Down the Road

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dear Diary

Yesterday was fabulous. I cannot wait till I see Alec again. He seems to understand me more than anyone else; well I don’t think anyone has ever understood me. I guess I can count the Dearths, but then again probably not. He’s intelligent, full of words, great to keep a conversation going, has a handsome smile and a beautiful voice. I went down stairs to be stopped short by Derek and Jelena Dearth with the biggest smiles on their faces. I looked at them suspiciously and they burst into laughter.

“Sorry to frighten you dearie, but we need to talk,” said Jelena.

“Ok,” I replied.

I followed them into the lounge and they sat me in front of them on an armchair, having to look up at them like a small child. I took it that they weren’t going to sit down, by their postures; their hands around each other. Jelena couldn’t hold in what she wanted to say and burst;

“We are so proud of you.”

“Thank you?” I said questioningly, “Why exactly?”, although I had a pretty good idea why.

“Because you finally found someone,” they both said in unison.

“We are glad as well, because we’re sick and tired of all the towns’ people discriminating you and pestering us about how we needed to get rid of you, but we never had or will. We love you like our own and would never do such a thing,” said Derek, “They can see past their perfection and see the fact that we have a wonderful, kind, polite and respecting person in our midst, but they are all fools. Except your friend,” they looked at each other when Derek stopped at ‘friend’, I wonder what that meant?

“What is his name?” they asked me.

“Alec,” I answered.

“And do you enjoy your time with him?”

At that question I stopped and thought for a moment. Why you they ask that question? I know they are looking out for me, but I seems like there is a double meaning in their words, a pun. I looked at them and asked;

“Was that a pun and if it is what do you suppose the other meaning is?”

That put them on the spot. They took a glance at each other and shared a look that said what-gave-us-away? Jelena became flustered and stuttered;

“N-no dearie, w-where did you get that idea from.”

“There’s no double meaning. We were just asking, because we’re looking out for you. We don’t want any joker playing games with our girl. We want you to be happy,” Derek said.

“Ok. Well I am quite happy and enjoy my time very much with him.” I replied, not questioning them further and hoping to get out of this conversation quicker.

“That’s wonderful,” said Jelena, “Now we want to send out a request to, Alec was it?”

I nodded and answered “What request must be sent.”

“We want you to invite him to dinner,” they both said in unison again.

“Ok,” I replied “When?”

“Tomorrow evening at 7:30pm and dress semi- formally,” instructed Jelena.

“Very well,” I said, “May I leave now?” I asked.

“You may,” said Derek.

And with that I whisked out of the room and through the front door, in search of Alec.

***

I ran through the streets trying to reach the only place where I knew I might find him. To the park. As I reached the edge of the grass, I looked out to the tree we sat under yesterday and there he was, reading a novel. I composed myself and strolled over to him, to not let him know I ran all the way here just for him. As I reached the tree, I could see what book he was reading; ‘Anna Karenina’.

“Good book?” I asked as I stood over him.

He glanced up. “Had a feeling you were coming. Come here sit down.” He said patting the grass next to him.

He finished his sentence, marked the page and placed it beside him and looked at me.

A mischievous grin spread across his face, “Couldn’t keep away from me could you.”

I blushed and looked away. We sat in silence for a few moments, then I decided to tell him about the dinner.

“So, the Dearth’s have invited you to dinner.”

“Really?” he asked.

“Yes, they literally cornered me and started asking questions about you. Then they told me to invite you to dinner.”

“Ok,” he answered.

“Tomorrow evening at 7:30pm and dress semi- formally,” I recited.

“Semi- formally?” he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Well these are the Dearths we are talking about. They have all sorts of dress codes. I guess you still don’t understand what to wear, so how about I stop by your place tomorrow and show you what semi- formal wear is,” I said with a coy smile.

“That sounds like a date,” he replied with a mischievous grin. “Ok so I’m going to have dinner with the Dearths. That is considered a great honour to anyone, to be a guest in the house of the Dearths. I am blessed! Now everyone will bow down to me and say the boy who was the first to be invited by the rich,” he said with playful exaggeration. “Nuh, I don’t care about honour and what people think of me. I’m just glad that I’m with you. Someone that I can talk to, that understands me.”

“I feel the same way,” was all I could say.

I lied back on the grass and just listened to Alec talking. Saying the occasional 'ahuh' and 'yes'. I just listened to the sound of his soft voice and drifted into a comfortable sleep.