[For Eli]

[doctorprescott]

Michael had the remains of a croissant on a plate in front of him, the paper he'd been intending to read next to the plate, and his phone on top of that. In his left hand, he still held the coffee he'd ordered, but it was hovering just shy of his mouth.

He was staring at his phone like it was a rattling snake rather than drinking his coffee and seriously kicking himself for giving the number to this particular new mother. After the first two calls he'd let her go to voicemail, to no effect, she'd just called back after leaving the message to make sure the message went through.

When five full minutes passed without it ringing, he decided to brave a sip of desperately needed coffee.

Comments

[elidixon]

Eli is pleased when Michael accepts the invitation. Though he sees Michael shift nervously in his chair, and Eli hopes he wasn't too forward. They did just meet. Perhaps Eli should assure Michael it's okay if he doesn't want to come over. He knows he has a tendency to push people into doing what he thinks they should. Michael barely knows him, and Eli is asking him to hang out with his friends and he could see how that might be too much. He almost says something, but Michael did accept. He wouldn't have said yes if he doesn't want to come, right? Eli finds he is too excited over the idea to say more.

"Cool," he says. "It'll be fun," he tacks on. He picks up his iced coffee, but realizes he has drank all of it in the middle of their conversation. He is almost tempted to order another. "I missed these while I was away," he says, plopping the empty cup onto the table.

[doctorprescott]

"Looking forward to it," Michael replied and he almost meant it. Spending time in the community garden, he was definitely looking forward to. It sounded like a lot of fun and definitely different from his usual shut-in ways. But dinner? With other people he didn't know? That wasn't tipping the fun meter a whole lot. Maybe things had changed, though, as he'd gotten older.

Maybe he wouldn't make a complete ass of himself.

Just then, his phone chimed and Michael sighed when he read the message. "I've got afternoon appointments starting in ten minutes. I'd better get back."