An old Victorian style house in the middle of winter sits on a quiet street. It is around Christmas time. There is soft music playing in the background. Candles are lit sporadically around the house. There is a big round table in the middle of the dining room, with a dark green table cloth. Two red candles are on each side of the centerpiece, which are red flowers. The finest green and dark pink china is placed around the table. The aroma of food is wafting through the air all throughout the house. Children’s laughter echos through each room. A fireplace is lit and warm comfortable chair are around it as the adults pick at the appetizers, which include a variety of cheese and crackers. Snow is falling outside, gently and slowly. The smell of pine is mixed in with the odor of food. Ham and turkey, mashed potatoes and pie. People begin to gather around the table, ready to enjoy a plentiful dinner.
The head of the table on one side is a short, gruff man with a gray mustache hugging his upper lip. He wears a green sweater, which is much too tight for him. He squints around, as if he has lost his glasses. He stares at the ham which is about to be carved and smacks his lips together. A crooked smile unfold and a gleam begins to sparkle in his eye.
His wife carves the ham, her hair up in a tidy bun. Bright red lipstick is placed upon her delicate thin lips. Small pearl earrings match with a thin strand of pearls that gently lay across her thin neck. Her brow furrows as she cuts the knife through the ham. Small beads of sweat slowly fall down her forehead. She wears a red dress with red heels. Her apron is green with Christmas trees. When she gets one cut off the ham, she looks up with a proud smile.
Off to her right is her son. A handsome man about mid 30s. His brown hair is swept to the side and his hazel eyes gleam as he looks into the candle across the table to his two little girls. He smiles a soft, meaningful, loving smile then turns away. He wears a dark blue sweater over a lighter blue tie. Small little lines fall around his eyes, showing stress and going towards old age. He looks around intently, his palms sweaty, nervous. He rubs his hands on his pants and leaves the table, flashing a sheepish smile at his wife.
His wife is a beautiful women, with pale skin and dark curls framing her diamond shaped face. Her eyes are a piercing shade of blue. She has bright red lips and a soft smile. She was a pretty blue dress, to match her husband. She looks at him with a worried stare. Stress envelops her pretty face. She plays with the diamond on her index finger of the left hand as she looks with an empty stare past her two daughters. She asks if there is anything she can do to help, then excuses herself to leave for the kitchen.
Two little girls of the age of 7 and 10 sit across the table of her parents. One the spitting image of her mother, while the other the image of her father. The giggle at each other, sharing their inside jokes. While kicking each other under the table, the eldest notices the stress in her parents eyes. She attempts to forget about that and continues to pull her little sisters dark black curled pigtails. She looked into her little sisters big blue eyes and promised herself that she wasn’t going to let anything bad happen to her. With a confident smile, she looks across the dinner table, then offers to help out, wanting to be a big girl, and goes off to the kitchen.
“Lily, I don’t know what the Hell you want from me! I said I’m sorry, it was a mistake and I regret it. Now is not the time to discuss this. We’re supposed to be having a nice family dinner” Henry, the father, said to his wife.
“I’m sorry. I just can’t get off of my mind what you did. It’s not possible. And the way you look at those girls. I can’t stand knowing that we have a secret that’s seriously going to impact their lives” responded Lily.
“Well, today is not the day to tell them. Just smile and go back in there. Okay?” Henry said harshly.
“Have you told your parents yet?” asked Lily.
“Yes, they know. I told them. They’re trying to put it off as if its nothing. They can’t come to terms with the fact that their perfect son cheated on his wife. Destroying his perfect family” Henry looked outside the window.
“I have to tell the children tonight, it’s better if they know now” Lily said.
“No, Please—“
“Amy! Julia! Come here please”
“No, now is not the time—“
“Your father has something to say.”
“I…I don’t know what to say to you.”
In a small, quiet voice, Julia, the eldest said, “I know. I overheard the whole thing.”
“What? What do you mean?” asked her father.
“You act like I don’t hear those fights at night. Like the constant yelling doesn’t wake me up at night. You act like I don’t cry myself to sleep. You act as if I’m blind, not aware of the cold distance that lies between you two. You act like I’m young and don’t understand. Well, guess what? I know. I know everything. I know about daddy’s affair and I know about the divorce. I can’t do anything, but just stop fighting. Please.”
In shock, the parents didn’t know what to say. Then, Julia grabbed Amy and walked out of the kitchen.
You're descriptions are so vivid, I think that if I was good at art I could illustrate your story. I think to improve it though you could touch upon why she wants to tell the kids so badly tonight, especially with the parents there. But that's just me, good story!
ReplyDeleteThis is toooo sad! But good :) I love the descriptions and the details. The only thing I would say is that it's confusing how the husband gets into the kitchen to argue with his wife. Other than that it's awesome!
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