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“Come on Julia, all the women want to talk to you. You’re a well enough cook to make a difference in the work this year,” she said.
“But ma’? What about Elliott?” She asked, deep concern in her eyes.
“He’ll be alright sugar,” she said, smiling at me.
“Go on Jules,” I said. “I want to catch up on some reading anyway.”
“Okay,” she said and began to follow her mom down the stair case.
She peered up through the bars and I puckered my bottom lip.
“Don’t do that,” she mouthed.
I shooed her away and smiled. I grabbed my book from my bag and went downstairs to the sitting area. The entire downstairs was one large industrial looking space with concrete floors but rugs everywhere. I chose a chair near the kitchen but not too near so as I didn’t appear to be eavesdropping, but much to their disappointment I’m sure, I could hear everything they were saying as clear as a bell. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to hear the beginning and by the sounds of what I had stepped into, so to speak, it would have been so pleasurable to hear.
o;A little,” she said. “I was just witness to the feast you treated yourself to. If I wasn’t already aware of your intimidating self control I’d think you’d had none.”
Everyone got really quiet, reading too much into what she had just said. I felt the color drain from my own face and travel over to Jules’ red hot cheeks. Suddenly, everyone burst into laughter. All, except Jules father, but I could live with that. I mean, technically I was being accused of being a prude. That was okay with me. Jules, on the other hand, had just labeled herself the opposite.
I jumped in trying to save her, “Well, I can take it. I do work out a lot with the team. I burn a lot of calories running up and down the field.”
“And not to mention it relieves frustration,” someone said under their breath. I’m guessing one of the sarcastic cousins.
Another burst of laughter, but this time it was my cheeks that got their color back and then some. Jules’ dad intervened and surprisingly came to our defenses.
“Okay, okay. Everyone calm down,” he said. “They’re two very good kids and we don’t want to weaken their beliefs by letting them think what they’re doing is too old fashioned.”
Jules’ aunt Isabel chimed in to back up Jules’ dad, “That’s right Julia and Elliott. You’re light years above people twice your age and I’m waiting for the amazing thing that will inescapably come of you both.”
Everyone started to agree and assured us they meant no harm when Caroline came to our rescue and diverted the attention from us.
“Whew!” I aimed at Jules.
She smiled, shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.
“Never been so happy to see Caroline,” she murmured.
I reached over the counter top and grabbed her hand. My little instant anxiety relief flickered through my arms and I got a double dose in my fluttering heart as it coasted to an easy rhythm. I let go of her hand and we both sighed in relief.
“Let’s take a walk together,” I offered.
“What an excellent idea. I need to get out of here.”
We mentioned what we were doing to Jules’ mom and headed out the door. We walked around her aunt’s neighborhood at first and found a main street that lead us onto a charming street chock full of creative little businesses. We stopped into a little novelty store where we bought a little flip book of a woman from the twenties wearing a bathing suit that went to her knees. When you flipped the book, she did a little dance, it was hilarious. Jules and I laughed for five minutes.
Then we stopped at a little organic coffee house and had a small cup of coffee and chatted for at least an hour, though it felt like five minutes.
Afterwards, we stopped at a local art gallery and Jules gushed over all of the art with the curator. Invariably, Jules was asked to send a painting, constant as ever. We left the gallery and began walking back toward Jules’ aunt’s home.
We passed a window full of wedding dresses and I jokingly nudged Jules’ ribs. She rolled her eyes at me, put her fist up to her mouth and pretended to blow an imaginary dart at me. Not one to be shown up, I grabbed my neck and dramatically wavered until I fell onto a nearby park bench. We caught an older couple laughing at us and Jules bowed.
“Come on,” I said dragging her back toward the main street, “you win.”
When we finally got back to the house, it was time for lunch. Her aunt made this really indulgent salad with homemade dressing and I stuck to that to please Jules after this morning’s disaster.
Everyone piled into the theater room afterwards and there were so many of her family members there weren’t enough seats so the older kids sprawled out on to the floor in front of the screen with pillows and blankets. Jules and I picked the darkest area in the far right corner.
Before the film started Jules jumped up to use the restroom and when she came back she said she couldn’t see where I was.
