First Friendly Face

Great Potatoes

And finally the one I have been waiting for myself to post, the dinner scene! Enjoy the awkwardness of this next part! 

Beth took on last look at the sign and then followed Jenny down the road.

Alec knocked on Jenny's door that evening. It was time to go to the Miller's house. Jenny came to the door and opened it. She smiled at Alec.

"Ready?" She asked him. He nodded. Jenny came out and locked the door behind her. They then walked down the road to the Miller's house.

It was a cold night and the sky was full of clouds. You couldn't see any stars.

The Miller's house was quiet the walking distance but it didn't take them more than twenty minutes to make it to their front door. In the doorway Alec looked at Jenny.

"Knock." He told her. Jenny knocked on the door and they waited a few seconds. Then Ellie came to answer the door.

"Hello, come on in." She greeted them.

Jenny entered first while Alec followed. When she entered she got the feeling of being back her own home, with her own family, where she was comfortable. She shook that feeling away as soon as possible.

Alec had been in here once before for dinner so he knew what to expect. The house looked the same as the last time he had been here. It was a sort of messy where everything was in its place. Alec felt uncomfortable still.

"Here we are." Ellie said as she showed them to the dining room table. She had a big gappy smile on her face. Jenny thought she was a bit too perky.

Alec sat down at the end of the table. Jenny sat next to him on the side of the table. Ellie went around a corner and called for the rest of her family.

"Joe, Tom!" She yelled. Jenny looked at the table as she waited. Everything looked beautiful. She was excited; it had been a long time since she had had a nice home cooked meal.

All of a sudden a man and a young boy entered the room. The little boy looked younger then Jenny, maybe around eleven. They both sat down at the table; the little boy next to Jenny and the man across from him.

"Well, we're all here now." Ellie said as she sat down at the other end of the table.

"Here everyone, take a bit. There's plenty to go around." She said as she passed a bowl of mashed potatoes to Tom.

When the potatoes got around to Alec he paused for a moment. He thought about what it might do to him. In conclusion he decided to take just about a cup of mashed potatoes. He then passed it to Joe.

After everyone had their serving of food; Ellie spoke up.

"So Jenny, tell us about yourself." Jenny's head shot up. She wasn't expecting to have to tell everyone about herself.

"There isn't much to tell." Jenny said. She put down her fork and placed her hands on her legs.

"Oh come on, there must be lots." Joe said. 'Great, it is a perky family.' Jenny thought to herself.

"If you don't tell, I'll ask Alec." Ellie said to try to influence Jenny to speak up. Now Jenny was panicking.

"Well...I...ah...I'm from a small town and...I travel-a lot...I ended up here." She said stretching her sentence out as much as she could to try to make it sound like a lot.

"Do you travel alone?" Joe asked Jenny.

"Ah-no. I traveled with a friend." Jenny answered.

"Traveled? Past-tense?" Ellie said.

"Well I don't really know what I'm doing right now. My-my friend...he left me." Jenny finished. Alec looked at Jenny. He knew this was something she really wasn't keen on telling them. Especially someone who she didn't really know.

"What do you mean left you?" Ellie asked. Jenny wanted to run now but she couldn't. She had lost all feeling in her legs.

"He just did." She said. The thought of him leaving brought tears to her eyes. Alec noticed this.

"Great potatoes Miller." Alec said trying to change the subject. Ellie's head shot up. Alec had never complimented her before.

"Ah thanks." Ellie said. Alec nodded to Ellie and then turned his head to Jenny. She was looking at him too. She showed him a little smile as if saying thanks. Alec gave her a small smile back. They both then went back to their food.

"So Alec, have any family close by?" Joe asked Alec. Alec put his fork down on his plate. Jenny quickly looked at Alec. She was getting scared. What if he ran off? He had to be strong here.

"Um... no." He answered.

"No one? Well do you have any family at all? Wife?" Joe continued as he took a bite of his potatoes. Alec stiffened in his seat.

"Not anymore, no." Alec said. Jenny could sense he wasn't comfortable talking about this at all.

"I also have a daughter, fifteen, lives with her mother." Alec finished. He just sort of blurted it out.