Four At The Table

Four At The Table
By the time Elias and I reached the Chinese restaurant, the evening had settled comfortably over campus.

The restaurant was only a short walk from the campus, but it was one of those places that always seemed to feel farther away from campus life once you stepped through the doors.

Warm lights hung above the tables, soft music played in the background, and the smell of fried rice, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce seemed to follow us from the entrance.

Grace was already there.

She lifted her hand when she saw us.

"Finally!"

"We're two minutes late," I said.

"Three," she corrected.

Elias laughed.

"She's been counting."

"Of course I have."

Beside her sat Charles.

I'd met him before, but this was only the second time the four of us had gone out together.

Charles was in Grace's department and, like us, was in his penultimate year. He was an easygoing guy, the kind of person who doesn't think he has to dominate a conversation to be noticed.

He stood when we approached.

"Hey, Crane."

"Charles."

We shook hands.

Then he greeted Elias.

There was never any awkwardness around us.

Charles knew Elias and I were together, and he'd never behaved as though it were something unusual that required an explanation.

I appreciated that about him.

We took our seats.

"So," Grace said,"how was your day?"

"Long."

Elias immediately nodded.

"Very long." Both of us said at the same time.

I looked at him and smiled.

Grace pointed at us.

"See? That's exactly what I'm talking about."

"What?"

"You two always answer for each other."

Charles laughed.

"They've been together long enough to know what the other is going to say."

"Exactly," Grace said.

Elias smiled.

"Unlike someone I know."

Grace narrowed her eyes.

"Don't start."

"I haven't started anything."

"You have that look."

"What look?"

"The look you get when you're about to embarrass me."

Elias leaned back in his chair.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

I laughed.

Grace looked at Charles.

"Don't encourage him."

"I haven't said anything."

"Exactly. Keep it that way."

We ordered and our food arrived shortly afterward, and the conversation immediately became more relaxed.

Charles told us about something ridiculous that had happened in their department.

Grace interrupted him several times to correct details.

"That's not what happened."

"It absolutely happened that way."

"No, it didn't."

"It did."

I laughed.

"You two sound like an old married couple."

Grace pointed at me.

"Don't bring yourself into this."

Elias was already laughing.

Then, naturally, he turned the conversation toward Grace's childhood.

"Charles, did Grace ever tell you about the time she tried to cut her own hair?"

Grace's eyes widened.

"Elias."

Charles looked interested.

"No."

"Don't."

"She was about eight."

"I was nine."

"You were eight."

"I was nine!"

"You were eight."

Charles laughed.

"What happened?"

Elias grinned.

"She decided she wanted bangs."

Grace covered her face.

"And instead of asking someone, she took a pair of scissors—"

"I knew what I was doing."

"—and cut half her hair."

Charles was laughing now.

"It wasn't half!"

"It looked like half."

Grace pointed at Elias.

"At least I didn't cry when Dad made you take your training wheels off."

The table went silent for half a second.

Then I burst out laughing.

Elias stared at his sister.

"You promised never to tell anyone that."

"I never promised."

"You absolutely did."

Grace was laughing so hard she had to put her fork down.

Charles looked delighted.

"Wait. You cried?"

"I was six!"

"You cried?"

"It was a bicycle!"

"It was a bicycle," Grace repeated, grinning.

Elias shook his head.

"I hate all of you."

I reached beneath the table and briefly squeezed his hand.

He glanced at me.

The look he gave me said don't you dare join them.

I smiled innocently.

"I'm not saying anything."

"Good."

Grace immediately noticed.

"Look at him."

"What?"

"He's trying not to laugh."

I couldn't hold it anymore.

I laughed.

Elias gave me an exaggerated look of betrayal.

"You too?"

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

"I'm really not."

He shook his head, but he was smiling.

The evening continued like that.

Stories.

Teasing.

Food.

Laughter.

At one point, I looked around the table.

Grace was laughing at something Charles had said.

Elias was trying to steal a piece of food from my plate.

I caught his hand.

"That's mine."

"You weren't eating it."

"I was going to."

"When?"

"Eventually."

He smiled.

I gave him half anyway.

His fingers briefly brushed mine beneath the edge of the table.

It was such a small gesture that nobody else noticed.

But I did.

I always did.

Later, while Grace and Charles were talking, Elias leaned slightly toward me.

"I'm happy."

I looked at him.

"Me too."

He smiled.

There was something about seeing Grace with Charles that made me feel peaceful.

I'd watched her grow from that desperate girl who felt I betrayed her.

And now she had someone beside her who seemed genuinely good for her.

Charles listened when she spoke.

He teased her without belittling her.

He looked at her with the kind of quiet affection that didn't need to be announced.

I hoped he would keep to that. I hope Grace would always be treated with that kind of care.

Dinner eventually came to an end.

We paid the bill and stepped outside into the cool evening air.

The four of us walked together along the sidewalk.

Campus lights glowed in the distance, and students passed us in both directions.

At the corner where our paths separated, we stopped.

"Guess this is us," Charles said.

Grace hugged Elias.

"See you later, big brother."

"See you."

She hugged me next.

"Don't let him annoy you."

Elias laughed.

"Too late."

Charles shook my hand and that of Elias.

"Good seeing you guys."

"You too." Elias responded and I just smiled.

Then he and Grace headed down one path.

Elias and I stood watching them for a moment.

"They're good together," I said.

"Yes they are." He agreed.

Then Elias slipped his hand into mine.

We started walking in the opposite direction.

The evening had been simple.

Just four people sharing food, stories, laughter, and a few pieces of their past.