Loving the unloveable

Family discussions

Iris:

Holy fuck. I stare up at him completely aghast from his seemingly out of the blue confession. He wants to touch me? What does a girl say to that? Of course other than denying that I don't want the same thing because as I stare past him, safely trapped against his front by his hands that lock around the bottom of my back, I know exactly what I want. But I can't meet his eyes because I can't have it. I can't have him.

"Dinner is on the table!" His mom yells from somewhere, successfully ruining the moment which I'm eternally thankful for. My eyes snap away from the colourful wall behind him and I catch a tick in his jaw as I clear my throat and pull away from him. "We should go" I look down, avoiding his gaze that I know is deeply unimpressed.

"Yeah we should" he mutters, creating distance between us as he moves toward the door. A coldness washes over me as I watch his retreating figure. With a deep breath in, I follow behind him until we reach the grand dining room where his family are already seated. Mr Jones sits at the head of the table with his wife to his left and his daughter to the right. Elias wordlessly takes a seat beside his mom while I go beside Poppy.

Everyone begins to eat as light chatter ensues around the table. Mrs Jones is kind enough to try and include me in the conversations by asking me many questions that I notice tend to be about my sisters and my father. I smile and answer politely, mostly having to lie to keep their opinions of my father positive. Having an alcoholic, abusive father isn't really family dinner talk is it?

"Gracie and Ava must be your fathers pride and joy. Twins are such a blessing" she gushes with a beaming smile that I can't reciprocate.
"Yes my father loves my sisters dearly" except for when he's got a beer in his system and he wants to draw me out by threatening their lives.
"And you of course I'm sure he's proud of you too" forcing a smile i nod stiffly. No one picks up on the bullshit I'm spewing as the conversation moves onto stories about the Jones kids.

"This one time I left a cheesecake out on the counter while I got ready and I came back to find a face shaped hole in the middle and Elias was sat there with his nice, white shirt completely ruined. The cheesecake was covering his entire face like one of my face masks!" She laughs loudly, along with her husband and her son who's cheeks tinge pink. I chuckle too, attempting to fit in with the picture perfect family when all I feel like is an outcast sat on the sidelines as I'm forced to watch what my family would of looked like if I wasn't in the picture.

"That wasn't the last cheesecake incident either," Mr Jones starts with a smile as he leans over the table to get closer to his family that eagerly listen to his story. "When poppy was three i found Elias feeding a spoonful of cheesecake to poppy between two scoops for himself while me and their mom were getting ready for dinner"

"Imagine my shock when I came downstairs and found both of my children and husband finishing off the cheesecake I had made twenty minutes earlier!" Mrs jones glares a pointed look at her husband who smirks.
"What can I say my wife is an excellent cook" his wife doesn't seem impressed until he leans over to plant a kiss on her cheek and she melts like butter in his arms.

"Just a cook?" She cocks an eyebrow with fake seriousness as I quietly take a bite of cheesecake.
"Among many other things like a kick ass lawyer" she hums pleased, the couple continue to share hushed words that I don't catch as a tug on my sleeve captures my attention.

"I like your hair" poppy whispers in a hushed voice as her brown, doe eyes peer up at me.
"Thank you I like yours too" she beams, a pink glow appearing on her cheeks until her face drops and she frowns. "But I don't have a ribbon"
"Well that's easily fixed" I gently place my spoon down and reach behind me. With a gently pull my hair cascades down and the black ribbon slips into my palm.