The Words

Chapter 2

Katherine

I strolled down one of the main streets the next morning, a cup of coffee and brown bagged muffin in my hand. Stopping to sit in a park for a few minutes, I crossed one leg over the other and sighed, finally taking a minute to eat. I bit into my muffin, letting the bread just crumble into my mouth, and probably all over my jeans and top. I looked up, God knows why, and spotted a familiar face across the street, just staring at me.
Michael had his arms crossed, with an intense look on his face. I lifted up my muffin in a gesture to get him to cross the street. He realized I saw him, and was startled slightly. Michael held up a finger, to signal "one moment" and he began crossing at the crosswalk. He made his way over to me and sat beside me on the bench. I broke my muffin in half and handed him one, to which he looked surprised.
"Maybe sharing is just an American thing." I paused for a moment. "A barely tolerable American thing."
"I hadn't meant for you to hear that," Michael spoke hurriedly, as he looked at me
"Another American thing is to let things go in one ear and out the other. Like they were never said." I shook my head with a smile. As much as his words stung, they didn't bother me much. But I had thought about them all night and all morning.
"Do you just go around spewing American traditions then?" He let out a chuckle and I watched him eat a piece of his half of muffin, and a crumb got stuck in his beard.
"Not normally, no." I laughed with him and handed him a napkin. "You've got one right on your beard there." I pointed to the spot on my chin where the crumb would be on his.
Michael wiped his mouth on the napkin and the crumb flew right off. "Got it?"
"Yeah, you've got it." I giggled again. "What brings you to town?"
"I could ask the same of you."
I gestured down to my coffee and half of muffin. "I wanted to explore and grab a bite of breakfast. Your turn."
"Needed to pick up a few things for class." Michael answered, patting his leather messenger bag.
"You're still in school?" I asked in disbelief.
"No. I'm a professor at the local university." He shook his head and rubbed his chin slowly.
"What do you teach?" I inquired honestly, sitting up.
"British literature." Michael replied, turning his head to look at me.
"You're kidding. That's what I want to teach!" I grinned profusely.
"I thought you said you wanted to write." He leaned in a bit closer.
"Well, writing is a dream. It's like I get caught up in my own little world and forget how much time passes before I finish that one, last sentence."
"That sounds like it's something you really enjoy." Michael pointed out easily.
"I do enjoy it. Like I said, I'm really not that good at it." I shook my head.
"I'm sure you're just fine, Katherine." He said, quietly, resting his hand on the bench, clenching and unclenching his fingers slowly.
"I guess I am." I slumped my shoulders with a slight scowl. "I should be going." I stood up and gathered my things.
"Need a lift home?" Michael asked, standing soon after I did.
"No, thanks. I'm okay with walking." I wiped my hands on my jeans and stared closely at Michael's hand as it clenched again.
"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Katherine. You should let me show you around more sometime. Maybe take you to London one of these days."
"That would be great." My grin widened.
"Great. I'll see you later for dinner then?"
"You're coming over?"
"I normally do. Joanna makes a roast and we all chat about our day." Michael shook his shoulders and slung his bag over his shoulder.
"That sounds good. I'll see you then." We bid each other farewell and I began the long walk home.

*****

I would lie if I said I hadn't anticipated dinner for the entire day. I was excited for my first real family dinner. My mom had left my dad and I years ago, so it was always me eating alone or him eating with me. The only family dinners we had were Christmas and Thanksgiving.
"Hey, wanna come to the railroads with the guys and me tonight?" Lana asked, leaning in the doorway of my room.
"Oh, sure." I smiled at the tall blonde.
"Don't be nervous. There'll be lots of drinking and smokes if you're into that." She shot me a devilish smirk and wiggled her eyebrows. Lana strolled over to my closet and opened it. "Hm.. this'll do for tonight." She plucked a tribal print tank top from its hanger. "Have you got light denim pants?"
"I have, yeah." I nodded, putting my book down.
"Great! Cmon, get changed. We're leaving right after dinner." Lana plopped down on my bed. I stood up, and with no self consciousness, changed out of my shirt and jeans and into the tank top and other jeans.
"Girls, dinner's ready!" We heard Joanna call from downstairs. The two of us skipped down the stairs and walked into the dining room where Joanna was seated at the head of the table and Michael was next to her on one side.
"Katherine, have a seat next to Michael, dear." Joanna pointed her knife at the seat next to him. I sat down next to him, and felt his eyes on me the entire time.
"Mum, Kat and I are heading out after we eat.  To the railroads with Peter and the rest of them." Lana pointed out a few minutes into eating.
"I guess that's okay." Joanna shrugged continued to cut into her roast.
"You should put a sweater on, Katherine, it gets quite chilly out when it gets dark." Michael pointed out, glancing at me slightly.
"Oh, she'll be fine, Mike." Lana rolled her eyes. "She looks good, doesn't she?"
"I guess so," he mumbled, sticking a piece of meat in his mouth.
The rest of the dinner was spent in silence, which wasn't as pleasant as I thought, but I was grateful for it. Michael had sent me multiple glances that said "Put a damn sweater on" to which I replied with ones that said "What are you, my father?"
Lana put down her fork and asked Joanna if we could be excused. Joanna obliged, probably happy to get some alone time with Michael, and Lana and I got up, and walked out of the house after saying goodbye.