Tell Me With Flowers

24. A look at the past

MILES

Her words seemed liked a desperate cry for help. The look on her face told me that she was in deep trouble. The fun filled eyes that I had seen only a minute ago was now filled with anxiety. The face that had a little color in them, now had drained out completely.

Rose, I was guessing to be her sister, clung to my arm like a leech, not letting me free. There was a time when I would have liked this kind of attention from women. The constant eyelash batting at me, the seductive smiles and even the clinging. It kind of made me feel like I was needed.

But now as I stood there watching the girl I thought I liked, being dragged away, all the previous likes and dislikes of mine vanished into the cold night air. It all boiled down to protect her from her own mother and sister.

"Lets get inside." I murmured to Rose who was looking at me, clinging to every word I was saying. Looking back now, I felt cheap at how I used to like this kind of attention towards me. "We can sit and talk."

"Yes, yes, sure." She smiled brightly, bobbing her head up and down like a Hawaii doll.

Megan was looking at me every few seconds, her eyes searching solace in mine while Rose was walking beside me telling me things and was laughing at something I didn't understand. She hit my hands playfully as she laughed, putting her head back as if I had cracked an awesome joke.

As I turned my attention towards the girl I cared, I saw that her mother clutching her elbow tightly. I saw her mother's knuckle go white as she held Megan, smiling sweetly at her as she talked animatedly. I had a sudden urge to separate them, but I held my ground.

Megan opened the locks and gestured me to get inside. I nodded at her, silently answering her that I wouldn't be leaving her side today of all days.

"Come in, Miles." Eleanor said. "Come have a seat. Did you have dinner? Should I be making something?"

She gestured me and Rose to sit together while she held on to Megan looking at us follow her instructions. Something sure seemed fishy and I couldn't pin point what it was.

"Mom, he's a chef." Rose pipped in. "I'm sure he has had dinner already."

Eleanor smiled at me. "Sure, sure." She took a seat and pulled Megan towards her, not letting her go. "Rose is a good cook too. She does all kinds of culinary things, unlike Megan here."

Megan looked away. I didn't understand that need for her mother to compare her two daughters. I looked at Rose, who was still smiling at me with wide green eyes similar to that of her mother's. Her dark wavy hair and strong jaw made her look beautiful. When I saw Eleanor back again, it seemed as if Rose was a younger version of Eleanor herself.

"I... I hope you didn't wait long." Megan said, stumbling at her words, as if she was walking on thin ice. "What brings you here?"

Megan's blue eyes and blond hair was nowhere similar to that of either her mother or her sister. And why was she stuttering and whispering? The Megan I knew was dauntless and often took control of the situation boldly. But now, she seemed a little lost.

"We heard about your interview." Rose said, looking at me. "We thought we should come celebrate."

"Oh?" Megan was surprised. Was it that uncommon in her family to meet and celebrate? "You could have called. We could have gone out for dinner."

"No, that's not necessary." Her mother waved her hand in the air. "We came to meet Miles anyway."

"Well, thank you." I said, for the first time I came in. "I'm honored."