Jason really wanted to get out of this apartment. He had had his eye on a small place downtown that would be much better suited to his life, and he was thinking of asking Amie to move in with him. Jason had, for the past year or so since his father had passed, been trying to not be so materialistic, but he found it rather hard given the culture he lived in. Still...he was trying and he felt proud of himself for that. A few years ago? He'd have simply scoffed at the mere idea that he could give up money and possessions.
Ashley too had been wanting to better her life with new things. She'd really wanted to replace her scooter for a few years now, not to mention also maybe getting a better apartment so she and Anna could raise the baby in a more suited environment, and maybe even something with a nice home office. She also wanted to be financially stable enough to be able to take some time off for a bit, as she was finding herself creatively drained and that didn't help her work ethic, or her relationship with Anna. Becca, however, wanted none of those things, or at least not at the level their siblings did. Sure, they wanted to move out of the house and get their own place and buy some nice stuff, but more than anything else, they wanted the money for their bottom surgery. Becca knew it was so cliche of themselves to so desperately want such a thing, thanks to the culture that now surrounded their community; the belief that you didn't need such a thing to be happy or validated, all of which is true. They wouldn't dismiss that. That being said, they still wanted it, because it would make themselves happy at least. Yes, all three Fuller siblings wanted something great, something to better their lives, and now, each one was being given a lump sum of cash. Three separate piles of money was sitting on the top of the Payday board game in front of them on the coffee table in the living room, and each sibling was unsure of how to feel regarding it. Betty Fuller looked from the money to her children, her hands folded neatly on the table, wishing her husband was here to make sense of this. After all, it was his money. AN HOUR EARLIER "So you're telling me that the afterlife has a popular clique?" Ashley asked, sitting at the island in the kitchen. "Oh, come on Ash," Becca said, "You seriously don't think there's some clique of cool ghosts who are making fun of the uncool ghosts who died in lame ways? Get real." "So, that then begs the realization that there's an actual afterlife, like a ghost city, where people are working dead end jobs-" "Cute," Becca said, interrupting. "Thank you," Ashley said, "and raising ghost children. How do ghost children work?" "I'd imagine since they can't copulate that it's much like adoption. A ghost couple decides they want to have a family, and so they sign themselves up for a kid, and when a kid dies and becomes a ghost kid, they call the ghost couple best suited for that ghost kid." "You've spent a lot of time thinking about this," Ashley said, sipping her juice. "I don't really have a social life or anyone to talk to so this is the sort of thing I spend my time thinking about," Becca said as they sat back down at the island across from their sister, peeling an orange. "Maybe you'd have a social life if you didn't talk about this kind of stuff," Ashley said, snickering, "...where's mom? I thought we were playing Payday, and she's been out for like, 2 hours. I don't have all night to hang around here and talk about ghost babies, riveting as it may be." "I don't know, she said she had an errand to run," Becca said. Just then, Jason walked into the kitchen, alone, pulling his coat off his shoulders and tossing it on the kitchen counter before looking at his siblings at the island. He opened the fridge and got a beer, opened it to take a sip and then nodded at Becca. "You're sitting at the island," he said. "Yeah?" "I don't know, you haven't been doing that for a while," Jason said. "I know. I guess I decided it's time to come back inside," Becca said, eating their orange while Ashley spun around to see Jason toying with the board game and pieces. "Where's mom?" Jason asked. "I would like to know that as well," Ashley said, "No Amie this week?" "Nah, she has a work thing. What're you two talking about?" he asked. "Ghost adoption," they said in unison, and he shrugged before pulling up a bar stool at the island. "Like, can you adopt a ghost, or like, ghosts who adopt baby ghosts?" Jason asked. "Dude, I would totally adopt a ghost," Ashley said. "It's not like bringing a cat home," Becca said, "Ghosts have very specific care requirements." "They're dead! How much simpler could caring for something get?" Ashley asked, laughing, "It's not like I have to feed them or they're gonna starve! They ALREADY starved! That's why they're a ghost!" Betty walked into the kitchen and set her purse down on the counter, before turning to face her children. All her children turned and looked at their mother, and for a moment, nobody said a single thing, and the kitchen was completely quiet. Finally, Betty cleared her throat and cupped her hands. "We need to discuss something. Please come sit down at the table," she said. The Fuller siblings got up and walked to the table, following their mother, and took their seats. Betty sat down as well, and placed a manila envelope on the table on top of the Payday board. The kids all looked at it, and then looked back at their mother, who cleared her throat and spoke. "A few months ago, I spoke to your fathers attorney, and we came to a few decisions. Most of them do not concern you three, but there was one in particular that did, and that is what's inside this envelope. Inside this envelope is your fathers will, and he and I talked a LOT about how to word these things and how to manage our leftovers." "So...dad's giving us meatloaf?" Ashley asked, making the other two laugh, and even making Betty smirk. "Ashley, no, no, uh...your father and I decided that it wasn't very fair to make you guys wait until BOTH of us died to reap some sort of financial benefit from your less, so, your father and I each made our wills out so that whoever died first was to leave you kids each a lump sum of money. It's nothing outstanding, it's just money we've put away over the years. I know this past year has been really weird and hard and especially so for myself but...this is where we are. His only stipulation is that we play this game on the night I gave you this money and that we do not fight tonight. That's all he wants from you." She picked up the dice and she rolled them, taking her turn and starting the game. Ashley, Jason and Becca all exchanged somewhat nervous glances, before each joining in. Jason sighed; he felt somewhat bothered by the fact that their own father thought they still couldn't get along without him outright telling them to. He wondered if this bothered Ashley and Becca or not, because the way Jason saw it, he'd spent much of the last year trying to be a better human being, and he felt the family, especially after tossing Ernie out on his ass, had come very far. "Are you working this week?" Betty asked, looking at Becca as they took their turn. "Um, no, I'm meeting with a doctor on Monday and then going to a support group," Becca said. "A doctor? Are you okay?" Ashley asked, making Becca nod reassuringly. "Yeah, yeah, it's just about...you know...surgeries and stuff," Becca said quietly, almost seemingly embarrassed at this admittance, before adding, "Not that I could afford it." "You won't be able to," Betty said flatly, "I don't mean to be a bummer but even with the amount Harold left you specifically, it won't be enough. It's a good head start, but it's not enough." "I understand that, and I also understand I may never be able to afford it," Becca said, "Cause this country loves its citizens SO much when it comes to their health and happiness." I don't know that I really agree with dad-" Jason started. "Ghost dad," Ashley said, looking at her game piece. "Don't call your father ghost dad," Betty interjected. "I don't know that I really agree with ghost dad," Jason continued, "I think we're doing fairly well as a family, honestly. I know I personally have been striving this year to better myself, and I know that, especially, after we kicked out Ernie things have gotten a lot better. I know Ashley and I had an argument last week, but...but we didn't just let it fester, I apologized and we talked it through and that's....god...that NEVER would've happened before." "I think ghost dad would be proud of us," Ashley said. "Stop calling your father ghost dad," Betty said sternly as Becca rolled the die, taking their turn. "I think Jason and Ashley are right. I think we've been doing pretty good on our own. I don't think we need ultimatums from beyond the grave. I think ghost dad is kinda overstepping his boundaries here," Becca said. "Okay, the next person to call your father ghost dad ISN'T getting money," Betty said sternly. "Listen, paranormal parent aside," Jason said, making his siblings crack up, making himself struggle to speak through his own laughter, "Uh...I really do think that. Look at this family like a year or so ago, right? We were always at each others throats and we were always just arguing and angry and fighting and nothing was fun and now we just...honestly, I don't even need a game night to come over and hang out with you guys anymore. I just wanna hang out now." Becca and Ashley smiled at Jason and nodded, agreeing with him. "That's all very sweet, Jason, and personally, I agree with you," Betty said, "But this is what your father wanted. Can't you at least grant ghost dad that much? Oh christ, now you have ME doing it," she finished, covering her face in shame and laughter as Ashley took her turn. "I think we already are granting him that wish," Ashley said. "Would it be cool if I brought someone to family game night next time?" Becca asked, and everyone murmured in agreement, as they added, "Okay cool. I was nervous it would be weird but, as long as it's okay." "It's totally okay," Ashley said, "Is it someone you're dating?" "It's Sarah Riddley," Becca said quietly, surprising them all, "I've been texting and talking with her for months now, and things have gone well. We've gone out a few times, and I asked if she'd wanna come over for game night and she said yes, so." "Does she know?" Jason asked. "What? That my family is gonna be here?" Becca asked, "I mean, unfortunately that's not something I can work around, so she'll just have to deal with it I suppose." "No, smartass," Jason said, chuckling, "No I mean, does she...you know...know? About you?" "...yeah, she does. Not that it should matter, but unfortunately it does, so I told her and she's totally cool with it. Why do you care?" Becca asked, glaring somewhat at Jason, unsure of his motives. "Because I wanna make sure you're not gonna get hurt. People are monsters, and the last person I wanna lose is another family member, especially the most vulnerable of the family," Jason said, "I don't have any ulterior motives or anything, Becca, I just...you're my sibling and I love you and I wanna make sure nobody is gonna hurt you. Sorry." "I'm sorry, I just...don't really like talking about this stuff with you guys," Becca said, "It's weird. It's weird talking about something I kept to myself for so long." "I understand that," Ashley said, "Coming out was weird as hell, but I got used to it. Not that my coming out and your coming out are the same at all, I'm not saying that, I'm just saying that I get it, you know? I understand, on some base level, how you're feeling." "I know, thanks Ashley," Becca said, "...I came in to sit at the island cause I thought, ya know, dad wouldn't want me to be afraid of the place we spent the most time together. Having game night in the kitchen is weird, but I kinda like it, cause the kitchen's where he and I were most of the time we were together. I don't want dads money. I just...I want dad." Everyone sort of exhaled and looked at their pieces, at the board game and at one another. "We all want dad," Jason said, "But we are gonna have to learn to live without him. I hate that he...that he isn't going to see who I'm trying to become. That I waited SO long to better myself, and not while he was alive. I need to be the man he thought I could be, not the man society thinks I should be. Dad was caring and affectionate and emotional and...I don't know, at some point, somewhere along the way, I just was fed these beliefs that those were bad things for a man to feel and that's bullshit, that is utter bullshit, and I know that now. How can I admire a father who has so many traits people tell me are bad? Either my father is wrong or society is wrong, and frankly, I'm more willing to believe in my father than I am in society." "Dad made me feel so welcomed when I first told him I was gay," Ashley said as Betty took their turn, rolling the die, "He said it explained a lot, and I guess in hindsight it does. Growing up I didn't realize the things I was doing, the way I acted, were signs of anything, but from an outsiders perspective, sure, he saw it. I didn't know exactly what was going on, but he knew something was different. He said that..." Ashley waited a second, sniffled and wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "Um...he said that the whole time I was growing up I was miserable, and he could tell that, and now that I was out I couldn't be happier, and he said gay must mean happy for a reason if that's the case." Betty put the die down and looked at the siblings, before getting up and leaving the kitchen, only coming back in with an enormous bag and unzipping it on the floor, pulling out stacks of cash, putting them on the table in three separate piles, one for each of the Fuller children. She then sat back down. "Fuck the board game," Betty said, "I loved Harold to death, in ways I cannot describe, but you're right, this is stupid. You're way better than you used to be, and he would be so proud of you guys. I say instead of playing Payday, we just go out to dinner and have a nice time." "That sounds good to me," Jason said, standing up, everyone getting their jackets back on before realizing Becca wasn't standing up. Jason knelt down next to their chair and asked, "What's up? You okay?" "I think we should finish the game," Becca said, "It's the right thing to do." Becca looked up at Jason, and he nodded, understanding and hugging them before sitting back down, everyone quickly following suit. So, for the first time a long time, the Fuller family sat together and had a very pleasant, enjoyable Family Game Night. *** Becca was sitting in the backyard, on the lawn chair they used to sit next to their father with, when the door opened and Jason came out. He sat down beside them and exhaled, as Becca pulled a beer from a cooler and handed it to them. Jason opened it and took a few sips before looking up at the stars. "You made the right choice," Jason said, "Making us finish the game tonight." "Dad told me once that family forces you to analyze yourself based on those around you, not so you can hate yourself, but so you can see why everyone else loves you so much. He said he loved us because he had made so many mistakes, but we were the one right thing he did that he didn't regret. His one real achievement in life. He said on nights like game night, when we're bickering and complaining and venting, that that's when you see yourself, and others, for who they are and that that's how you learn to accept and love one another. He said that family isn't a deal set in stone and that nobody gets a fair shake. You're given to the family you've got, and while that hurts some people because their family is total garbage, when you have a family like ours, he really realizes how lucky he got and it makes him happy." "So Family Game Night is not so much because dad loved board games but because he loved us?" Jason asked. "I think it's a mixture of both," Becca said, "but I told him that I love Family Game Night cause I miss our family. I miss when we were kids and everyone was together and these are the only times besides holidays we all dedicate a specific amount of time to see one another. We ARE lucky, Jason." "We really are, I guess," Jason said, drinking more beer. "You're a good son," Becca said, making Jason smile as he sat facing them, putting the beer on the ground and cupping his hands in his lap, looking at his shoes. "Um," he started, "...Ashley went home but...uh...before she left we talked and...and I...I got her to agree with me that...we want you to have the money dad left us." Becca nearly choked on their beer, now sitting up straight. "Excuse me?!" they asked loudly. "Yeah," Jason said, almost giggling, "Yeah, we...we realized that what we wanted were material possessions and that, ya know, while creature comforts make life better, we're pretty okay in the end. But you...all you want is to feel good about yourself, and feel comfortable in a world that demands you feel uncomfortable because of who you are and how you were born. I don't think that's fair. So we want to give you the money dad left us to maybe help you afford your surgeries." "...Jason, jesus, I don't..." Becca stumbled for words, and before they knew it they were crying. Jason got up and sat beside them, hugging them. Neither one of them needed to say a word. They'd already said enough. Sitting here, in the backyard under the stars after Family Game Night, comforting a member of their family they absolutely loved and admired for their bravery, Jason Fuller had finally become the man his father always knew he could be. Now it was Jasons turn to take care of his family. "Will you come with me?" Becca asked, "To look at some stuff, I mean. They give you examples of what they can do with what they have to work with, so you get to look at all these various vaginas. It's pretty great. Just a wall of pussy." "I'll never say no to pussy," Jason said. "Amen," Becca said, the two clinking their beer cans together and laughing.
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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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