Something In The Way

Chapter II

Pulling the black leather closer to my chilled frame I try to convince myself it's warmer than it seems and I will make it there without tripping over myself which would be just my luck. For the second time today I scold myself for not wearing warmer attire. As I near the restaurant I spot my mothers sleek silver car and groan internally, it's only one dinner I remind myself, just one. The quiet streets are lit with the warm glow of blue lights strung between lamp posts the dull glow of small business closing for the day but I am captured.
"Excuse me miss" my head whips around to meet the deep brown eyes of a male, not much older than myself and without realising my feet led me to the doorway.

"Sorry" I blush tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Are you coming in?" He gives me a smile and gestures with his hand inside the building radiating warmth and inviting aromas. I nod and walk past him glancing at his name tag - Lyle, "I'll take that for you" he slowly pulls off my coat, taking and hanging it up and suddenly I feel exposed to the cold and the heat both at once, hairs prickling up on my skin. He rushes ahead once holding the door open to behind the desk. "Are you with the gathering tonight?" He tucks a pen behind his ear sweeping the mess of mousy brown hair off his forehead yet I stand and watch in awe.

"Uh yes, are they all here? What is the time. Sorry to ask" I'm rambling knowing my mother will make it known how wrong it is to be late to something like this. Especially at a place like this. It's tall ceilings and white and gold interior make me feel out of place. It's times like this at family functions where I wish to be in my little apartment with a blanket watching Netflix until I have to go to work or sleep. But my wishes are cut short by reality.

"Yes, everyone has checked in and it's 9 miss. May I take your name" I'm in for it now, being this late.
"Blake Aimsworth" I can hear a collective of polite laughs and dread the copious amounts of small talk I'm going to have to endure in the next few hours. Is it too late to turn around and go home? I'd only be letting myself down by turning back now.

"Nice" he coughs but I smile "this way" Lyle leads me through elegant double doors into a room of around 35 people sitting around a long wooden table covered in bread sticks and various small cakes, guests talking amongst each other all conversation based upon business and marriage. Upon my entrance everyone pauses to look up. Beside my embarrassment, I fail to notice my mother making her way towards me in a swift fashion. "If you need to get away I'll be here all night" he discretely says to me before disappearing back through the doors leaving me with the sense again of sticking out like a sore thumb. I may have to call him up on his offer but I hope he means just to chat and have a glass of wine. My mother waves her hand at everyone and they resume their conversations and she turns to look upon me.

"Blake dear, how lovely you made it, at last" her tone is clipped and I roll my eyes as she kisses both of my cheeks and smooths out her pale lime green dress, she's gone to extra lengths to look her best tonight straightening her hair or getting it done at the salon and wearing her nice pearls that Da got her for their 30 year anniversary. "It's very untimely to be late, this is extremely important for your sister. Now go and greet her and Sean." Her warm greeting lasted well. Ignoring her hand on my back pushing my body in the direction of my sibling I make a bee-line towards where my father is sat in the corner of the room observing with a glass of whiskey in hand. He stands immediately and pulls me close, I breathe in the faint smell of liquor and home.

"I don't see you enough" he says close to my ear and I hold him tighter.

"I have work" I try to argue.

"You can always move back home, you know that. You don't have to be in that little apartment all alone." My father is a gentle and kind man, my mother bosses him about a lot so he mainly keeps to himself but we've always gotten along, I get my features from him: his dark brown wavy hair and grey/blue eyes whereas my sister got her genes from our mother the beach blonde but the striking blue eyes.