Elliott
I haven’t heard from Cassidy all day. She’s left me in limbo wondering if she’s found the photo or not, I’m sure she has. I wonder what she’ll think or say?
“You look deep in thought. Everything good?” Dale strides into the room after a day at work, questioning me as he dumps his briefcase down and slumps onto the couch.
“Hard day?”
“Nah not really, just long. So how was Cam last night?”
“Good.” I nod.
“How was Cass?”
“Good.” I nod again.
“Not on much on talking today?”
Shaking my head, my thumb and finger pulls at my bottom lip. “I’m thinking.”
“Dangerous. What about?”
“About a blonde woman, with a gorgeous arse, great personality, beautiful features, has my kid and how I really want her back. Of course, the child, doesn’t know how much I love his mother and he’s just accepted me as his dad. How the fuck do I make him understand?”
“I’m taking that you and Cass have talked about this?” He smirks.
“Not really. I’m on a mission. I’m doing it subtlety.”
“Subtle? Are we talking about the same Elliott, my brother?” Dale laughs, shaking his head at me.
“Yes, me. What you mean?”
“Do you remember how you asked Cass out?”
“Yeah, that was subtle…”
“Oh yeah it was you’re right. You serenaded her, pointed at her and said you and I are going out on Friday.”
“What was wrong with that?” I can feel my forehead pulling into a frown as I ask him.
“You could have asked her instead of telling her?”
“Did she go out with me?”
“Yes. Why I don’t know!”
“Because I’m charming, I can sing and play a guitar. I think that’s the only reason. Then I blinded her with my charm. I’m not sure it’ll work a second time though.”
“What? I’ve seen you two together at work and around Cam. I know she still loves you Elliott, you just need her to admit it. As for Cameron, I don’t think you have much to work on there.”
“You don’t?
“No,” he shakes his head. “Trust me! I’m off in the shower before my nephew comes.”
He stands and walks forward, patting me on the shoulder as he goes. “I think you’re doing just fine bro.”
Smiling, I watch him walk away then run up the stairs. I think that’s the nicest thing he has ever said to me.
Getting up from the chair, I can’t keep sitting here - I think too much. I look around the room, I know it hasn’t been hoovered for a few days - my Mother would kick my arse if she could see this place. It’s not dirty but what man hoovers every day? Pulling the hoover out of the cupboard I pull the lead out and plug it in. In legendary male style I go around everything until I get to the door and see two pairs of shoes standing in the doorway. I look up slowly, dragging my questioning gaze up the slim pair of jean clad legs standing in front of me, slowly twisting around I switch it off.
“Ah Elliott, you know you’re giving that man card up…. first washing up, now hoovering? You’ll be in a frilly pinny soon, now that would be one for the family album!”
Her smiles broadens until it’s stretching across her face.
“I never claimed to be macho.
“Really? That isn’t the Elliott I remember…”
“Is that right?” I smirk. Leaving the hoover on the floor, I step over it and walk towards her until I’m in front of her, her breasts soft against me as I press forward.
Before I can get any further ideas, Cameron enters walking around us.
“Hi Dad.”
Backing away from Cass, Cameron greets me with a hug as he wraps himself around me.
“Hey Son.”
Picking him up I lift him high and put him on my shoulders as he grips onto my head with his arms.
“Why don’t you go and see if your Uncle Dale’s out of the shower but knock first.
“Okay.”
Walking him to the stairs I lift him off and place him on the stairs then go back into the living room.
“So, you think I’ve given up my man card, is that right?” I ask prowling towards her again determined to finish where I left off.
“Weeelll, not completely. I’m sure there’s still a little bit of that alpha male still there, maybe I’ll have to look a little harder to find it though.”
She steps forward as we stand toe to toe, her finger resting on my chest, dragging it down my t-shirt.
“There’s a lot to be said for a domestic man. It’s very sexy.”
The lids of her eyes drooping as she bites on her lip. I take her hand and move it down, placing it over my hardening dick, getting up close in case Cameron walks in the room unexpectedly. Hers eyes widen on a smirk; a grin also plasters itself to my face.
“You are a bad, bad girl.”
Picking up the hoover, I walk past slapping the cheek of her arse with my free hand, her body jumping with a small squeak. Smirking to myself as she rubs her arse.
“So much for losing my man card. You just wait,” I mumble as I throw a wink at her and put the hoover away.
She still hasn’t mentioned anything, I’m sure she’s doing this on purpose. Making me go crazy was always her speciality. I palm the keyring in my pocket and wonder how I’m going to put the next stage into action. Maybe I can drop it inside her bag when she’s not looking. Yeah that will work.
“Are you hungry? “.
She looks up from her cup at me, her big blue eyes staring at me.
“Yeah a little and I’m sure Cam is.”
I get up to stand at the bottom of the stairs. He’s been up there over an hour now, ever since he got here.
“Dale, Cameron. We’re getting food, want some?”
Cam comes running to the top of the stairs.
“What are we having?”
“What would you like?”
“Can we go to the chip shop?” His eyes wide open as he asks.
“Yep, wherever you want. Do you want to come with me?”
“Yeah.” Shouting back eagerly.
“Get your shoes on then.”
I hear him tell Dale he needs to pause the game while he comes with me, making me chuckle.
“I see Cameron has no issues with getting his feet under the table.” Still chuckling to myself as I tell Cassidy.
“He couldn’t wait for today. He kept asking if he could stay off school today, so he could come around this morning. He was so excited when he got up.”
He comes running into the room with his trainers on and grabs hold of my hand.
“Fish and chips, Cass?” She nods and smiles as we walk out. Cameron swings my arm as we walk to the car, getting in the passenger seat and places his belt over him as I start the engine.
After waiting in the chip shop for around twenty minutes for fish to be cooked, we finally walk back in the house.
“About time. I’m starving!” Dale exclaims, probably over exaggerating though. I pass him and Cameron theirs, as they sit on the couch with it on their lap. Cass and I though, do exactly the same thing. We opt for the floor both of us sitting with our backs against the furniture and chip paper in between our spread-out legs.
“Same old Elliott.”
“Hey, I remember doing this as our first date.” I smile reminiscing. “Can you remember. She nods smiling back.
“I can, every part of it.”
Everything we do takes us back to another time, another place, another era. It’s time we made new memories.
Dale puts the telly on for Cam, finding the kids channels, putting Pokémon on for him. Once Cameron is engrossed in his cartoon I shove across a little until I’m a little closer. Our fingers linking and resting on the floor between our legs as we eat with our other hand, out of chip paper - the way chips should be eaten.
When I look at Cam again he’s staring at us. His questioning eyes flitting between us. “Dad?”
“Yeah son?”
“Do you still love my Mum?”
Cass faces me as the question lingers in the air, both of us seeking out the other silently asking each other the same question let alone answering Cameron’s.