timeless melody ↝ eddie vedder

𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

I was sitting on the couch, watching The Price Is Right, when Layla and Jeff stumbled through the door, giggling to each other. I turned off the TV with the remote before walking over to where my bag was.

A few days ago, I had moved from staying at Chris and Susan's, to staying at Jeff's place. Layla's here a lot. A lot.

I mean, Layla's a lovely person and everything, but it's a bit hard for me to be around couples who are so... cutesy, right now. It's like pouring alcohol on a paper cut; it's not major, but it still fucking sucks.

As I was grabbing out my shoes and my jacket, they walked into the room.

"Oh. Hey, Ed." I could see that Layla wasn't expecting me to be here. She didn't look disappointed, or annoyed, just surprised. Jeff came round the corner next, sporting the same expression as Layla.

"Hey guys. I was just about to go out." I hold up my shoes and and jacket.

"Oh, nah, that's okay man, you don't have to." Even though Jeff says it, I can see the look in his eyes that's just screaming 'Please don't be a cockblock, man.'

"It's no worries, I was starting to get a bit cabin feverish anyways."

Layla looks slightly relieved.

I take my stuff back over to the couch and start putting it on, speaking to Jeff at the same time, "Do you know what everyone's up to today?"

He sat down next to me and Layla went into the kitchen. "Not really, I haven't spoken to anybody. Why?"

"Ah, just tryna think of something to do. I'll figure it out though." I offered him a smile and got up off the couch. When I reached the door handle I heard Jeff speak again, "Pssst."

I turn and raise my eyebrows, waiting for him to speak again. He spoke in a hushed voice, "Few hours?"

I nodded and smiled, and he looked pleased. " 'Preciate it, man." He got up and patted me on the back before walking to wherever Layla was in the house. I shut and locked the door behind me.

For a while, I wandered around and looked at store fronts. I always hated window shopping. Beth used to love it. I never saw the point. Whenever I window shop, I always think about this one time when Beth and I first moved in to a new place in San Diego a few years ago.

"Oooh, Ed! Look at this couch." She skipped up to a window by the entrance to a furniture section in a department store. In the display, was a velvet blue couch that could fit maybe 3 or 4 people at one time.

I followed behind her, grinning, with my hands in the pockets of my shorts. I stopped when I was standing next to her. "Wouldn't it look good in the apartment? C'mon, think about it." She nudged my arm.

I tried to picture the couch in our place. I probably took it too seriously; I pictured the couch in our new apartment, I pictured it in the next place we'd live in, and then the house that we might buy together one day. I pictured us sitting on the couch with children, and then grandchildren. I pictured the couch as a part of our lives.

A small smile spread across my face, and she reached out and held my hand. "How much is it?" She squeezed my hand tighter, pleased with my question.

We walked inside, looked at the price tag, and walked back out again, laughing, still holding hands.

"Okay, I think the one we have will be just fine."