Aurelia [h.s.]

two

Aurelia makes it until dinner before her mother finally questions her about who dropped her off. Her mother saw her step out of the unfamiliar vehicle and immediately put it off for dinner conversation. Like a typical parent, she had to dissect the situation for herself before she could fully interrogate her daughter.

"So, Aurelia, who was that young man that dropped you off earlier?"

Her father makes a face and picks at his food hastily. The topic of boys has never been his favorite. "What young man?"

As it would turn out, her mother had yet to mention her strange arrival to her father so things have just escalated dramatically.

Aurelia pokes her fork around until she finds the chicken on her plate—or so she hopes. "Donovan's son."

Family conversations aren't rally her thing. Never had been. A short answer seems appropriate. She figures that if she doesn't elaborate, her father might just accept that she came home with a boy and move on.

"Donovan has a son?"

Her mother is curious now and her dad still doesn't like the conversation at all. He doesn't think too kindly of boys that have an interest in her, even if it's just friendship. He's seen how her friends have left her and he's heard her cry far too many times.

Aurelia nods slightly and keeps her head low, as if she's actually looking down at her food instead of the darkness that's got a constant hold on her eyes. "Yes, his name is Harry. He just moved here. Was bored over in England, apparently."

She continues to pick at her food as she awaits her father's reaction. She knows that it isn't going to be good so she doesn't sugarcoat or hide any of her answers.

"I don't like him. What business has he got with you?"

Aurelia can practically hear his jaw clench.

She really wishes he could see her roll her eyes. The whole protective father attitude is passing through the territory of normal and into the territory of irritating.

"He wants to be my friend, I suppose."

"What do you mean 'you suppose?'"

Her mother sighs and so does she. "Dad, I can't see him so I don't know. He's just really nice and he offered to drive me home because it was pouring. You can't be crazy every time I meet someone new: you can't protect me from everything."

Her father's jaw locks and her mother takes the opportunity to speak cheerily in an attempt to ease the tension in the room. "He looked like a nice young man, sweetie."

Aurelia doesn't say anything and continues eating. There really isn't anything wrong with her having friends and Harry is certainly good company. Sure, she hasn't had many friends since she was sixteen and lost her sight. But Harry doesn't seem to be like everybody else. And even if he is, she isn't exactly attached to him or anything like she had been to her former friends.

Aurelia finishes dinner as quickly as she can and stays to her room for the rest of the night, running her fingers over one of her new books. It had taken her many torturous months both before and after she'd gone blind to learn how to read Braille. Thank god she finally managed to do it. Otherwise she would literally have nothing to do with her life and that's definitely not how she wants to live. Being blind does not define her.

Aurelia is in the middle of a sentence when her mother knocks lightly on her door. "Aurelia, that nice boy that dropped you off earlier is on the phone. He'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind."

Aurelia smiles and immediately marks her page. She hasn't been this excited to talk to someone in years. "Yes, I don't mind at all."

Her mother walks over to the bed and hands her the phone before walking back out and tapping the door to let her know that she's gone back downstairs. The little gestures make all the difference.