Where the Heart is

Sometimes I think about sponges, like the creature, not the bathroom implement. They can reaggregate, basically pull themselves back together even if they're been separated at a cellular level. But even more than that, if you take two sponges and put them in a blender, they'll reform into their own selves, like each cell knows where it belongs.

Maybe Elise does belong with her family.

She's calm enough to accept William's appearance, but doesn't commit to returning, which makes sense, he's clearly had a change of heart but he hasn't said anything to show it yet. We walk into a nearby café, taking the booth in the corner to be out of earshot as much as possible. And then... Nothing. Silence. We're sat here, and no one's said a word, the waitress brought over some tea, but other than that... Zero words. I mean, I'm the outsider here, right? I can't just break the tension, it's not my tension to break.

Sure wish they'd say something though. Think I preferred it when he was shouting about how much of a phase I am, at least that let me know where I stand. I put sugar and milk into my tea, trying not to make eye contact, I don't want to-

"How is your brother?" William finally asks. Oh, apparently this is now happening.

"How's your jaw?" I snap back. I'm not going to pretend Jasper behaved perfectly that night, but he sure as Hell did more for us than this sack of shit.

William raises his hands slightly in submission. "I apologise, I only wanted to make sure I hadn't...I didn't want him to be blamed for my actions." He clarifies, his voice quiet and weary. How long has it been since he slept? I've seen more lively funerals.

"No, we blame you. Solely you." Elise growls. It feels like she's trying to twist the knife as much as possible, not that I can blame her.

"That's understandable, it's all my fault, what I said was disrespectful and-" He begins to answer before being cut off by his daughter's hand slamming on the table.

"Disrespectful? Is that it?" She barks, not withholding her rage any more. "You insulted my entire identity, you turned your back on me, you abandoned me... But worst of all you tried to undermine my relationship with the woman I love. You're lucky she punched you, because if she didn't, I would have and I can't guarantee I would have stopped."

The venom dripping from Elise's every word is like napalm for the soul, I've got no love for William, but it must be agonising to hear your child is that angry at you, even if she is being hyperbolic. He doesn't respond, instead returning to silence, as if he knows no words are good enough.

"Why are we here, come on Lapin, we're going home." Elise decides, standing and beginning to exit the booth. I begin to follow before the next words ring out.

"Your mother left me." William states.

Elise turns around with a look of shock, anger, and disgust. She returns to the booth and sits back in her seat to address her father.

"When?" Is the only word she gives.

"A couple of days ago, she... She was heartbroken without you there, called me a monster, heartless, said I was a failure as a father and a husband, I've come to realise she isn't wrong." He explains. "I... I let myself become complacent, thought I knew more than anyone and... I ignored you, how much you've grown, and I acted like I knew you better than you know yourself. I'm sorry... I just... When I see you I still see my little girl, it's hard to-"

"Save it." Elise cuts him off, but without the same level of ferocity. "There aren't any words that would make it better. You couldn't understand even if you did want to..." She continues, her anger slowly being replaced with it's true form... Pain. "I never worried, you know? About telling you. I thought I'd face harassment in my life, discrimination from others, I thought people might hate me, but you know what? Never bothered me. Because I knew, I knew the one thing I could count on was you. My bedrock, my hero, my own blood. You know the irony? No one else has treated me any differently, it's just you, only you have hurt me. So I'm sorry the love of your life left, but she was right, you failed us, so now I'm going to go home, with the love of my life, and I'm never, ever, going to fail like you."

Tears are pouring down Elise's cheeks as she leaves, I look at William, who seems to feel plenty of hurt himself, but truthfully I don't care. "Turns out you're right. Elise's heart is made of glass. You just forgot that glass can be bulletproof." I spit, making my exit. "Thanks for the tea." I add as I follow Elise outside, together we head down the twisting backstreets to put as much space between us and him as possible. I don't think this is a bus journey, not with emotions being so raw.

I need to make a call.

*

"Oh, honey, come here." My mother coos, pulling Elise into a tight hug. Jasper had come and picked us up, when we arrived Mum immediately latched onto my girlfriend and we explained the whole story. "You did the right thing, you can't bottle up your feelings, no matter what, okay?"

Even when it's someone else's daughter, Mum always knows what to say. After some more hugging, Elise is released and walks straight into my arms. "I should talk to my mother..." She murmurs. "Will you..." She starts but her words drift off.

"Of course." I answer anyway. "Whatever you need I'm here, alright? You're my Moon." I confirm, holding her tighter. I know a thing or two about disappointing dads, the least I can do is be there for her, I don't know how I would have gotten by without my Mum, I'd imagine Elise could do with the same support.

Jasper finally cuts into the conversation. "How about we give you two some space." He offers, gesturing for Mum to come with him to the living room, leaving us alone in the kitchen.

"You know, you told your dad you loved me." I point out, stroking Elise's back. "I haven't even mentioned that to Mum yet, you're always in the lead." I smile, pulling a giggle from her mouth.

She pulls away slightly to look into my eyes. "What can I say?" She responds, a weak smile forming on her face. "I want to tell the whole world... Then I want to go to space and tell everyone there... Then... Maybe time travel? Plenty of people in the past and the future to tell." She continues, before placing a kiss on my lips.

They'd better invent space and time travel soon.

There really aren't enough people in the world to tell.