"Yeah..." Simon brought his hand up to rub his neck. "I'm sorry if I vomited over you..."

Elijah laughed. "I am glad I had spare pants. It is alright you didn't mean to. That reminds me..." he looked him up and down. "Your clothes are dirty. Borrow some of mine. I'll return them after they are washed. Don't need to give your sister extra work." He paused remembering his older sister was now married. "Rose is doing it now right ?" He went to him with a plate of eggs and a little toasted bread. "Eat up."

"Cheers." he took the plate, but kept looking at Elijah. "There's no way I'll let you wash em. It's my fault. I can do it today, since the boats are already out anyway. Let me wash yours too. I feel like an ass for givin' ye trouble."

Elijah shook his head softly. "It was an accident. I don't want you to feel guilty for that. I'm sure you won't be the last. If you really want to wash it, alright. It'll give me an excuse to come on by and see everyone." He sat at his small table to eat. His cat appeared to try to steal some. "Nope. You got your breakfast."

That had Simon looking at him with big eyes. "Oh please don't tell my father."

Elijah looked surprised. "Trouble at home?" He sighed heavily. By the time he was Simon's age, his grandparents had passed so he had godfather figure save for others in town to sort of take up the mantle occassionally. 

"Alright. I think you suffered enough last night. As far as Ben is concerned you got bumped into and knocked unconscious on the road where I found you since I worried about your health. You have a headache and were on the ground already last night. It wasn't a complete lie. As long as you weren't up to anything illegal?" He looked at him hopeful before nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"I hate lying but I don't want things harder on you than they are. So just this once, okay?" He tried to give him a reassuring smile as he ate.

Technically he had done something illegal last night, but by the time he was drinking himself silly, that already belonged to the past, and so he answered with the most innocent expression he could manage: "Not at all." Then he added: "Thanks, Elijah. I appreciate. I really do. I can wash everything that needs washing!" It was a woman's job. But who would see him?

Elijah trusted him and nodded. "Don't make a big deal out of it. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I don't want things to get bad between you and Ben over this. Don't go home without changing. It'll be hard to explain if you smell of alcohol and vomit." He finished his food and went to clean the dishes. "I'll wait until you are done to go to work. I am needed at night most and just about everyone knows where to find me if necessary."

Simon ate his eggs eagerly and then he nodded, a movement that hurt his head once again. "Then let me borrow a set of spare clothes after all, and I can wash these before my father returns."

There was a knock on the door.