Harold and Betty were standing in the kitchen, Harold just finishing doing the dishes while Betty was putting some things away. It would still be about a half hour before anyone arrived for this weeks Family Game Night, so they were enjoying the nice time they had to themselves. As Harold finished and shut the water off, he rubbed his chest with his hand.
"Are you okay?" Betty asked, shutting a cabinet and turning towards him. "Yeah, I just don't feel good today," Harold said, "I think I'm getting a cold. I can't remember the last time I got sick though, so this isn't gonna be fun." "...Harold," Betty said, "Do you think our children are doing okay?" "What do you mean? I think they're doing great," Harold said, "I mean, okay, Jason's a bit lost, but he'll find his way again. But Ashley and Carl, they're both doing better than I've ever seen them do, especially Carl, and I am so SO proud of them for that. I think our children are doing better than okay, yeah." "The world isn't as accepting as our household is though, Harold. Sure, here Carl feels loved and accepted and safe, but that doesn't carry much beyond our foyer. The world is cruel and cold and mean. People kill people like our children every single day. I cannot tell you how many friends I've lost because they were gay, or fell under the LGBT spectrum, or something. I want them to be themselves but I want them to be safe." "Bets, at a certain point, you just gotta accept that they're gonna have to be on their own and hope for the best. We can be here, give them advice, guide them through some things, but their life is their own. Besides, I think Carl is safe enough. They know how to take care of themselves," Harold said, kissing his wife and rubbing her shoulders, "Everything's gonna be great. Trust me. None of us are goin' anywhere anytime soon. We all got too many more Family Game Nights to endure. We're stuck with eachother until the bitter end." "And boy will it be bitter," Betty added, making Harold laugh. *** Ashley and Anna were driving in Anna's car on their way to the house, Ashley braiding her hair while sitting in the passenger seat while Anna drove. Anna seemed frustrated, but Ashley didn't want to push it, so she just didn't say much of anything. As they came to a red light, Anna grabbed the steering wheel and repeatedly banged her forehead against it before screaming loudly and violently throttling it. "You okay?" Ashley asked. "I never thought this would be my life. I don't mean that in the whole 'oh no, I'm 30 and my life hasn't turned out the way I thought, I'm not a model!' sort of thing, but my husband and I are breaking up, I'm sleeping with his sister and I'm pregnant," Anna said, "Not that any of that is BAD exactly, it's just...unexpected." "Hey, you're telling me," Ashley said, "I never in a million years thought that I'd be living with my brothers ex wife. But you know what? I am, and it's awesome." Ashley leaned in and kissed Anna's cheek, making her blush. As the light turned green, Anna kept driving while Ashley continued braiding her hair. As they pulled up to the house, they noticed Carl sitting on the porch, looking at their cell phone, wearing not just a nice floral dress but also their hair was styled now, a bit curly, and they looked very pretty. As Anna parked and the girls got out, approaching Carl from the walk, they waved at them and Carl waved back, smiling. "Watcha doin' out here?" Anna asked. Carl shrugged, "Just enjoying how nice it is. I always sit in the kitchen, but I don't know, I just figured tonight I'd sit out here and enjoy the air, look at the sky. It's pretty." "I like your hair," Anna said, gently touching it and Carl blushed. "Thank you, I had a friend from work do it," they said, "I think it looks okay right now, plus it gives me something to work with until my hair grows out a bit more." "You're growing your hair out?" Ashley asked. "Yeah, I..." Carl started, but then looked at their feet, trailing off. "What?" Anna and Ashley asked in unison. "...I'm thinking that...I'm going to do it," they finished, leaving both Anna and Ashley slightly confused until it dawned on Ashley. "You mean you're going to-" she started but Carl interrupted her. "Yeah," they said, "Yeah, I'm going to do it. I'm going to start seeing a doctor and therapist in a few weeks, and uh...and hopefully get on medication by the end of the year. I haven't told mom or dad yet, so don't say anything okay? I know they won't mind, but still, I'm nervous." "It's not our place to, so don't worry," Anna said, "Has Jason come by yet?" "Nope." "Alright, well I'm going in, I'm cold out here," Anna said, patting Carl on the shoulder and heading inside. Ashley sat down on the banister by Carl, putting her hands on her legs and exhaling loudly. Carl looked over at her, and after a few minutes, she finally spoke, not looking at them, but looking up instead at the stars. "...I want you to know how sorry I am that you never felt like you could talk to me about how you felt," Ashley said, "Nobody should ever feel that alone, and I know because growing up gay, I felt so alone. It's a different kind of loneliness, for sure, but still...it's....I am so proud of you, I really am. You are SO brave, and I cannot express how much I love and support you. I'm thrilled to have a sister. I love you." She finally looked at Carl, who had tears coming down their face, and she smiled and leaned in, wiping them away with her jacket sleeve, and then hugged them. Meanwhile, Anna came into the kitchen and saw Harold and Betty making out in front of the sink. She shielded her eyes as she came in, her jacket hanging half off now. "Oh god, I'm so sorry!," Anna said as she entered. "Hey, we had to watch our teenagers make out in our house, you uncover those eyes and show your elders some respect!" Harold said, making Anna chuckle as she took a seat at the island. She hung her jacket on the back of the chair as Harold and Betty went about their business, continuing their cleaning from earlier. "Is Jason here?" Betty asked and Anna shook her head. "Nope. Carl's out on the porch and they said they haven't seen him so far," Anna said, "Frankly...I'm not surprised, given the last few months, especially just between himself and I. He's probably just running late, though." "I'll be right back, I have to use the little boys room," Harold said, wiping his hands on his pants and heading to the bathroom. Betty stopped her cleaning and stood on the other side of the island, taking an apple from the fruit bowl and biting into it. "So," she said, mouthful of apple, "Jason tells me you're seeing Ashley." This surprised Anna. "Ye...yeah, I...am...he told you that?" "All men are little boys, Anna, you should know that by now. When they don't get their way and nobody else will listen to them, they turn to their mothers. He called me a few nights ago, extremely upset, telling me about alot of the things that've been going on between you two lately." "Is he...upset that I'm with Ashley?" Anna asked, feeling embarrassed. "He didn't sound embarrassed, no. In fact, he said he was glad his sister could love you in a way that he couldn't, and that you deserve everything she gives you," Betty said, sighing, "I just never expected my childrens lives to be such messes. You know, we all have kids thinking they're be the stereotypical norm, straight, accomplished, successful, happy, but they're people. Just as parents can be flawed because they're people, children can be different because they're people. I'm happy my children feel that they can be themselves, that they feel safe enough in our home, that we've cultivated such an open mindedness in our kids that they feel they can openly be themselves and live the lives they feel are what make them happy...but it doesn't make me feel like a very good mother when I see how sad they are, even if I know it isn't my fault." "You're a good mother, Betty, trust me," Anna said, "If anything, I'M the one who should be ashamed of her parenting...leaving my child and husband and just-" "Anna, sweetheart, don't make your life be about others if you're not happy yourself," Betty said, "You're a good person and a good mother, and you deserve to be happy yourself." Just then, Carl and Ashley came into the kitchen as Harold came back from the bathroom. "Hello kiddies," he said, and they hugged. Carl took a seat at the island and looked at Harold. "So what's the game tonight?" they asked. "Clue," Harold said, "One of my personal favorites. Also possibly the only board game to get a movie. Jumanji doesn't count." "Yeah, there really haven't been too many board game films have there?" Carl asked, "Clue is the only one I can really think of." "I set the board up like an hour ago, so we can just go in and play," Harold said. As they headed through the doorway passing from the kitchen to the living room, Harold rubbed his arm and sighed. Ashley stopped and put her hand on her fathers back. "You okay dad?" she asked. "Yeah, I did some yard work earlier, just kinda sore," Harold said, "I'm just not as young as I used to be, plus I think I'm catching a cold. Usually happens around this time of the year, but I'll be okay." Ashley and Harold continued and got to the living room. She sat beside Anna, while Carl sat beside Betty. Harold took the big chair Betty usually sat in and started handing everyone their pieces while he took the dice. As the game started, Anna looked up at the front door and furrowed her brow. "Don't worry, I'm sure Jason's just running late," Betty said as Carl took the first turn. "So," Carl said, exhaling, "I had a date last weekend. After dad told me about Sarah Riddley asking about me, I looked her up online and friended her, and we started talking and went out. She...she's really cool, honestly. We had a lot of fun. Must've been the first date I've been on in months." "That's awesome," Ashley said, "What'd you two do?" "We had dinner and talked and then she wanted to go see this, like, small band and live theatre show thing downtown, so we did that. It was nice. We're gonna go out again next week when she's back in town. She has to travel for her job." "You should bring her over sometime," Harold said, "It's always nice to have someone else for Game Night and I always like to know who my children are seeing." Ashley and Anna glanced at one another, but said nothing. Carl blushed and looked down at the game board. "I'll do that, yeah," they said, smiling about the prospect, and twirling the idea of telling their parents about their decision to transition, but decided they'd be better suited NOT in the middle of a board game to handle that kind of news. "So," Harold said, "Your mother and I are thinking of taking a trip this summer." "Where you going?" Anna asked. "We're thinking of going to New England," Betty chimed in, "I've always wanted to go, and we've talked about going for a few years now, but we just...you know how it is, you always have something else to do. So, we're finally going to go and have a nice vacation, which...god...when was the last actual vacation we took? I don't even remember." Anna stood up and went to the kitchen for a drink, while Betty and Harold talked about their vacation plans. As she stood at the fridge, drinking out of a beer, her eyes were caught by the photos and drawings on the fridge. How had she never noticed these things before? She ran her fingers down them; things the kids had drawn when they were small, and some fine art Ashley had done in a high school class, and photos of the kids growing up during various points in life. Holidays, birthdays, family vacations. Anna felt a pang in her chest, realizing she'd never have this with her own family, but maybe she could have it here....or with Ashley. "You okay?" Ashley asked, grabbing the bowl of chips from the island and heading over to her, nodding at the fridge as she approached, "Awww, look at what a cute kitty cat I made. I loved halloween when I was a little girl." "Yeah...you know, it just dawned on me how little Jason and I ever had like this in our home. We only have a few pictures up, like wedding photos and whatnot. We have a lot of stuff with Belle up, past birthdays and first days of school and such, but...not much of ourselves. I guess we did always sort of know it'd never last. By the way, your mother knows about us. I guess Jason called and told her." "He would," Ashley muttered, holding the chip bowl out to Anna, who took a handful and shoved them in her mouth. Ashley leaned in and kissed Anna on the neck, gently biting her ear, before looking back at the fridge photos and chuckling, pointing with a free finger at one, saying, "God...this was back when dad chaperoned my 6th grade dance and danced with me the whole night because no other boy would cause of my braces....he danced with me so I would feel beautiful and not left out...he's such a good dad." "He really is," Anna said, smiling at the warmth of Ashleys memory. "Hey! You're missing the game!" Harold said, coming into the kitchen, stopping at the sink, "Come on, get your butts in gear and let's go. SOMEBODY'S gotta kill someone here eventually." Harold reached into the cabinet and pulled a glass out, starting to fill it up with water as the girls still looked at the fridge. Ashley finally patted Annas butt and headed back to the living room. Suddenly, a loud shattering sound made her heart race and Anna spun around to see Harold standing, staring at the glass on the floor. "Dammit!" he said, grabbing his wrist, "God, I hate getting old." "Are you okay, Harold?" Anna asked. "Yeah, just sore. I told Ashley, I did some yard work earlier, and I think I'm catching a cold," Harold said, "I just...I don't...it happens once a year, and..." Harold just stared off into space. Anna finished chewing the chips and swallowed, looking at him. "Harold?" she asked, approaching him. Harold looked at her, and shook his head. "Sorry," he said, "I zoned out, uh...anyway I rarely get sick, but...um...but yeah, it's like what I told you earlier, Ashley, I just-" "Anna," Anna said, correcting him, "I'm Anna?" "Sorry, fuck, see. Well, whatever, you're my daughter in law, so it's fine," Harold said, kneeling down to clean up the broken glass, he continued, "I know you never really had much of a family, but you know you're welcomed here and loved. Both Bets and myself love you to death, and we're very sorry about the divorce." "It's okay," Anna said, "I'm...working through it." Harold slid, his hand catching the glass on the linoleum kitchen floor, tearing his hand up, blood smearing on the floor. He grabbed the floor with his other hand, putting his bloodied one to his chest, wheezing. Anna dropped the bowl of chips and rushed to his side, grabbed him by the shoulder. "Harold?!" she yelled, "Harold?! Are you....Harold?! Betty! Ashley! Carl! Get in here!" "Anna..." he muttered, "An...call...." "Dad?!" Carl screamed, rushing into the kitchen, running to their fathers side, "Dad?! What's happening!?" "I'm calling an ambulance!" Ashley shouted from the doorway, already on her cell. "Dad?!" Carl shouted, "Dad, talk to me! Stay awake, okay?!" Carl looked up at Anna. "What happened?!" they asked and she shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not a doctor!" Anna replied, as they looked at Harold, his eyes now closed, his breathing tight and sparse. Harold smiled, reached up and touched Carls shoulder. "Carl..." "Dad?" "...it was a heart attack....in the kitchen...on Colonel Mustard," Harold said, before losing consciousness. An ambulance arrived moments later.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
About
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
|