Where to go from here

Chapter 11 Coming Over

Minnie's POV

Oliver's son and I stare for a long moment into each other's eyes and I don't know what to say, but obviously neither does he and I guess for right now that is ok. I clear my throat to talk as we hear the doors opening to show Marilyn running to me. "Minnie?!" I look away from him and to her. She looks concerned for me, looking at the man that is holding my arm, but he quickly lets it go, probably seeing that it looks bad on his part to a stranger. But I stay silent as we both stare over at her.

"Minnie, I didn't want you to leave without your things.. we will take care of everything in here.. but do you need help?" she asks me as she keeps looking from me to Oliver's son. She is obviously confused since she has no idea who this man is with me and she knows that I never date. "Um.. No, I don't need anything thank you anyway." I say grabbing my stuff from her arms as she looks at me again before hugging me. She whispers into my ear. "I'm sorry."

I nod as I hug her tight, knowing that she means well, but I'm not in the mood to talk with her right now. "thanks." I say as she says to me. "I know how much Mr.Thomas meant to you, so I'm very sorry for your loss Minnie.. You know he loved the person you are, that's why he always asked for you and called you his favorite sheila.. so I'm sure that's the way he would have wanted to die was in his favorite girl's arms." she declares, trying to make me feel better, but honestly it doesn't. I just nod and swallow the lump in my throat as she backs away and says to me. "I know what you need.. you need a night out.. Sam was asking about you and he is a great distraction." she states as I shake my head without hesitation.

"No that's the last thing I want." I say as she groans out. "you need to listen to me one of these days and take the distraction." I shake my head again, nervously looking back and forth between Mary and Oliver's son. "I appreciate the concern but I am going to be fine." I declare as she huffs out looking frustrated. "Please let me know when you get home and call me if you need anything."

I wave as I watch her walk away and back into the building until the door shuts behind her. "It's nice to know you were his favorite." he says to me, bringing me back to the moment at hand, even though I feel so numb. All I can do is just nod, but as I think about his words and how nice his father was to everyone, I would be willing to bet money that those nice words were just a kind gesture he said to everyone. "I'm sure he said that to everyone." I say this, still hating myself and this situation even more. "Actually.. No he didn't." he responds this without hesitation. I looked over at him, then back down, still feeling so much shame in myself that I am having a hard time looking him in the eyes. "I need to leave here.. did you need a ride somewhere?" I asked, trying to be nice about him not having anyone or anything that I know of.

"Um.. yeah.. I guess.. sure.. thanks." He says as I unlock my car and sit down in the driver's seat as he gets into the passenger seat beside me. "So.. where am I taking you?" I ask when I start my car. But things are silent on his end. I look over to see he is crying and wiping away the tears as he stares out at the city lights that are shining bright, being just enough to slightly light up this darkened parking lot.

"I don't know honestly.. I don't have anywhere to go.. I just came here for him.. I didn't even know where he was staying before he came here.. She only gave me the information for this place.. but honestly, I'm afraid if I go anywhere near Lydia I will hurt her.. She is a b*tch and I have hated her since the moment I met her.. So probably just a hotel would be best." he says this, not with anger but with sadness, showing how hurt and lost he is in this moment, and believe me I get it.

"I'm so sorry.. I have been so heartbroken over this night, and everything that has happened with me and my friend.. that I haven't even considered how you must be feeling because of losing your father.. I'm so sorry... that's so selfish of me.. Lets do something for both of us right now.. I don't think either one of us should be alone at the moment. So how about this, to try to help everyone out.. You can come to my place and I can cook you something to eat to give you some time to process what has happened, just to help you figure out what your going to do next." I suggest to him as he looks over at me then down. "I don't want to bother you.. Minnie." He says to me as I shake my head. "It's not a bother and it is probably the least I could do with everything that has happened.. please just come with me?" I ask him as he lets out a deep breath, then nods. "Ok.. if ya insist."

"Ok thank you.. That helps ease my mind at least because I don't want to be alone with my thoughts right now." I say probably way too honestly to this stranger but that's how I am. I keep sniffling as I wipe away the stray tears and I can see he is doing the same. We know that we need to probably talk more about this, but that is hard to do when it is the sore open wound you're trying to avoid putting salt into. But I feel that he probably needs to know more about his father's last months with me at least. I can't seem to muster up any of the words to even try to discuss any of this. I can feel his eyes on me, but I think he is just feeling the same way I am. That we need to talk but no one knows how to start any of it.

"Uh.. Minnie?" he asks me as I glance over at him turning the key in the ignition to get the motor purring. "Yes.. I'm sorry.. I don't remember your name." I say feeling embarrassed about that realization. "It's Lachlan." he says extending his hand for me to shake again. I send him a small smile as I accept his kind gesture and shaking his hand. "Yes Lachlan.. what did you want to say?" I look over at him with my foot on the brake, waiting for what he has to say before I pull out of this spot.. With my blurry vision from all the tears, I need to make sure I'm seeing and, driving as best as I can right now.

"I don't ever plan to offend ya.. but.. Ya reckon that ya ok to be drivin'?" he asks me as I let out a deep breath. "I'm as good as I can be at the moment.. I guess.. why are you planning on driving?" I ask him as he loudly scoffs then shakes his head vigorously with his eyes widened at that thought. "No way.. everything here is on the opposite side.. I just don't want you to get hurt or to kill me, but if you think you're good to go, then I'll take your word for it." He says as I smile and back out of my spot.

"I'm as ok as I can be right now and I think that should count for something.. But anyways.. Are you ok with dogs?" I ask him as he chuckles at my comment, I think appreciating it. "Ya, I love them." He declares as I nod and say. "Well that's good because I have a puppy that I rescued years ago.. I just needed to make sure that you weren't allergic or anything." I explain as he declares. "No I'm not allergic, actually my job is to work with animals." I smile because I remember Oliver talking about just that with me.

"Yeah I remember hearing that.. your father told me about your job at the zoo.. right?" I say as he sends me a small smile while nodding. "You and my Da talked heaps at a time?" I nod my head while turning and driving, keeping my eyes on the road. "Yeah.. every day.. I took him for walks to make sure he got out of his room and brought him his favorite snacks." I say nicely as he starts to bust up laughing. I'm confused as I glance over and ask him. "Is there something funny about the fact that I would be friends with your father?" I feel the offense in the words as they leave my lips but he is instantly shaking his head.

"No.. not at all.. It was just funny, because the way you described your relationship with my father made it sound like he is yous pet or something.. it was funny.. Ya took my father out on walks and talked with him so he wasn't lonely and even gave him his favorite snacks.. Ya can't tell me that doesn't sound like a pet-like relationship.. deadset." he declares as I think about it. I want to be offended, but he is right. I giggle at that thought, thinking about that. "Yeah you're right.. and even most the snacks he wasn't supposed to have, but I snuck them to him when no one was watching." I giggle more as he joins with me louder than he was previously.

"I'm glad he had ya as his friend in his last days.. I guess months." he sadly states, but I just nod in agreement. "I know it's probably hard to believe, but I think I was the lucky one to have him as a friend because I don't have many friends around here at all." I state pulling into my apartment building's covered parking lot. "Then if you're not from here and you don't have friends here.. then why are you here?" His words are blunt but understandable because I even think that it doesn't make sense.

I get out of my car with my things in hand and he does the same, following right behind me and into the elevator to take us to my floor. "I'm so sorry if I have bothered ya.. I never intended to.. I was just curious, but ya can always tell me to rack off." he declares as I turn around to look at him curiously thinking about his words as I push the number for the floor that my apartment is on. "Rack off?" I ask him as he chuckles and explains. "It's more of the less offensive way to tell someone to f*#k off."

I nod at that thought but not giving him an actual answer about anything. I don't think he deserves to be told to f*#k off, but he is also asking about personal stuff. I don't think it's really any of his business, but I know a lot about his life already from his father, so maybe he deserves to know a little about me.. It might be a fair trade if you thought about things like that. But I don't know who this man even is. But I know the person his father was and he was an amazing man and I know what he thought and said about his son and if there is any truth to his words, then his son is a safe source to tell my feelings to. I keep glancing at him and he looks worried as if he doesn't want to offend me and I can appreciate that.