Page 20 of Elijah
Amy
aged 28
After my run in with Elijah, the last thing I felt like doing was going to a family dinner, but Mum and Dad had been on holiday and she wanted to see her babies, together, for the first time in two weeks. This meant that I was being greeted at the door by a tanned, smiling Mum.
“Hello love,” Mum said, pulling me into a hug. “Ooh I’ve missed you.”
“You’ve only been gone two weeks.” My voice was muffled against her chest. “Did you have a good time?”
“Lovely. Your Dad swam every day.”
I looked up to see her eyes glistening with the fear that she still felt about Dad’s heart attack, even after ten years.
“And he was okay?” I asked, not worried, but reaffirming to mum that she didn’t need to wrap him up in cotton wool.
She nodded and then taking in a quick breath, started to study me. “There’s something wrong with you though.”
“What makes you think something’s wrong?”
“You’re my daughter, I gave birth to you. I know every expression you have and you’re currently wearing the ‘something is pissing me off’ expression.”
I rolled my eyes and moved past her into the hall, making my way into the kitchen, knowing it was where everyone else would be. Everyone else being my Dad, my brother Matty, and Matty’s girlfriend, Carla.
“Hey,” I said, as brightly as possible. “Oh my god, Carla. You’re bloody blooming.”
I rushed over to her and ran a hand over the swollen stomach and kissing her cheek. Matty and Carla were having a baby and at five months pregnant, she was all of a sudden looking very pregnant.
“She’s looks beautiful, doesn’t she?” Mum said proudly as she moved over to the oven to check the Shepherd’s pie that was permeating a homely, comforting smell into the kitchen.
“I don’t know about that,” Carla replied. “I feel fat and horrible.”
“You’re not fat, babe and you know it.” Matty kissed her temple and grinned.
My heart swelled as I watched them, knowing that they were going to be fantastic parents despite being young. It hadn’t been the best timing, Carla getting pregnant during their final year at uni’, but at least it had been close to the end. Thankfully, they’d both managed to get decent degrees despite all the worry and the fact that Carla’s parents had practically disowned her, hence she and Matty were living with Mum and Dad. Dad had suggested it, saying it would allow them to save some money toward the deposit on a house. Mum had also offered to look after the baby when it came, once Carla got a career job, as she was currently working in a call centre. Both she and Matty had degrees in Computer Science, and Matty had already started as a junior developer with a software company, so things were looking good for them.
“Aww you’re going to be such a good baby daddy,” I said, playfully pinching my brother’s cheek.
He pushed me away, but gave me a gorgeous smile that was full of pride.
“How are you Dad?” I asked, moving over to give him a hug.
“Great thanks, sweetheart.” He squeezed me tight and kissed the end of my nose, as he always did. “How’s the new job going?”
“Fine,” I replied, going over to the sink to get myself a glass of water.
“No, the job is not fine,” Mum said from behind me. “I can tell, something is bothering her.”
“What makes you think it’s the job?” I asked, still with my back to them. “If there even is anything wrong.”
“Well you don’t currently have a boyfriend and don’t seem to want one, you look healthy enough, I saw Rachel in town earlier and she seemed happy, so it can only be the job.”
Mum was right, the only other person I’d be worried about would be my best friend, Rachel, my rock. She’d been my friend since primary school and had been through every single moment with me and Elijah, even the horrible, shitty ones at the end. She was newly married to Adam and extremely, annoyingly happy, so Mum had deduced correctly what my problem was.
I turned around, knowing I couldn’t keep it from them any longer. I was going to have to spill the news that Elijah was working with me.
“Okay,” I sighed. “There is something.”
“I knew it,” Mum announced proudly. “You can’t get much past me.”
