Memento Mori

11

Honestly, Erik was uncertain why Liesel was worried, even if she said otherwise; she was clearly apprehensive about this meeting. No matter what he said, she just seemed to grow distant and into herself. Erik had talked about some men which he worked with which were easy to get along with, their other halves Erik may not know, but really, he had faith in Liesel that she would adapt to the situation and socialise.

Deep down she was a social person, even if words and actions said otherwise. Erik could see slowly that being inside was making resentment grow. No, she didn't resent him, she resented the freedom he was able to have by going out. She seemed to have it in mind to chase up a job, why not further on that and get to know those which Erik spent more or less ever working day with, plus their families?

Liesel was good with children, he could jokingly say it was because she was still childish at times, but she exhibited great patience which Erik didn't even know she had. He distinctly remembers that plane journey and the curious child peering around the seats. If someone came over to talk to her, child in tow, Erik couldn't help but frown slightly as he pressed on the brakes as they reached traffic lights; she was more likely to talk to the child than the adult, who was he kidding?

He chanced a glance over to her, she sat twiddling her fingers in her lap. She was worried. It seemed this was one of those times where whatever he said, wouldn't work. She'd just need to get thrown into the deep end, no horrible pun intended there. No, Erik wasn't thinking about ditching her with a group of conversing people and walk away, but...

"Green light means go, Erik." Liesel said while tapping him on the shoulder. Erik came out of his thoughts and shifted the truck into gear, ignoring the impatient horns behind him from the traffic stuck because he was thinking too much. "Are you okay?" Liesel asked, worried because a firm frown was on his face. "You're looking...grumpy." Erik's eyes quickly slid sidelong to her, narrowing a little before looking back to the road. "Are you regretting asking me to come? You don't think your friends will like me or something? Or, do you think I'm going to show you up? I can keep my mouth shut, I don't necessarily need to lie about how we met, and such..."

Erik's expression softened, he shook his head and clicked the indicator on and turned the corner. Driving for several more moments before pulling over, he leaned one arm against the wheel and the other over the back of her chair. "You could never embarrass me, let's get this straight first. Secondly, I'm not sure why they won't like you." Erik said, a small sigh coming from her as she awkwardly smiled and nodded. His eyes flicked over her shoulder, even from here he could see people milling about on the front lawn, and moving around to the back garden through a small alley between the two buildings. "Maybe try and embellish how we met, just a bit."

Liesel smiled, she clapped her hands and laughed. "Okay, how about that old cliché, we met at school? Lost contact, until college; or in your case, working, I was studying and we had common friends and reconnected?"

Erik raised an eyebrow, credit for the most obvious origin story. "Why am I working and not studying too?"

Liesel laughed again, she looked over her shoulder at the group before looking at him with a wide smile. "Darling, you disagreed with the tutors too much. They politely asked you to leave." She opened the door and jumped out and shut the door, placing her hands on her hips she looked through the window to see the smile Erik sent her way.

Stepping out the truck, his boots crunched against the gravel of the driveway he parked up and onto. Moving around the front he reached up and put an arm around her shoulders as she turned and looked at the homely building before them. "Ready?" Erik asked, looking down at her.

"Do...well, do I use the same excuse...for, you know...?" Liesel stumbled over her words and looked down at the brace on her leg. She wasn't one for feeling self-conscious, but she really was right now. She knew that everyone would be all smiles and questions, because that's what people did when welcoming someone new.