Chromosomes in Sepia Tones (Bastille Fanfic)

27. The Strong One

There was a thousand things for me to worry about. Kyle was everywhere, and in addition to not having said but one word to me since I've been here, he had cut out looking at me all together. Dan had a Tiffany's engagement ring in his possession and could use it at any moment. Someone could find out about my predicament. And did I want to tell anyone about it?

Yet the issue that had my attention was my grand mum. When she asked me in the kitchen if I loved Dan, it was as if she knew everything. Did she?

And then last night, while Dan and I were looking at old photos of her and Louis when they were young, we discovered that they were old war friend's with Dan's grand dad. Bizzare right? I kept thinking that maybe it was a sign. Fate. That Dan and I were actually star-crossed lovers.

In the middle of all that, my grand mum had the strangest look on her face, like she was trying to hold back tears. In all my life, I had never known my grand mum to cry. Everyone else in my family was way too sensitive, and wore their emotions on their sleeve. But not Grandmum. She was the strong one. And then out of nowhere she just got up and practically ran out of the room.

"How are the eggs, Ellie? Did I finally get them the way you liked them?" My dad's voice shook me out of my thoughts. Right. Eggs.

"They're perfect. Everything's lovely." I picked at a piece of toast, sneaking a quick glance at Kyle down the table, who was with holding the syrup bottle from one of his nephews. The whole Simmons/Turner clan was together again for brunch this morning, yet another opportunity for Kyle to ignore me. And another opportunity for Dan to propose. I glanced over my other shoulder at him, looking adorable as hell in his holiday argyle and glasses, hair its messy self. He flashed me a crooked smile and squeezed my free hand under the table, his other hand on his coffee cup. I was safe, for now. "This crazy family of mine hasn't scared you back to London yet?"

"Not yet." He laughed. "I don't think you're dad would allow it anyways. He's not through with me listening to him talk about football and cricket yet."

I smiled, remembering how hard is was for Dan to sneak away from my father and uncle's heated football conversation last night. Both were trying to get him to support the teams they liked. "He likes you a little too much. As long as you support Chelsea of corse."

"What's that about Chelsea I hear?" My dad chimed in from the head of the table. As the chit chat picked up around the table, I saw my grand mum sneak off again into the kitchen, same look on her face. And then I realized Kyle had too.