"Let's say you're stuck on a desert island," Jason said, "Who would you want to be stuck there with you?"
"Just one other person?" Aime asked. "Yeah." "I don't know. Probably nobody. I'd want it to be relaxing." "You wouldn't want me there?" Jason asked, sounding hurt. "We've only been going out for a bit. Ask me again in 6 months and see what I say," Aime replied, smirking. Jason turned a corner as they headed to his parents house. He thought about that for a moment. Harold was gone, but he still called it his PARENTS house, as in both of them still owned it. He still, even after all this time, didn't think of his father as 'dead' as much as he thought of him as 'on vacation'. As if he half expected Harold to, one Thursday night, simply waltz back into the home, plop down some suitcases, and sit and play with them as he discussed his latest business trip. But that wasn't going to happen. Jason knew that full well. He just didn't want to admit it, and as bad as Ernie had been, Jason did hate having the closest thing to his father back in his life being cut right back out of his life, but he knew it was for the best. Ernie had been scum, had been unwilling to change and was ruining all the progress the family had made amongst themselves in the past year. As he turned into the driveway, he noticed Ashleys car was already parked there. He pulled in next to it and sighed. "Well," he said, "So long as you don't try and eat me on the island, I don't mind if you wanna be stuck with me there." "I wouldn't eat you. I don't think you'd taste very good," Aime replied. "Well that's just hurtful," Jason said, as they got out of the car and headed up the walkway to the front door. Upon the swinging bench on the porch they discovered Becca sitting there, and Aime went inside so she could use the restroom as Jason took a seat by his sister. They looked up from their phone and nodded. "Heyo," Jason said, "What's goin on? You're sitting out here a lot lately." "Yeah...I...I don't know that I can sit at the island anymore. It's too weird not having dad here," Becca said, "Like, it's where I always sat and we'd always talk before Game Night started and...I don't know. I was out here that night instead of at the island and I kinda feel like I deserve to be out here now." "You know dad wouldn't blame you for that, right?" "I know." "Okay, as long as you know it's just you who's doing that," Jason said, "So, do you know what the game is tonight? I forgot to ask mom before we left." "It's Pictionary," Becca said. "Oh god, I've NEVER been good at drawing...this is going to suck," Jason groaned, running his hands over his face as Becca smirked. "I know. Remember as kids you used to make that comic, Bark Howler, Space Dog?" "Okay, you need to shut up." "Who needs to shut up?" Ashley asked, coming out of the house, eating a peach, "What're we talking about?" "We're making fun of Jasons lack of artistic ability. Remember when we were kids and he drew that Bark Howler, Space Dog comic?" Becca asked, making Ashley crack up and nearly choke on her snack. After she regained her breath, Ashley started pointing at Jason and nearly jumping up and down. "Goddamn I DO remember that! That was so terrible!" "I was like 9!" Jason shouted, "Gimme a break!" "How's a dog gonna man a spaceship, Jason? Honestly?" Becca asked, "I mean, they don't even have hands, they don't have thumbs, they can't grip controls or anything, and they can't hold weapons, so-" "For your information, Bark Howler had a specially designed weapon on his back attached to a small pack that would fire lasers at any incoming, dangerous targets, okay? And he didn't have to actually pilot the ship because it was designed to recognize his barks and interpret them as directions, alright?! Are we done shitting all over my childhood hero, now?!" Jason stood up and walked past Ashley as she and Becca continued to crack up. Once inside, he found Anna sitting in a love seat in the living room. He took his coat off and tossed it onto the couch and looked at the coffee table, hands on his hips. "It appears mom has purchased a new coffee table," Jason said. "It appears so, yes," Anna said. "So, lemme ask you something...you ever gonna have this kid, or you just gonna continue to stay pregnant for all the perks?" Jason asked, smirking, making Anna laugh. "I would love to have this little bastard already, believe me," Anna said, "I am SICK of not being able to cut my own toenails." Betty then entered the room, carrying everything necessary for Pictionary, and started setting it up. Jason took a seat by Anna on the couch and glanced at the book she was reading. "Best Baby Names...you still don't have a baby name?" Jason asked, "Sheez, we picked out...our daughters name...like really fast." "You totally just forgot our daughters name didn't you?" Anna asked. "Nobody can prove that," Jason said, "I'm just surprised. Usually it's picked out way in advance." "Yeah, well, life's been kinda hectic lately, not sure if you're aware of that or not," Anna replied as Becca and Ashley came into the house and raced up the stairs, Jason and Anna watching them as they vanished behind the upper level of the house. Jason looked at Anna and shrugged as Aime came back into the living room from the bathroom and sat next to Jason. "You look SO good, by the way," Aime said, looking across the couch at Anna, who seemed genuinely surprised by this compliment and blushed. "Well, thank you, that's very kind of you to say," Anna said, "God knows I don't FEEL very good looking, heh." "Well, you look fantastic. It's amazing how pregnancy makes women even more beautiful," Aime said, "God, I'd love to have my own child some day. I think being a parent would be just the absolute best. You have a daughter, is it great?" "It's alright I guess," Anna said, shrugging, making Jason laugh as Becca and Ashley came back down, chuckling to themselves and taking their seats as Betty finished setting up the game. She stepped back and held the pen out to anyone. "Who wants to go first?" she asked, "Oh, I guess we should split up into teams. Alright, Jason and Aime can team up, I'll take Anna and Becca and Ashley can be a team. Does that sound good to everyone?" "That sounds perfect," Ashley said, finishing her peach and sucking on the pit, "Absolutely." "Alright, so I set up the damn thing, so I guess we'll take our turn first. I'll go unless you want to, Anna." "I am not getting up, so feel free," Anna said, making Betty laugh as she drew a card, glanced at it for a few seconds and then started drawing something. Jason squinted, trying hard to discern what his mother was drawing, while Aime chewed on her bottom lip. After about a minute or so of drawing, Jason clapped loudly. "I got it! Jogging!" he said, and Betty nodded, handing him the pen and taking her seat where he'd just been sitting. Jason stood up and walked to the board, flipped over to a new piece of paper and then picked a card. He winced and started drawing, but after three minutes nobody had any idea what it was he was drawing. "...I...I have no idea what you're putting out there," Ashley mumbled. "It's...it's a feeling, it's like, it's not even a thing, it's so hard to draw something that doesn't have a physical form!" Jason said, annoyed, "Like, how am I supposed to convey that sort of thing to someone?!" "Is it Pity? Cause that's what I'm feeling right now," Becca said, them and Ashley high fiving upon the burn. "You want me to draw myself kicking your ass? Would that be better?" Jason asked, clearly irritated now. "Is it...empathy?" Aime asked, and Jason pointed at her victoriously. "This is why I love you!" he shouted, running back to the couch, handing her the pen and sitting down. Amie got up and took a card, read it and then started drawing. Jason looked at Anna and noticed she was grimacing, putting her hand to her head. "You okay?" he asked. "Yeah...just a headache," Anna said, "Don't know why. It's not like I've been sitting in front of rock musicians all day or anything." "Is it...oh! A tractor!" Ashley said, making Aime seem annoyed as she handed to pen to Ashley as she stood up and walked to the board. Betty was writing something down on a small piece of paper and nodded. "Okay Ash, so Jason and Aime have two points, and you and Becca have one point now, so if Becca can guess this, you can tie with them," Betty said, and Ashley nodded, picked up a card and started getting giddy. Ashley started drawing, and everyone sort of leaned forward, confused at what they were witnessing. After a few minutes, however, and enough was put up, Becca threw their hand up in the air and shouted. "Oh, oh! It's a dog!" they said, "It's Bark Howler!" "GOD DAMMIT!" Jason shouted, standing up and pointing at Ashley, "Stop it! Stop it right now! Erase that beloved starpooch off the board and sit the hell down! How DARE you impune their memory in such a vulgar way!" "What the hell is Bark Howler?" Anna asked, starting to laugh. "It's this terrible comic that Jason used to draw as a kid," Ashley said, "Look, look, I even drew his special pack with the laser, Jason! See!" "This isn't fair! She's a goddamned graphic designer! Of COURSE it's gonna look better than my original work!" "Well, yeah, but also cause you were like 9," Ashley said, "So." "Bark Howler deserves to thrive, Jason," Becca shouted, "They deserve to be recognized as the hero that they truly are. The one and only space mutt, defending our lives from the evils of the galaxy. Why do you try and bury your shame?" "I hate all of you!" Jason shouted, sitting back down while Anna, Becca and Ashley cracked up. "Alright, well, that's a point to Becca and Ashley," Betty said, "So it's Beccas turn." Becca got up off the couch, walked past Ashley and took the pen and headed to the board. "One day I'm gonna become a great cartoonist, and Bark Howler will be a beloved Saturday morning icon, you'll see. You'll ALL see," Jason said, annoyed as Becca chuckled. "Sure, and I'll be Prom Queen," they said as they picked up a card and started drawing. Jason looked over at Anna, who was shifting positions on the couch and wincing as she sat up a bit. "You alright? You need something to drink?" Jason asked. "I'm fine," Anna said, waving her hand. "Is it..." Betty started, staring at the drawing board, "Ugh....god, is it....it's an action, I can tell that much..." "Giving birth," Anna said suddenly. "No, no, dear, it's not that," Betty replied, patting her arm gently. "No, Betty, I'm giving birth," Anna said, as Jason looked at the couch and noticed where she was sitting was now wet. His eyes widened, realizing she was actually going to give birth. "Her water broke!" he said, pointing at Anna, "Okay, jesus, uh, Mom, go bring your car around, it's the biggest one, and Aime, help me carry her outside, alright?" "Okay!" Aime said, quickly jumping up and the two of them each taking an arm, lifting Anna up and starting to help her out the front door. Ashley and Becca sat behind, watching all the commotion, and before they knew it, everyone had left. Becca put the pen down, and then crossed their arms. "I didn't even GET a real turn," they said, annoyed, before looking at their sister, "Ash?" "...this is it, it's happening," Ashley said, sounding panicked, "I...oh god...this is real, isn't it? I should be there, shouldn't I?" "They should allow domestic partners in the delivery room, yes," Becca said, "Just...ya know...relax, breath, try not to freak out, alright? If you want, I'll drive you there, okay?" Before long, Becca and Ashley were in the car, also headed towards the hospital. Ashley was looking out the window, being uncharacteristically quiet, as Becca drove. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Ashley broke the silence. "Dad isn't here," Ashley said. "What?" "Dad isn't here. I'm gonna be a mom, to my brothers child but whatever, and dad isn't here." "Well it's not like Jason impregnated you." "This is veering into creepy territory. I just meant that I'm with his ex wife, and I'm going to be raising his child as my own child, and everything is weird and I don't know that I can do this and dad isn't here. I wish dad was here. I never thought I'd wind up being a parent, but I always hoped he'd be here if I did. I wanna thank him for being such a good parent to me." "He was a good parent," Becca said, scratching their nose as they turned, a few blocks from the hospital parking lot now, "But I'm sure somehow dad knows." "Do you believe in the afterlife?" "I don't know what I believe in anymore, to be quite honest," Becca said, "I just know that no matter what, dad would be proud of you and he'd love that kid no matter whose it was." Ashley smirked and touched her sisters hair. "When did you get so smart?" she asked, "God, it feels like just yesterday we were kids and now here we are, having kids." "That's all life is, really. Reproduction until you perish, hoping that someone will carry your bloodline along," Becca said, "And hey, maybe if this works out, one day YOU can give birth to a child that's really your own, and make a bigger family." Becca pulled into the parking lot and stopped as Ashley gathered her things. Becca took a piece of paper from a message pad and jotted something down, and slipped it into Ashleys purse while she wasn't looking. Ashley grabbed her purse and her coat and hugged her sister, and then exited the car, leaning in through the rolled down window. "Are you going to come in?" she asked. "I...I don't think I can go to a hospital," Becca said, "I didn't go when dad...I just can't be there." "Okay, but you'll be at home? Cause we're likely coming home later." "Yeah I'll be home," Becca said, and with that, Ashley headed inside. Becca started up the car and started driving back to the house. Ashley easily found her way to the waiting room where everyone was, and asked if she could be in the delivery room, and much to her surprise, found she could. As she stood by Annas side, holding her hand, she started to feel like this was something she could do. She started to feel like this was something she really wanted to do. Anna looked at Ashley and grimaced. "Do you have anything to drink?" she asked, and Ashley thought for a second, then shook her head. "No, but I can go to the vending machine. I'll be right back, alright?" she said, and headed out of the room and down the hall. Once arriving, she started digging through her purse for some change and bills, and instead found a neatly folded piece of paper. She opened it, completely unaware of what it was, and she smiled. Crudely drawn onto the paper was a dog wearing a space helmet, and in a speech bubble coming from its mouth, it said, "You'll be an out of this world mom!" Ashley felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to find Jason standing there. Their eyes met, and she looked at the paper, and then threw her arms around her brother, confusing him. But Jason just took it in stride, put his hands on her back and patted her, letting her cry, before they got some water and headed back to the delivery room. Back at the house, Becca was cleaning up the house, and thought about Harold, and what Ashley had said. Would he really be proud of them? Becca had to believe it, because to believe anything else just hurt too much, and really, they had no reason not to think he would be. They finished cleaning, made some tea and a sandwich and headed on upstairs to bed. When Jason called later that night, it was to say that Anna had given birth to a little girl, and that they'd named it Becca. Becca congratulated Jason, and told him to congratulate everyone else, and then laid down and went to sleep. If Harold was gone, someone had to hold these people together, and it seemed like that was coming down to be Beccas responsibility. When Becca awoke, they got up to get a glass of water and headed downstairs, where they found Ashley passed out on the couch, and the sun being blocked by the shades. Becca figured they must've slept most of the next day, and found Anna asleep in a chair, next to a pearl white rocker. Becca stopped and looked into it, seeing a small sleeping baby girl who now shared their name, and for a second, Becca felt like they themselves might live on as well. Becca got their water, and on the way back, passed by the Pictionary board again and stopped, water glass dead on their lips, as they stared at the picture Ashley had clearly drawn at some point in the night. It was a caricature of Ashley and Anna, sitting next to a crib, and next to the crib was Becca, all of them smiling, and for the first time in their entire life, Becca felt like they really belonged to a family.
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Family Game Night follows the Fuller family, a (possibly too) tight knit family who meet every Thursday night to play board games...and air their dirty laundry. Archives
March 2019
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