That Thing Between Eli & Gwen

She covered her mouth and laughed. “He looked like big marshmallow.”

“He did, and he told us to give him a hug before he went out and worked for hours in the snow to get the power back on before nightfall because he was worried people would freeze since there hadn’t been any time to prepare. When he came back, we could pull ice off his eyebrows. Your dad isn’t just an electrical repairman, Stevie. He’s the man that keeps the fire going no matter what.”

She dropped her head, putting her glass on the table. “I know. I know. It’s just they make me feel like I’m not good enough all the time.”

“Then prove them wrong. You know what my dad says. Chin up…”

“Head high!” she said loudly, puffing out her chest before we both broke out into a fit of laughter. “Our dads are something else aren’t they?”

“Yeah they are, and they would not approve of us standing here drinking wine over men, which is why we are going out!” I said, going to my living room to grab my bag and camera.

“Going out where?”

“There is this block party happening downtown. I was going to go later to see the fireworks but you and I could both use some cotton candy and laughter.” I hooked my arm around hers and grabbed Taigi’s leash, dragging us out of my apartment.

She held on to me tightly, and when we got on the elevator she put her head on my shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“For what? I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“For not telling me to leave him. I know you aren’t fond of Nathaniel, so thank you for not using this as an opportunity to say so,” she muttered softly, watching the numbers decrease as we went down.

I wasn’t sure if I liked her thanking me for that. I wanted to say the same thing I’d said to her when I first met him: Nathaniel was a spoiled mama’s boy. He should have stood up for her and her family. The fact that he hadn’t pissed me off. Our families were one of the things that defined us. But if I had told her all that, I could just see our past fight playing out ag

ain and us ending up going separate ways. She was marrying him. She was making that choice, and I knew I’d rather be on her side when she needed my help than not speak to her.

Sometimes the best thing you could do for a person was just be there, no matter the circumstances.

Kind of like how Eli was.

Eli

I knew about as much as an ant when it came to little girls. The block party was filled with little children and their parents, balloon toys, and clowns. When I’d offered to bring her there, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but her being quiet, sitting in her wheelchair, holding her stuffed bear was definitely not it.

“Molly? Are you all right?” I asked, kneeling in front of her. She put her chin on top of the teddy bear’s head. “Do you want to go back to the hospital?”

“No!” She looked like she was going to cry, which caused a few parents to turn to look at us.

“Okay, we don’t have to go back. I’m just asking because you don’t look like you’re having fun.”

“I’m having fun,” she lied.

This was the worst idea.

“Eli?”

Turning around I came face to face with Guinevere, wearing jean shorts and a red shirt and cardigan, her camera around her neck and fresh cotton candy in her hand. She looked…just like I would picture Guinevere to look. Molly grabbed my hand, hiding her face behind it.

“Hello?” Guinevere smiled at her.

“Guinevere, this is Molly, a patient of mine. I brought her here while her father went out to work.” I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to explain that to her.

She ignored me anyway, looking to Molly and crouching down. “Have we met before, Ms. Molly?”

Molly squeezed her bear and Guinevere snapped her fingers and smiled. “I remember now. You were the girl who almost ran me over when I moved into the building. Your dad’s name is T…”

“Toby,” I answered for her.