Going Deep

At The Barbecue

After spending three lonely weeks at my new home, I finally got invited to a barbecue. It was a great thing, because I was going insane this last week and I needed to break out of my little bubble. I have never spent so much time alone before, without my friends, without my family and without normal, everyday contact with strangers. Of course I went to shop and I did my daily strolls around the town, but not too many people seemed to be willing to make a conversation with me, not to mention any kind of effort to get to know me. I believe I tried my best to socialize, especially after the incident with Harry at the lake.

I don't run that track anymore. I don't even roam the woods around the cabin and his house, because I don't think I could ever look into his eyes. He was totally right when he told me that I behaved pathetically. I spent a horrendous amount of time trying to figure out what made me act the way I did with him. I was never a shy person, but that borderline-slut act was not my style either. I just can not understand what had gotten into me.

I only saw him once since then, he was leaving Gustave's shop, and I shamefully hid behind the corner of the post office, so he wouldn't see me.

Speaking of Gustave. He's been his same grumpy self, just like when I met him on my first day here, but I've got a feeling that he is a warm and caring person on the inside. He has a big family, four kids still in school out of the total six and he adores them very much. I don't know a lot about his wife though, but she has to be the sweetest creauture to be able to stand Gustave's mood swings and constant drinking.

Gustave also has quite a few siblings and an endless number of cousins. One of them is Dominique Morel, a spectacular human being with the longest hair I've ever seen on a male, reaching all the way down to the middle of his thighs and with such a pliable nature that he surely wouldn't be able to say no even if he was asked to murder a baby panda. He is also really huge, a seriously giant-like figure with French writing inked into his skin, not leaving a single clean spot for the eyes. He would be really threatening if it wasn't for his kind and easy personality.

The barbecue is happening in Dominique's backyard and currently I'm sitting at his garden table with Theo and Daniel, two other cousins from the Morel family. We'r drinking heavily.

„Jemmy, come over here!", Dominique's shouting at me from the other end of the yard, so I go over to see what he wants. „Jemmy, this' my sister, Arlene." and with that he leaves me with a woman in her early twenties. She's really tiny and has black hair with deep brown eyes, a miniscule version of Domninique.

„Hello sweetheart, I heard a lot about you from Gustave!" I can tell she's just as nice as her brother.

„Really? I can't imagine it was any good, because I'm not his favourite person." I try to joke.

„Oh don't be silly Jemmy sweetheart. Gustave is the softest person in this town, he's the biggest pushover. If he was rude to you in any way, it means he likes you."

„Good to know. He is alright I guess. I know he loves his family, so he can't be a bad person."

„Yes he does. He's a strong man, gone through hell in the last few years." That makes me curius about Gustave, but it would be too early to ask such a personal question, so I just nod and smile politely at Arlene. „Are you close with your family sweety?" oh, she's big on pet names.

„Very much. I have great parents and too annoying but lovely younger sisters. I miss them immensly."

„Why did you move here in the first place? British seem to love our little town."

„I wanted to live by myself for a while, but I don't really have an explanation why here. I love the nature I guess." She doesn't seem to understand. „Do you know Harry?"