Friday, June 17, 2011

the guest

The stir-fry was sizzling on the stove.  Doyle took one more look at the brown rice. It was done. Supper would be on the table shortly, but the door bell rang.

Finn wiped his hand on a dish towel at the sink and looked at Doyle as if Doyle might be expecting someone. Doyle shook his head. Hopefully, it wasn't some kids trying to make money this summer by selling vegetables from their kitchen's fridge.

Finn went to answer the door. Doyle cut the heat from the stove.

He heard two people laughing, he guessed. Doyle took a peak around the corner. Was that who he thought it was?

"Jonah." Finn kept smiling. "I can't believe you're here. Why didn't you call?"

"What? I thought you liked surprises." Jonah looked him over. Before Finn could take a step back, Jonah grabbed his shoulders.

"This is definitely, a surprise." Finn told him. "Come on, I want you meet someone." He walked toward the kitchen then. Finn's eyes lit when he saw Doyle. Fin put his arm around Doyle. "This is my boyfriend, Doyle."

Doyle managed a quick smile and put out his hand to shake Jonah's hand. Instead, Jonah gave him a soured look, as well to Finn too.

"We're having a vegetable stir-fry. You want to have dinner with us?" Finn offered.

"I'm hungry. But that's all you've got?" Jonah winced.

"Well, yeah." Finn shrugged. He looked to Doyle for help, but Doyle went to set the table instead. Finn grabbed a few beers out of the fridge. "Maybe you could wash it down with this?"

But Jonah was in a pout. He sat himself down. There was barely enough room for the three of them.

"So when did you get back?" Finn was being friendly.

"Today." Jonah scowled.

"You didn't go home first? What about your Mom and Dad?" Finn asked.

Jonah gave him a shrug as he opened the beer to drink.

Finally, they started to eat, and managed through the meal. Of course, Jonah used most of the bottle of soy sauce on his portion of the meal.

"You don't think he'd stay the night, do you?" Doyle asked Finn after dinner. Jonah found the TV. He channel surfed, endlessly.

"Well, his duffel bag's in the livingroom." Finn looked uneasy. "What am I suppose to do?"

"I guess one night wouldn't hurt." Doyle knew they had to be hospitable.

Finn yawned as if he couldn't stay up too much longer. "I don't want to have entertain him all night."

"Yeah, we both have work tomorrow." They were both up before six every morning. They turned in by the ten o'clock news every night.

"I can't believe he's here." Finn hugged himself. "I don't know what to do."

"Its OK, we'll get through this. We will. He's just a guest." Doyle nodded.

"Yeah, that's all he is." Finn sighed. But Doyle could see Jonah must have lost his charm somewhere on the road. Evidently.

7 comments:

  1. Awkward. Jonah sounds like someone who needs a lot of..something.

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  2. I hope things get better from here on out. :/

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  3. Jonah is a bit unsettling, at the moment.

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  4. This makes me want a stir fry! Kinda awkward having an unannounced guest turn up like that..

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  5. I'm always worried if company comes over..they won't leave.

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