Ice Cream In Malibu

19

The first thing I noted was the smell. It smelled like flowers and some cleaning product or another. It was comfortable, not so clean you felt bad for walking on the floors, but a comfortable clean.

Like it usually was not this clean, someone made an effort to make it spotless though.

As Ezra's uncle Cedric welcomed us into his gray house with dirty siding. With a look of surprise as he hugged Ezra and shook my hand. The floor was a dark wood that was shiny but interrupted with occasional scratches. And a carpet that was a creamy gray.

As we rid of our shoes at the entry way and Cedric led us into a hallway with 4 doors. We dropped our bags in a small bedroom with a double bed pushed in the corner and a black duvet on top.

Ezra followed his uncle into the kitchen with blue laminate and purple backsplash.

Where his girlfriend he introduced as Zuri. He went over to her and she smiled at us as he slid an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. There was flowers everywhere.

Hence the floral scent.

They were on every end table and a few bouquets on the counters. There was some dried along the walls along with candid pictures of them at beaches and mountains, as Ezra and his family talked I looked around, it was all casual. Like they spent most of their time here and they made it a home.

You could tell he loved Zuri by the way he looked at her while she talked and listened to whatever anyone said. The way his arm was loving, and also possessive the way it was around her waist.

"So how was your trip down here?" Cedric asked his eyes on Zuri as she moved around the kitchen filling up a kettle and asking us if we want anything to drink. He also watched her as if he was worried that she would disappear or something would happen in the seconds he didn't watch her.

"It was good, we didn't do much, mainly just driving and sleeping in too late." Ezra answered as he gave a lopsided small smile at his uncle; slightly grateful.

Cedric looked as if he understood and gave Ezra a look that made me a little uncomfortable.

"We went to the movies last night." Ezra said, obviously saying something to break the silence. Cedric nodded and we stood there for a few seconds and he inhaled deeply.

"So, I take it you ate dinner?" He asked and Ezra nodded. "Okay, we already did, but I was just making sure."

"I'm sorry for showing up unannounced, we didn't know when we would make it here." Ezra said, his uncle just shrugged and said it was alright.

"We are going out tonight, so I'm sorry you'll spend your first night here alone." Cedric apologized. Zuri had barely said anything, moving around the kitchen smooth and comfortable. Occasionally bumping into Cedric; purposefully it seemed.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to make a hassle, we can leave if you need us to-" Ezra began to apologize but Cedric held up a hand.

"You can stay, okay." He looked at him, and something passed between them that Zuri obviously knew about, but I wasn't quite sure what it was.

He looked at the clock and Zuri slipped on her golden sandals by the back door. It was unnerving how connected they were, how he could just glance at her and she exactly what to do. Like an unending conversation was going on between them.

He bid us farewell, and Zuri smiled and said a small goodbye taking Cedric's hand.

After a few minutes of telling us where things were and to make ourselves at home. They left. And it felt like I wasn't suppose to be here like I would get in trouble if I touched anything.