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dominique012) wrote2006-10-16 11:28 am
dominique012) wrote2006-10-16 11:28 am
Entry tags:
writing
Another piece of writing just for fun. A fairly short piece looking at the craziness that can be family gatherings.
The place is wall-to-wall kids. As usual. Her own kid toddles ahead, "Yayayaya!"
Grinning, she picks her way between nieces and nephews, Lego towers and cars and dolls and teddies. Finding Nemo blares throughout.
Betty emerges from the noisy kitchen where most of the adults have congregated. A cacophony of gossip and clattering.
"Hi, love. Go on in and have a cup of tea. I just made a pot. I'm just going to wake Jamie. He fell asleep as soon as we got home. How much sleep does he need?" Then Betty's up the stairs and gone, no response needed.
She nods to the empty foyer. Walks into the kitchen where her daughter is somehow already devouring a slice of cheese. Smiles, greetings, questions.
She walks over to the teapot. The conversations continue around her. Loudly.
"I told him that I couldn't do it for less than 200…"
"Oh, just have a piece. I already cut it…"
"What was that guy's name again? Not the tall one, the other one, with the shop…"
She pours herself a cup. Antioxidants, good for...something.
"You're still looking a bit pale." The sister-in-law. The blunt one.
She nods, "That stomach bug. I think it's…"
"Oh! Don't tell me! Every kid at school's got it, and everyday we just get these letters about hygiene and staying at home, and it's been going on for weeks. "And she continues. School canteen. Vomiting. And so forth.
Right. Nod. Drink your tea. No response needed.
He enters the kitchen, a nephew slung over his shoulder, screeching. Sister-in-law nods in his direction, "There's your wandering man."
The cheese monster looks up "Daddy!"
"Hey, monkey. How are you? How was the shop?" He looks over, hello and I love you with a tilt of his head.
She smiles, relieved to see him.
The black sheep of the family.
Thank God.
"Your wife's got the stomach bug, the one that's making all the kids at Mickey's school sick."
She sighs. For God's sake. Surely, she can tell him herself.
He nods. "Sure…it's going around." He grins at her, knowing she's exasperated.
Betty returns to greet her son. "Hello, how are you? You look tired. Did you take those vitamins I gave you?"
He nods absently, "Yeah, I took them. But I ran out."
"Oh! I've got heaps. Boxes of them. That nice doctor gave us boxes of them..." Betty's off again, rummaging in the pantry.
She approaches him, and perhaps he sees the desperation in her eyes. He lowers the nephew onto the floor and she hugs him, leaning in to kiss him on the side of the neck, and position her mouth right next to his ear.
She realizes that it's not the best time or place. But it's just one more voice, strand of conversation in the crazy kitchen. And she needs to get it out. And he's listening.
Whispers. In a rush. "It's not a stomach bug, it's a baby, and I don't mean to freak you out, but I'm pregnant, and that's why I’m sick." She pulls away and smiles. A sort of message that she's ok.
His composure is admirable. Eyes don't leave hers. "Sorry, Mum? Yeah…I'll have a cup. Yep, and those vitamins. And then we gotta go."
The place is wall-to-wall kids. As usual. Her own kid toddles ahead, "Yayayaya!"
Grinning, she picks her way between nieces and nephews, Lego towers and cars and dolls and teddies. Finding Nemo blares throughout.
Betty emerges from the noisy kitchen where most of the adults have congregated. A cacophony of gossip and clattering.
"Hi, love. Go on in and have a cup of tea. I just made a pot. I'm just going to wake Jamie. He fell asleep as soon as we got home. How much sleep does he need?" Then Betty's up the stairs and gone, no response needed.
She nods to the empty foyer. Walks into the kitchen where her daughter is somehow already devouring a slice of cheese. Smiles, greetings, questions.
She walks over to the teapot. The conversations continue around her. Loudly.
"I told him that I couldn't do it for less than 200…"
"Oh, just have a piece. I already cut it…"
"What was that guy's name again? Not the tall one, the other one, with the shop…"
She pours herself a cup. Antioxidants, good for...something.
"You're still looking a bit pale." The sister-in-law. The blunt one.
She nods, "That stomach bug. I think it's…"
"Oh! Don't tell me! Every kid at school's got it, and everyday we just get these letters about hygiene and staying at home, and it's been going on for weeks. "And she continues. School canteen. Vomiting. And so forth.
Right. Nod. Drink your tea. No response needed.
He enters the kitchen, a nephew slung over his shoulder, screeching. Sister-in-law nods in his direction, "There's your wandering man."
The cheese monster looks up "Daddy!"
"Hey, monkey. How are you? How was the shop?" He looks over, hello and I love you with a tilt of his head.
She smiles, relieved to see him.
The black sheep of the family.
Thank God.
"Your wife's got the stomach bug, the one that's making all the kids at Mickey's school sick."
She sighs. For God's sake. Surely, she can tell him herself.
He nods. "Sure…it's going around." He grins at her, knowing she's exasperated.
Betty returns to greet her son. "Hello, how are you? You look tired. Did you take those vitamins I gave you?"
He nods absently, "Yeah, I took them. But I ran out."
"Oh! I've got heaps. Boxes of them. That nice doctor gave us boxes of them..." Betty's off again, rummaging in the pantry.
She approaches him, and perhaps he sees the desperation in her eyes. He lowers the nephew onto the floor and she hugs him, leaning in to kiss him on the side of the neck, and position her mouth right next to his ear.
She realizes that it's not the best time or place. But it's just one more voice, strand of conversation in the crazy kitchen. And she needs to get it out. And he's listening.
Whispers. In a rush. "It's not a stomach bug, it's a baby, and I don't mean to freak you out, but I'm pregnant, and that's why I’m sick." She pulls away and smiles. A sort of message that she's ok.
His composure is admirable. Eyes don't leave hers. "Sorry, Mum? Yeah…I'll have a cup. Yep, and those vitamins. And then we gotta go."