I managed to get myself together and was enjoying my second cup of coffee by the time everyone returned from church. My brother, Michael, and his family were there too. Since there was such an age gap between him and me, I never really got to know him very well. For his part he still seemed to see me as a small child and not worthy of much regard, so the likelihood of us becoming best mates was pretty much out of the question.
Fiona bustled into the kitchen, "You're awake. Can I make you some breakfast? The rest of us have eaten already."
"No thanks, I'm not much of a breakfast eater." I replied.
Michael regarded me over the rim of his glasses, "you don't look like you eat anything, full stop," he scoffed patting his own sizeable stomach, "good thing you weren't turned sideways or we'd never see you." With that he and the rest of the family, save my father, went into the front room.
"Your brother just found out that they are giving him his own parish. He is having a welcoming fete this Tuesday," my dad took a seat opposite me, and Fiona set a cup of tea in front of him, he said nothing for a while and then leaned in, "You will come of course."
Since it wasn't really a question I didn't feel the need to answer so he went on, "it's a proud moment and the family should be there to witness it."
"I'd be happy to attend," I lied, hoping I sounded sincere.
"You should have your lady friend come down from London to attend. It doesn't look good for a young man to go to these things stag, it's not right."
"I'm not really sure that's a good idea," I protested, as I flashed on the image of showing up to this fete arm and arm with John. The reaction of the people around me akin to when Godzilla attacked Tokyo, women in their church-going best pointing and screaming, men running in horror. The image made me laugh which got me deep frown from my dad.
"You will attend and you will bring a nice girl with you, I won't have you shaming the family!" he banged his fists on the table, making me jump. Then he stood up and came around behind me putting his hands on my shoulders squeezing tightly and making me wince, "you are still my son, and you're not too old to get the strap. I reckon I could still take you."
He let go and started to join the rest of the family but turned around for one more parting shot, "the Bible says; 'honour your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you'."
I could feel something snap in my head as I got up, and walked over to him raising myself up to my full height. I stood in front of him in silence for a few minutes. Then I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "it also says 'thou shalt not kill' so now both of us have something to think about, don't we?"
He glared up at me, but I didn't lower my gaze and finally he stepped back and glanced away, then back at me, "are you threatening me?"
"I thought we were just quoting the Bible, but if you want to take it that way, go right ahead," I smiled at him.
The rest of the day my dad and I had an uneasy truce, he made sure to never be alone in a room with me and I pretended not to notice the occasion daggers he glared my way, or the offside comments about people not knowing their place anymore.
But the problem remained, I had committed to attending, and since John was out of the question, and I had no girlfriend waiting in the wings, who to bring was an issue.
That night after everyone had left, I went up to my room and grabbed Elissa's number out of my jacket pocket. After the fourth ring I had come to my senses and quickly disconnected the call. I started to put my mobile away when it began to ring.
"The number says unknown caller, should I be concerned?" Elissa asked.
"I would think that's a fair assessment," I replied, "I'm sorry to call so late, I just escaped the family and am currently hiding out."
"Are you a good at hiding?" she teased.
"I'm an excellent hider, I won medals in primary school for hide and seek," I laughed "I may even be still playing a game from then for all I know."
"That is good! So what's on your mind, David?"
"OK...hear me out. My brother is a pastor, and he's getting his own parish and this coming Tuesday is a big to-do for him and I need to bring a date. I can't guarantee it'll be fun, and I will understand if you say no, but if you do agree to go with me, I'll make it up to you."
"I'm impressed you got all that out in one breath," she laughed, "a church fete, huh? You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet."
"Right. Never mind, it was a bad idea, sorry to bother you," I started to hang up.
"No, wait! I'd love to go."
"You'd love to?" I teased.
"Well, not 'love to' but I'd like to see you again, you've been on my mind since the train station," Elissa admitted, "my niece hasn't stopped talking about you so that may be why."
We made arrangements to meet on Tuesday, I jotted down her address and folded it together with her phone number and placed it back in my jacket pocket.
I could hear the sounds of my father and Fiona getting ready for bed, but I was not even remotely tired. I felt like a caged animal and needed to get out of the house for a while. Being Sunday not a lot of people were on the streets and most pubs shut early. I found a park and a bench and just gazed up at the stars for a while.
Part of me felt really guilty for asking Elissa out on a date, but the other part of me reasoned that it was pretty unlikely to be a romantic evening, and the time I would spend alone with her would be next to nothing, so there would be no room for straying. Yet, in some other small part of the back of my mind, the idea of going out with someone new was strangely exciting.
Monday my dad and I carefully avoided each other. He went off to his club and I let Fiona show me off to her little old lady friends. By time we got back to house Dad was entrenched for the night in front of the TV. Fiona served his dinner on a tray while she and I talked in the kitchen over our meal.
By the time Tuesday came around I was a nervous wreck. I couldn't figure out why I agreed to attend this church function in the first place, let alone going with some woman I barely knew. Several times that day I considered taking the cowardly way out, just packing up and heading back to London without alerting anyone to my plans. But somehow that seemed too much effort, and so before I could act on my impulses it was time to pick Elissa up and take her to the fete.
I hadn't really planned on having to get dressed up during my visit, so I wound up wearing the only pair of non-jeans I had brought and a jumper.
"We can't wait to meet your lady friend," Fiona gushed as she patted my arm, "I'm sure she's a lovely girl." With that they got in the car and left.
I drove Fiona's car to pick up Elissa, when I arrived she was already at the curb, I could see her niece watching from the window, so I waved at her as Elissa got in. Elissa saw me and smiled, "Chrissie has been telling all her friends you and I are dating now. She has some fantasy about you becoming her uncle I think."
"Let's see how this first date goes," I laughed, "then we'll talk about marriage."
When we arrived at the fete my family swarmed Elissa and asked her a million questions about herself, thankfully she was gracious and took it all very well. After a few minutes of this I dove into the fray rescued her, leading her to the drinks cart and away from the clamouring hoard.
Sadly the strongest thing they had was tea, followed by a very sickly sweet looking punch that make my teeth ache just looking at it swirling in the punch bowl, I poured her a cup of tea and waited until she took a bracing sip before attempting conversation, "Sorry about that. They mean well and really you're the first person I've dated that they've actually met."
She laughed, "I find keeping my love life and family life is best too, but you sort of broke the mould there."
I put my arm around her shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze, "thank you for being such a good sport!"
As I started to let go of her she turned a bit and put her hands on my shoulders, pulling me forward and gave me a kiss. Before I had time to recover from the shock of that I heard a series of clicks off to my left. I disengaged myself to see a photographer quickly snapping several pictures of us and then he disappeared into the crowd.
Elissa watched the photographer high tail it off and then looked up at me linking her arm in mine, "uh oh, is that going to cause trouble back in London?"
"Possibly," I admitted, then determined to not let it ruin the rest my day I tried not to give it another thought.
Emily came over to us and announced that it was time for Michael to make his welcoming speech, and people were taking their seats inside the church. I saw this as an opportunity to slip out unnoticed and led Elissa to the car park.
Just as I opened the door for her, I heard the clicking sound again. This time the photographer made no move to run off, "kiss her again!" he prompted, camera raised.
"Sorry, I don't do requests," I replied, and quickly moved around to the driver's side. To my dismay he followed me snapping more pictures. I got in, started the car and didn't look back until we had gained the main road.
At the stop light Elissa put her hand on my knee, "You must get that a lot..."
"Actually that was my first time."
She smiled, "I'm sure you're in for more of that. I hope your girlfriend is a forgiving person."
I hope so too, I thought.
I dropped Elissa off at her brother's house, after making some vague plans to meet up one more time before she went back home and went for a drive to clear my head before heading back to my dad's house. On the way I stopped at an off license to buy a flask of whisky, hoping that it and a sleeping pill would gain me a nightmare-less, deep sleep for the first time since I came home.
The house was dark, no one had returned from the fete yet, so I took a hot shower, a sleeping pill and washed it down with a small water glass' worth of whisky.
It must have worked because it was light out when a persistent ringing sound woke me out of a deep sleep. I fumbled for my mobile on the bed stand, and because I am blind without them, I was trying to recall where I had left my glasses when the ringing stopped. I stood and went over the chair by the window and searched the pockets of my jacket, locating the glasses and was putting them on when the phone rang again. This time I could see the number, it was John's. I sat back down on the bed and was half tempted to not answer it but on the third ring I picked it up.
Before I could say anything, he started in, "OK, who is she?"
My brain was still asleep, so I didn't quite catch on straight away. John took this as an excuse to repeat the question, this time at full volume, "who is she?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't get cute with me David," he hissed, "I saw the cute picture of you kissing some bint in the tabloids."
