Holland’s eyebrows pulled together in a curious kind of frown as he considered the topic of her thesis. “I would love to read that sometime if you don’t mind sharing.” He was simply dazzled by her.
His face lost a little of his enthusiasm, however, when she asked for more details on his thesis.
“Actually, I didn’t. It wasn’t my best work to be honest.” He hesitated drawing his lip ring into his mouth while he weighed whether it would be safe to share more. He decided to go for it, carefully. “My girlfriend was due around the time I had to finish my degree. It was - well - just - really stressful for me. I took an incomplete and finished the thesis in a rush over the summer so I could graduate. My committee took pity on me, I think, I shouldn’t have passed.”
He sighed remembering the time he spent in his professor's offices explaining how out of control his anxiety had been and asking for extension after extension.
Rose was giggling meanwhile completely unaware of the conversation the adults were having. Holland nearly startled when Aphrodite touched him. Her soft reassuring hand was suddenly and unexpectedly on his arm. He swallowed and smiled nervously, eyes flicking to her hand and back to her eyes. “I’m normally a good student, I promise.”
When Rose held up her book to show Aphrodite, Holland leaned over to see what the girls were looking at. Just as soon as she’d showed the picture she was wiggling to get down. “I want to color that one.” Her finger pointed to the unicorn of which there was a matching picture in the corresponding coloring book.
Holland retrieved the coloring book and an excessively large box of crayons for the girl and set her up on the floor nearby while Aphrodite described her origins. “You must be good if they poached you from the U.K.” He observed from where he crouched on the floor while he flipped through the coloring book to find the picture Rose wanted. He set the pop-up next to her for reference in case she wanted to replicate the coloring. She didn’t. She proceeded to scribble with seemingly random colors.
Holland stood up and tugged his jeans back down until they rested back on his hips. “Is it just me or is it weird that neither of them have come back yet? Owen didn’t even offer to get me a beer or anything.” He shook his head, eyeing Owen’s abandoned half-consumed brew on the living room table. “I guess I have to help myself. Can I get you anything?” He stepped carefully over Rose and was already moving towards the kitchen.
Owen craned his neck with Julianna trying to peer down the stairs. It was no use. He couldn’t see anything but the feet of the stairs. He could hear Holland speaking but couldn’t discern what was said.
His eyebrow arched inquisitively and the sly grin was immediately back on his lips when Julianna suggested they could continue to shirk their hosting duties. “What exactly are you suggesting?” He queried stepping forward and pushing her back with his hands on her hips. “Are you saying that we can linger up here doing who knows what while Holland’s fatherhood hangs in the balance?” Her back met the wall and Owen tsked in fake moral outrage even as his lips brushed against the curve of her neck. “What would Aphrodite think of you?”
His face lost a little of his enthusiasm, however, when she asked for more details on his thesis.
“Actually, I didn’t. It wasn’t my best work to be honest.” He hesitated drawing his lip ring into his mouth while he weighed whether it would be safe to share more. He decided to go for it, carefully. “My girlfriend was due around the time I had to finish my degree. It was - well - just - really stressful for me. I took an incomplete and finished the thesis in a rush over the summer so I could graduate. My committee took pity on me, I think, I shouldn’t have passed.”
He sighed remembering the time he spent in his professor's offices explaining how out of control his anxiety had been and asking for extension after extension.
Rose was giggling meanwhile completely unaware of the conversation the adults were having. Holland nearly startled when Aphrodite touched him. Her soft reassuring hand was suddenly and unexpectedly on his arm. He swallowed and smiled nervously, eyes flicking to her hand and back to her eyes. “I’m normally a good student, I promise.”
When Rose held up her book to show Aphrodite, Holland leaned over to see what the girls were looking at. Just as soon as she’d showed the picture she was wiggling to get down. “I want to color that one.” Her finger pointed to the unicorn of which there was a matching picture in the corresponding coloring book.
Holland retrieved the coloring book and an excessively large box of crayons for the girl and set her up on the floor nearby while Aphrodite described her origins. “You must be good if they poached you from the U.K.” He observed from where he crouched on the floor while he flipped through the coloring book to find the picture Rose wanted. He set the pop-up next to her for reference in case she wanted to replicate the coloring. She didn’t. She proceeded to scribble with seemingly random colors.
Holland stood up and tugged his jeans back down until they rested back on his hips. “Is it just me or is it weird that neither of them have come back yet? Owen didn’t even offer to get me a beer or anything.” He shook his head, eyeing Owen’s abandoned half-consumed brew on the living room table. “I guess I have to help myself. Can I get you anything?” He stepped carefully over Rose and was already moving towards the kitchen.
_____
Owen craned his neck with Julianna trying to peer down the stairs. It was no use. He couldn’t see anything but the feet of the stairs. He could hear Holland speaking but couldn’t discern what was said.
His eyebrow arched inquisitively and the sly grin was immediately back on his lips when Julianna suggested they could continue to shirk their hosting duties. “What exactly are you suggesting?” He queried stepping forward and pushing her back with his hands on her hips. “Are you saying that we can linger up here doing who knows what while Holland’s fatherhood hangs in the balance?” Her back met the wall and Owen tsked in fake moral outrage even as his lips brushed against the curve of her neck. “What would Aphrodite think of you?”
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
The following 1 user Likes saronym's post: megs
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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2020, 09:05 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-03-2020, 08:47 PM