a warry time

Luc didn't know what he was exactly suppose to do. Would he have even recognized his cousin in a crowd? He doubted it. They hadn't seen each other since he was in middle school. But here he was stacking mail, putting magazines on the shelf.

"I didn't alphabetize these, you don't think she'll be mad, do you?" He looked back at Audrey who was messing around in the kitchen, but she didn't know where anything was at Kayla's.

"Its not the library." She shout whispered.

"What are you doing?" Pots and pans were clanging. He went to see.

"I'm putting things away." She told him.

"Just like you do at home." He teased with a smirk.

"You gotta come to Sunday night dinner." She eyeballed him.

"Where?" He slightly scowled as he pushed the sleeves up of his old gray sweater. It was time to get this done in the livingroom. Vacuuming was next.

"You know, where." She gave him a perturbed look. "Mom and Dad ask you all the time."

"Well, its not mandatory." He acted as if she had to be there because she was the one who was always in trouble. Not him. "I have some place else to go on Sunday nights."

"Like where?" She would pester him about it until he told her.

"A friend." He seriously doubted she wanted to know about Gia and her dad. They were sort of like family. It would sound weird that he missed a little toddler, who he thought at one time he could be a father too.

"What kind of friend?" Audrey popped another question.

"Jesus, give me a break about Dorian." Luc gave her a dead stare. Besides he wasn't sure where to plug in the vacuum. "He's got a boyfriend."

"You're still not seeing anyone?" This sounded like something she was going to tell their mother about.

"No." This was giving him a headache just to talk about. "Everything is fine."

"Oh really?" she pressed the issue more before he could turn on the apparatus to get down to business. "That's always the way it is with you. I really don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" He winced.

"Be you." She looked angry. "You wouldn't even go to college."

"College?" It was at touchy subject. "Remember, I dunno what I want to do." He made light of it. "Besides, Mom and Dad were busy with you."

"But you were the guy who wanted to write jokes for other people. You never wanted to actually do stand up. You were so shy. It was like you..you were never even there, at home." She was bitter.

"Fine."  Luc let go of the vacuum before he ever turned it on. He felt like getting in a screaming match with his sister. He ran out of the livingroom. There was a baby that was sleeping. He really didn't need this right now.

But as it was, he got turned around when he got in the hallway. He didn't know which way he'd came up. So he raced downstairs. Next thing he knew he was at Oliver's. And when he looked up, he caught a gaze of someone he'd wanted to see for what seemed like years, but was only weeks.

Olivia was alone buying short bread. She looked OK. Not nearly as miserable as he'd remembered in the emergency room.  A part him didn't want her to know he was here. Maybe it was best to keep it that way, but he couldn't stop watching her. He liked the way she smiled. The way she moved. Her fingernails in metallic blue as they touched the glass counter.

"You, work here?" She caught him before he had a chance to step back into the shadows and find another way out of here.

"No." He laughed. "Do I look like a guy who would have two jobs?"

"Possibly." Her smile was open.

He told her about his cousin's baby then, pointing upstairs.

"You're taking care of babies now?" She sounded as if she liked that in a guy. He shook his head, no.

"I haven't even seen it." He gritted a wince. "I was just suppose to help clean up."

"Come have some short bread with me." She motioned then as if he needed to take a break.

Before he knew it they were sitting at a small booth looking out on main street. He hadn't noticed it was so dark out. There was a chill in the wind too.

"So how have you been?" Olivia wanted to know.

"I can't complain." he nursed his cream coffee as he watched her dip her shortbread in her creamed coffee. "How-" He sighed not knowing what to ask. "Its..its really good to see you."

"I was beginning to think I might not ever see you, again." She told him.

"I guess, I was trying to keep it that way." He shrugged, thinking how happy yet guilty he felt at the moment.

She nodded as if she understood. He watched her savor the wet cookie. He decided to give his a try in his coffee. Olivia smiled at him. He took a bite. Normally, he didn't eat soggy stuff, but this was divine. Of course, maybe it was all her doing, just being here.

"So." She rested her chin on top of knuckles. Her dainty fingers were so elegant. He imagined her talking to people with her hands. "If..if I were to call you, would you actually pick up?"

"I would definitely pick up." Luc was enamored with her eyes, her freckles, the tip of her round nose. Suddenly, he found himself wondering what their children would be like. He wanted them all to be like her.

"What are you thinking?" She asked.

"Its nothing." He smiled, wondering if he were that transparent. He took a sip of his coffee, wishing he could stay here to keep her company.