“I fear, I fear my acquaintance with you is too short to make that lasting impression on your heart I could wish” - Alexander Pope
Eden:
We were kissing on the doorstep for some time before I heard a cough behind us. Pulling away, I rolled my eyes and slid down from Ollie’s arms, landed lightly on my feet.
“Oliver!” Mum exclaimed, “How lovely to see you again! Eden told us you weren’t coming until tomorrow...?”
“I decided to surprise her instead” he looped his arm around my waist without shame and I leaned in to him, smiling, before he moved away to kiss my mum’s cheek and extend his hand towards my dad.
“Hello, Mr Copley. I’m Oliver – it’s so nice to finally meet you”
Dad looked highly sceptical, eyeing Ollie warily, “Eden told us you were in the Army, Oliver”
“I am, Sir. But wearing the uniform while walking along the street often draws unwanted attention, so I thought I’d better change”
“It’s Richard, please” said Dad, looking somewhat disapproving, “And you should be proud to receive such attention. People admire you for the work you do. Drawing attention is surely a positive thing, in your case?”
“I think he means unwanted attention from women, Dad” I replied, rolling my eyes; then, realising what I had just said, I swooped to Ollie’s side and looked up at him with narrowed eyes, “Wait a minute, do you get unwanted attention from women?”
He looked a little sheepish, “Sometimes”
“You are never wearing that uniform outside again” I told him firmly, “Now, I’ll go and pack some bits while you...chat”
I flung some clothes into a bag, including the new underwear I’d bought, dropped a couple of books on top of them, grabbed my phone and my bag. I pulled out the big dress bags with our costumes in and jammed them into the bags too. When I went running back downstairs, my Dad was still quizzing Ollie with a stern expression on his face.
“So I hear you’ll be spending Christmas day with us?”
“If that’s alright with you, Sir”
“Richard. And of course, we’d be happy to have you” Mum put in with a bright smile. I sidled up beside her and squeezed her hand – she, at least, was being welcoming enough.
“So with your pa – “
“Dad” I cut him off, my voice sharp, “Could we please postpone the Spanish Inquisition until a later date? Quiz him over Christmas dinner on Thursday, if you must! Just let us leave now, please”
Dad looked confused, “What’s the rush? We’re just getting to know each other, as we should be”
“You can get to know each other some other time! Dad, seriously, I haven’t seen Ollie for nearly four months. We have a lot to catch up on”
“You’ve been writing to him, haven’t you? Honestly, Eden, I’m trying to be supportive by getting to know him – “
I growled and grabbed Ollie’s hand, dragging him towards the front door, “And I appreciate it, Dad, I really do, but it’s going to have to wait. Love you both. I’ll call you later”
I paused only momentarily to offer them both a brisk kiss on the cheek before marching out, Ollie waving awkwardly at them over his shoulder.
“What’s with the rush?” Ollie asked, half-laughing, as we finally got through the door of his flat.
YOU ARE READING
Paper Hearts
Romance“Something magical has happened to me: like a dream when one feels frightened and creepy, and suddenly wakes up to the knowledge that no such terrors exist. I have wakened up.” - Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy. Eden Copley is sixteen the day she meets O...
