The first thing Miriam noticed about her elder sister was the large splotch of red on the hem of her sheer, linen t-shirt. The second was the emerald glittering on her ring finger. So large, for a moment it seemed to swallow the appendage whole. "He proposed?" Miriam squealed, jumping from foot to foot like a child receiving their first Barbie.

Esther's hand squeezed into a fist and disappeared behind her back while she closed her eyes tight and grimaced. "Fuck," she whispered.

"What do you mean?" Miriam threw her arms around Esther's sweaty frame and squeezed so tight her sister begged for release. "This is a good thing, isn't it?" she asked.

Esther placed her hand at arms-length and stared down at the glittering gem, smile soft and almost disbelieving. "Yeah." Her gaze lifted. "It is."

Wes chose this moment to congratulate her, and Miriam was forced to sidestep out of her sister's meteoric leap across the threshold. She and Wes hugged, rocking from side to side while Esther complimented his t-shirt, and he returned the favour to the ring.

"It's just a ring," she said, waving them in. "I'm more impressed with how Darren proposed. Honestly, I didn't think he could do something like that."

"Was it romantic?" Miriam asked while kicking off her trainers. "Please tell me it was romantic."

Esther began to nod then quickly shook her head. "I've already said too much. We're planning a whole thing in a couple weeks so you two need to keep this to yourselves. If Mum finds out anyone knew before her, let alone you guys, she'll kill us all."

Wes ran his fingers along his mouth like a zipper at the exact same time Miriam did; they both chucked the key over their shoulder. "We won't say a word," Miriam added for good measure.

"Good, because tonight is all about Dad."

"And on that note, what do you need me to do?" Miriam asked.

"Us," Wes corrected. "What do you need us to do?"

"You two are the sweetest," Esther cooed, "but honestly I have everything under cont—"

Esther's phone rang. She answered, hurrying into the living room and leaving Miriam and Wes in the hallway where they finished hanging up their coats. Wes' slipped off the peg just as Esther stuck her head out. "Change of plan," she said a little too quickly. "Did either of you drive?"

Wes raised his hand.

"Lost the coin toss?" Esther grinned.

He nodded, then added, "It was probably for the best anyway."

"Probably," she said with a wink. "Mer's driving is diabolical."

"One," Miriam grimaced, "I'm standing right here, and two, is there some kind of point to this?"

"Oh yeah." Esther closed her eyes for three whole seconds. "Could you guys pick up the cake?" she asked.

"The cake?" Miriam frowned.

"Darren was supposed to do it, but he has this work thing tonight, and I forgot, and the bakery just called. They're closing in forty-five minutes."

"Where is it?" Miriam asked.

"Just off Portobello Road."

Wes sucked in a breath. "I'll drive," he said. "Parking round there is tight."

Miriam elbowed him sharply and he yelped before throwing an arm over her shoulder and tugging her close. Esther simply rolled her eyes before pulling her phone out of her back pocket. "There," she said with a self-satisfied smile, "I've sent you the collection details. Just be quick."

"Aye-aye captain," Wes and Miriam said simultaneously.

"You two are ridiculous," Esther laughed. She then shooed them away, shouting hurry, hurry, hurry while they donned their jackets, tied their laces and slipped back into the sterile hallway.

Wes called the lift which was, thankfully, still on Esther's floor. The doors opened seamlessly, and they piled inside. Wes leaned against one of the stainless-steel walls while Miriam stationed herself in front of the large mirror. Turning her head left and right, she fluffed her braids at the root before collecting them in a high ponytail.

"I prefer your hair down." Wes stepped from his corner and placed a hand on Miriam's shoulder. She leaned into his touch and released her hair, leaving it to spill over her shoulders where Wes gathered her braids and moved them to one side. "If you need me tonight, like at any point, even if I'm on my way to the bathroom, just—"

"Itch my nose?" Miriam grinned.

"You remember?" They came with the ritual back when they were thirteen, hadn't used it in years.

"How could I forget," Miriam said.

Wes smiled just as the doors slid open. He stepped back, the warmth of his presence dissipating in seconds, and headed into the small foyer, hurrying to open the door. Miriam bobbed past, thanking him, and they fell into step, taking the first left until Wes' car came into view. He unlocked the vehicle and clambered into the driver's seat while Miriam plopped beside him. She reached for the radio the moment he stuck the keys in the ignition, connected her phone to the aux cord and picked up their road trip playlist from where it left off.

"So about last night," Wes said.

Miriam's core tightened. She didn't want to think about last night, let alone hear about it. He'd been honest, that was enough, the dirty details could wait.

"I didn't think it would be a problem bringing El home," he explained.

"El?" Miriam sniffed.

"Yeah. We used to hang out, but I would've never brought her back if I thought it would be a big deal."

"It's not a big deal," Miriam said, forcing the brightest smile she could muster. "It was a little weird, but we're both free to date whoever."

"Woah." Wes raised a hand. "El and I are not dating."

"Yes." Miriam rolled her eyes. "How could I forget? You don't date."

"That's not true," Wes said with a laugh.

"Name one person you've dated in the past five years?"

His grip visibly tightened on the steering wheel, and he shrugged. "That's beside the point."

Miriam snorted. "So what is the point?"

"The point is—"

"Because you're allowed to date or do whatever it is you do," she said.

"I didn't realise I needed your permission."

Miriam closed her eyes and sunk lower in her seat. Of course he didn't need her permission, in the same way she didn't need his, but then it wasn't like she was bringing every single random Tom, Dick and Harry to their flat. If she were she was almost certain he'd have something to say, and yet she took a deep breath, pinched the bridge of her nose, and said, "You don't. I just mean that of course you bringing El back wasn't a big deal. I could care less. Whatever makes you happy, you know."

"You could care less?" His voice was barely above a whisper, so quiet Miriam turned sharply, eyes tracing the taut line of his jaw and rapidly blinking eyes. It was almost like he was hurt. But that didn't make sense, couldn't.

"I mean we're friends," Miriam said quickly, praying it was enough to make him uncoil. Unfortunately, if anything, he tightened. "It's not my place to care who you bring home," she added.

"Right." Wes nodded tersely. "I got it. Anyway, we're here." The car jerked to a stop. Miriam glanced over her shoulder, bewildered by the change of scene. "Do you want me to come in?" Wes asked.

"No." She unclipped her belt and opened the door, feet already pressed against the asphalt. "I'll only be a minuet."

Phone in hand, Miriam strode across the quiet street and into the small bakery. It smelt like heaven, like sugar and spice and all things nice. Too bad all Miriam could think about was Wes. More specifically, his evasiveness. Sure, she knew him well enough to know he was pissed, but Wes wasn't someone who suffered in silence; he liked to call her out on her bullshit. The question was, what had she said which was bullshit?

"Hi love." A homely woman in a floral dress stepped behind the counter, smile so bright it shook off Miriam's blues. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to pick up an order for Esther Fisher," Miriam said. "The order number is—"

"Don't worry about all that, I'll go grab the cake." The woman disappeared around the back and returned with a large white box sealed with branded stickers. "Make sure you keep it in the fridge until you're ready to serve," she said.

"Okay, thanks." Miriam waved goodbye before returning to the car. Wes was leaning against the passenger door, arms crossed. Any awkwardness seemed to have disappeared, leaving the Wes Miriam knew and loved in its wake. He opened the door and held the cake while she belted up before placing it carefully on her lap and running round to the other side of the car. For a moment, Miriam wondered if she should say something, apologise even, but then he stuck the keys in the ignition, turned on the radio and began singing, terribly, and she knew there was no need. Whatever passed between them was already forgotten, forgiven.

~*~

Miriam's parents arrived thirty minutes late with her younger sister in tow. Joanna bypassed both Esther and Miriam and launched herself at Wes while Miriam slid to her feet and hugged her father. "Happy birthday big man," she said into his scratchy green jumper.

He laughed good naturedly and patted her back. "Thank you, Miriam. I wasn't expecting you. Your mother said it was a busy semester."

Miriam slid her finger along her right nostril; Wes appeared in under ten seconds. "Hey Mr Fisher," he said in a sing-song voice. "Happy birthday." He then offered up his hand which Miriam's dad shook for a moment too long.

"Wesley," he said with a pleased guffaw. "It's wonderful you could come."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world. After all, you are my favourite dermatologist."

"You flatter me," her father said before stepping past to accept a hug from Esther.

Miriam half expected her mother to fill the vacuum, but other than a barely their smile, she paid Miriam no mind, focusing instead on Darren's absence. If she weren't so relieved for the snub, Miriam would've felt bad for Esther, but all she could do was squeeze Wes' hand and say, "Tonight won't be so bad."

Thirty minutes later, Miriam realised she'd spoken too soon.

They were sitting around Esther's large, farmhouse dining table when the first strike came. It was soft, subtle, a precursor, Miriam felt, for what was to come. She fended it off as best she could, playing down the reality of her dissertation in line with her mother's substandard expectations. Beneath the table, Wes squeezed her thigh and smiled. He knew the truth; that was all that mattered.

"Well at least you could come Wes," Miriam's mother said rather abruptly. "It's a shame this family doesn't matter enough to some."

"Darren's working," Esther said through gritted teeth.

"He's always working." Miriam's mother shook her head pityingly. Miriam thought it was rather rich coming from her, but bit her tongue.

Thankfully, Joanna swung to Esther's rescue. "I thought you said hard work was the mark of a good person. Isn't Darren a good person?"

"He's lovely," Miriam's mother said, "but I do wonder if he has his priorities straight. Look at Wesley. He always puts Miriam first and they're not even a couple. Although I do think that has more to do with you." She fixed her beady eyes on Miriam, glaring almost at her failing to nail Wes down.

"Not that it's any of your business," Miriam said a little too harshly, "but if Wes and I wanted to be together, we'd be together."

"That's what I'm saying." Her mother said between delicate bites. "If Darren wanted to be here, he'd be here."

"He does," Esther said evenly. "But work's important and I totally support him being there tonight instead of here."

"Of course you do. Anyway, we're probably boring you Wes with all this Darren chatter. How's university going?"

Wes began a spiel so long it successfully knocked Miriam's mother off the attack train. Instead she beamed, her mood lifting, and managed to avoid insulting any of her daughters the rest of the meal. In fact, her good behaviour lasted through the cake and extended to accepting a glass of wine, a rarity for someone who felt alcohol stifled success.

With the wine drunk, Miriam caught Wes' eye across the living room and jerked her head to the door. He nodded instantly and clapped his hands while standing up. "I think we should get going," he said. "It's a long drive back to Eastford."

Mum pressed a hand to her chest. "Of course, we wouldn't want to keep you."

"Thank you, Mrs Fisher." Wes smiled kindly and crossed the room, offering a hand to haul Miriam off the sofa. "And thank you Esther for such a lovely dinner. You can seriously cook."

"No worries," Esther laughed. "Let me show you guys out."

They all hurried into the hallway just as the mystical air of goodwill lifted and Miriam's mother criticised Joanna for peeling a hangnail. Miriam glanced at Esther, the two laughing silently, then began to put on her trainers.

"Thanks for coming," Esther said, handing both Miriam and Wes their coats. "If you hadn't, tonight would've been very different."

"I'm sure that's not true," Wes said.

"We all know it is," Esther grinned. "But it's over now, so you two get out while you still can."

"You sure you're going to be okay with her?" Miriam asked while she hugged Esther goodbye.

"Yeah, Darren's twenty minutes away. I'm sure the moment he gets home she'll bolt."

"Okay well I'll call you later."

"Yeah, drive safe."

The moment they left, Miriam let out a breath riddled with all the things she wished she could say. Without them trapped inside fighting their way out, she felt like she could breathe, like she was herself again rather than the contortionist her mother often turned her into. "Thanks," she said when she and Wes were safely seated in his car. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd survive."

Miriam smiled and shook her head. "No," she said with some finality. "I really wouldn't."

***

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