Changed For The Better

Awkward Family Meal

Just like old times, we were having so much fun but were interrupted when Mai Lee called us down for dinner. Now that is something I have missed: Mai Lee's cooking! Agatha is good, and Mike is sort of okay at some cooking things, but nobody can compare to Mai Lee. Like, if she were ever to be fired for whatever reason or decide she no longer wanted to be a care worker, she could easily open her own restaurant. I would go there. That would be awesome!

We headed down, and I remembered all of a sudden that the others would be there. Not that I forgot they were here, it just wasn't on my mind. But like I said, their opinions don't matter tome. That doesn't mean I won't be nice and stuff, I just think that whatever they say can't hurt me any more. Not now that I'm not living under the same roof as them anymore.

Still, I have no doubt this is going to be really awkward.

Ryan and I were pretty much the last ones to be down there, as per usual. Everyone was loudly talking over each other and laughing in groups, so nobody really paid any attention at first. It was only when we actually sat down that people gradually started to be quiet and stare at me while Mai Lee was serving up in the kitchen. It smelt amazing.

The room eventually fell silent, with all eyes on Ryan and I. Are they expecting me to speak first or...?They are acting as if I have done something horribly wrong. Well, I have, but not to them and I doubt Ryan will have gone round telling everyone here about it. He wouldn't do that to me, and he isn't that close to anyone else here.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" I asked as I looked around at them all. this vaguely reminds me of when I first moved here.

"Just, didn't expect you to be here, that's all" Jody said, quite passive aggressively.

"Well, it's nice to see you too Jodes(!)"

"Don't call me that. My name is Jody. Only good friends can call me anything else"

"Alright sorry"

"Hey now that's enough" Mai Lee said as she came over to the table, holding some of the food. "Marie is always welcome to visit whenever she wants and you guys all know that"

"Well then why hasn't she been sooner?" Candi asked.

"Well she has her own life and things to do. This house isn't her main priority"

"I am right here you know!" I protested. They were stood their talking about me as if I wasn't here. Rude.

"Sorry" Mai Lee said. "And it's good to see you again eh? We've got a lot of catching up to do at some point"

"Yeah" was all I managed to say.

"Come have a quick word with me in the office before you leave yeah? Just a couple of minutes, nothing serious"

"Okay" I agreed, not really seeing if I could get out of it. Like, I don't live here, so she isn't the boss of me, but she is the boss of this house and that's where I am...? Easier to just go along with it.

"So Marie" began Floss, "Is your new house nice?" She asked awkwardly as everybody started eating their dinner.

"Umm, yeah. It's nice" I replied. How was I supposed to answer that? If I went on about how nice it is then I would be showing off and I don't want to do that. If I said it wasn't nice then they would encourage me to come home, just like Ryan and I really can't be bothered to deal with tht. Best to just avoid the question altogether I think.

"Is that all we're getting? It's nice?" Jody asked snidely.

"Well, I have my own room and the house is a decent size. There's a garden too, but not a very big one" I said, trying my hardest not to sound arrogant.

"Ahhh, that's nice" Jody said in a babylike tone.

"Look what's your problem?" Snapped Ryan angrily.

I slipped my hand under the table and took hold of his hand. I gave it a squeeze and started rubbing my thumb on the palm of his hand. "Calm down Ryan" I whispered.

"No I'm sorry but this isn't okay! Guys I've missed Marie so much and I know you guys have too so why are you all acting like you hate her all of a sudden?! Why can you not just be nice because she has done nothing wrong at all and did you never think that if she doesn't enjoy herself today and now and if you're all mean to her she might not come back!" He shouted all in one breath.

Everyone just sort of looked at him for a moment, then quickly went back to their meals. everyone suddenly found a lot of interest in the table, or their laps, or their hands. Nobody made eye contact and I'm not surprised.

I looked back to Ryan who was sitting next to me. His jaw was clenched in rage and his eyes were wide. A deep frown danced across his face as he scanned the rest of the group.

I wasn't scared, but that was very out of the ordinary for Ryan. I've seen him angry before. I've seen him mad and I've seen him upset but I've never known him to lash out like that. I know he is protective over me but again, never that badly before.

I gave his hand another squeeze and he looked at me again. His expression softened to one of a sort of guilt. Not quite guilty mind. He looked as if he felt sorry for me or was sorry for what just happened. I smiled, showing that I forgive him and he seemed to ease up a little.

We, like the others, got on with our meal in silence, still holding hands under the table all the while, secretly. Dinner was very awkward from that point onwards but I could only think about one thing. I need to talk to Ryan about what just happened.