Bullied and the Bitch

Chapter 23: How it Ends

"So," El begins. "Dad says the job begins on Monday."

"Yeah," I say. I'm to start on Monday with them.

"Don't overdo it again, okay?" she tells me. "I'm fine with a simpler dress."

Damn. How did she know what I was thinking? "It was perfect on you."

"Maybe. Doesn't change the price though," she says, so sensibly it makes me sigh. My girlfriend and her money-smart ways. I dig at the soil under her plant, then heap more fertilizer on it. It stinks to high heavens, but I'm used to it by now. In the process a worm climbs up my gloved hand. I flick it away. El stares at me.

"What?" I say, self-conscious. "It's just a worm."

"Yeah. But you're not overreacting. Wow," she says.

I roll my eyes. "How long have I been in the garden with you, El? Of course I've gotten used to them..."

She smiles. "Didn't think that would be possible."

"Me neither," I agree. I pause and blatantly stare at my girlfriend beside me, her brown gaze directed at the plant she was so lovingly weeding and adding fertilizer to. "It's thanks to you, you know. You made it possible for me to learn. To get used to things. To realize what I've always taken for granted. I won't-" I reach out to grasp her gloved, fertilizer-stained hand. "-I won't ever forget everything you've done for me. Everything I've learned here."

She squeezes my hand as she meets my gaze. "You're a lot more wonderful than you think, Ian. A lot of what has happened you can thank yourself for. Don't undersell yourself."

I smile at her reaction. "It figures that you would say that."

"Does not," she protests. The greenhouse door opens suddenly and we jump, releasing each other's hands. Not willingly of course, but we knew we had to do so to be able to stay with each other.

"It's dinnertime!" Eddy tells us. For once, Janice is cooking, and El is able to spend more time working in her greenhouse.

"Ooh," El says. She looks at me. "You're in for a treat," she says, and I realise it's the first time Janice has cooked an entire meal for us, without enlisting help from El at all.

"Mom makes the best food! But we don't get it often, so you have to really enjoy it!" Eddy says.

"Why doesn't she cook more often? Because she's busy?" I ask as I straighten up. An ache shoots up my spine, from having to crouch down over the soil for so long. El nods as I help her up.

"Also because mom's really good at cooking a total of three dishes. Really good. But everyone gets sick of it if we eat it too much. Not to mention they're kinda expensive to make..." she explains. I raise an eyebrow as I remove my gloves.

Eddy grasps my hands as soon as they're glove-free. "Come on!" My girlfriend's brother says, pulling me out of the greenhouse. "Let's go eat!" he says. Eddy has a thing for holding my hand and pulling me places. He does it to most people in our family, really. It's cute.

"Alright, alright," I say with a laugh. El follows behind with an indulgent smile.

On the table really are three dishes, and only three – seafood pasta, steak and some type of potato salad.

"Sit, sit," Simon tells me as Eddy takes his customary place at the table.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sitting," I tell him, he grins back. I grasp Elianna's flaying hand as I pass her by, squeezing it gently.

"Brybry!" she calls, giggling. I pat her head before sitting down.

"Hey Brian, I got that CD you wanted," Vincent says.