eat your dinner." He said to me.
I rolled my eyes and stepped nearer to him, "She must have soiled her diaper – let me see." I asked him while I waited for him to hand over me his daughter.
He shook his head, "I will go and check it myself. You should and eat." He said.
I rolled my eyes, "Can we please play 'I can do it, you should go' game later. Kathie is crying and I need to see if she soiled her diaper or if she's hungry so, please give her to me and go eat your dinner, Mr. Harrison." I said sternly. Marcus frowned and narrowed his eyes at which I shrugged, "What? You are not my boss right now. Now can you please give her to me – for the love of God, she's crying." I added and took her from his arms – he didn't resist either. Maybe I had a little too much wine tonight.
Marcus didn't argue and quietly walked towards the table while all the men were already enjoying their dinner. I took Kathie in Maria's room and checked if she did soil her diaper and I was right – she did. I came out and picked the bag from the lounge and walked back into the room to change her. I cleaned her up and put a fresh and clean diaper on her before, walking out with her in my arms. Marcus was slowing chewing his food when he saw me coming. He swallowed the food and stood up to take Kathie from me when I shook my head, "I am taking her with me. Don't worry, I will feed her as well. I saw you brought her food." I told him. He sighed and didn't argue with me – good choice, I thought.
Maria, I and Elizabeth talked while enjoying our dinner. Maria did cook amazing dinner and I could help but, eat more and more – while Kathie enjoyed some plain rice and her chicken patty.
"Maria, this chicken is to die for!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she took another bite of it.
Maria grinned, "Thank you, Leo taught me to make this. You should eat when he makes it – I swear it's a hundred times better than this." She told her. I swallowed the food and drank a sip of red wine over it.
"Really? Can he cook? He doesn't look like a person who knows how to cook." Elizabeth commented.
"Thank you." We heard Leo from behind us. All three of us twirled around to look at him while he was looking at Elizabeth incuriously.
Maria and I looked at Elizabeth who drank some wine from her glass, "I – uh – I was just saying." She tried to cover herself up.
Leo raised his brow, "Yeah." He said and then looked at Maria, "Do you have any beer?" he asked Maria.
Maria nodded her head, "But, it is not cold." She replied.
Leo shrugged, "Doesn't matter, where it is?" he asked.
"Uh – in the lower cabinet." She answered. "The right one – besides the cabinet where all the pots," she told him. Leo frowned as he didn't understand what his sister was saying. Maria sighed and shook her head before looking at me, "Charlie, can you please help him out." She asked.
I almost choked on my chicken, "Me?" I asked with my eyes widened.
She frowned, "Uh – yes. Why? Is there any problem?" she asked.
I shook my head, "No – no, no problem." I said as I got up to my feet and looked at Leo who was scratching his nose.
"I will find it myself." He said and walked away without even looking at anyone.
All three of us twirled our heads to see him walking away. Elizabeth frowned, "What crawled in his ass and died?" she asked Maria randomly.
Maria chuckled and shrugged, "No one can figure it out. He is a very secretive man." She told him. "He wasn't always like that." She added. "After mom died – he joined army although, he studied to be a doctor. He went to Afghanistan shortly after that and when he came back – he was a completely different person. He has been limping since then – when we asked, he said that he had an accident in Afghanistan that left him limping but, I know that a lot more happened then that but, he never tells what." Maria said. Elizabeth and I went quiet. I knew this all but, Elizabeth didn't.
We all ate quietly after that. After everyone was done eating Elizabeth, I, Silas, Marcus, and Joe cleaned the table and took the dirty plates and dishes in the kitchen. No matter how much Maria tried to help but, we didn't let her. It was enough that she has done so much with her condition. I was putting the leftover in the fridge when Joe came with two glasses of wine in his hands. He kept one to himself while handed others to me.
"I shouldn't be drinking more. It is very easy for me to get drunk." I said.
Marcus – who was wiping the freshly washed plates with a towel – twirled his head to glance at us before resume wiping the other plates.
"Come on, just one drink with me?" he asked and clinked his glass with mine. I looked at my glass and then his – before taking a sip of the wine. I closed the fridge behind me and faced Joe – who was smiling at me. I gulped and glanced at Marcus who wiped the last plate and quietly walked out of the kitchen. "By the way, I talked to Silas and Elizabeth about a trip to the fair. We are planning to go on this Sunday." He informed me.
I smiled, "Really?" I asked excitedly.
He nodded, "Yes, you just have to ask Marcus." He said.
I frowned, "Why do I have to talk to him? Why can't you do it?" I asked.
He chuckled, "There are more chances that Marcus will say yes to you rather than to me." He shrugged and took another sip of the wine.
I stiffed at his words – why would he say that? Did he understand that I caught feelings for his cousin? I gulped, "Why would he say yes to me?" I asked.
Joe smiled, "Well, he trusts you with his daughter. I don't think he'll say no to you but, if he does then, maybe Maria could talk – I know that he would never say no to her." Joe stated.