Perspicuous (J.HALE)

12

I'd never seen Meg look so tired.

Her eyes were dark and droopy. Her hair was scraped back away from her face, and her spine curved forward as she walked under the weight of her shoulders. She moved around the house like a zombie, each step slow and mechanical, and barely heard me when I spoke to her. I'd tried to distract her with some light conversation at dinner, but she wasn't particularly receptive. I couldn't blame her.

After dinner, she collapsed onto the sofa. She wasn't asleep—she just stared at the television as it blared some un-funny sitcom at her, eyes empty. I folded laundry at the kitchen table, half keeping an ear out just in case anything changed. I thought it would be best just to let her ride it out. She'd talk when she was ready.

There was a knock at the door at around seven.

Elliot was stood on the doorstep, tufts of orange hair poking out from under a thick woollen hat and hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his massive coat. He seemed disgruntled with the Forks weather, the frown lines of his forehead deepening with every second.

"Hey," I said softly, beckoning him inside.

"Hi." His tone was a little curt.

"You want a drink or something?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks."

"Meg's in the living room," I said. "If you wanted to say hello."

He hesitated in the centre of the kitchen, pressing his lips together. "Uh...yeah. Okay."

"Is that Elliot?"

We both turned our heads in the direction of the sofa at the call, Meg half-twisted around in order to see us.

"Hey," Elliot said as he headed toward her.

She stood up and threw her arms around him, squeezing him tight. I watched in mild confusion.

"It's good to see you, honey," she said, pulling back and cupping his face in her hand. Her movements were still a little sluggish, but her eyes had brightened a little. "How are you doing?"

"Okay, all things considered," he murmured, making an attempt at a smile.

I shifted my weight from foot to foot and waited.

"What about you?" he added, after a moment.

She pressed her lips into a thin line and tilted her head. "I've been better. Do you want tea? Or food? You must be hungry."

"I already offered, Meg-

"Uh...sure. Tea would be nice."

I blinked at him as Meg bustled past me toward the kitchen, leaving the blanket that had previously been wrapped around her shoulders abandoned on the couch. Elliot moved to follow her, but then stopped, eyes caught on the crib in the corner of the room. His face went blank and he remained still for a few seconds, and then turned his head to look at me.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "That's your nephew."

His eyebrows flew up. "Oh."

I walked over to the crib and peeked over the side. Ethan was fast asleep, head turned to the side and little hands clutching at the blanket over him, pink pacifier between his plump lips. Elliot appeared at my side, a little cautious, and looked down at him, taking a deep breath.