The Party Scene Got The Best Of Us...And Look Where We Ended Up.

“Honey!” a shrill voice called, “Could you come here, please?”

“What is it?” a deeper voice answered.

“I need help with something in the kitchen!”

Jack hurried from his spot in front of the TV to his wife’s voice, and when he saw the site he couldn’t help but smile. Persephone, while not the shortest person ever, stood about 5’3, and about five inches too short to reach the top shelf of the cabinet.

“Could you please grab me the bread crumbs? I couldn’t be bothered to get a chair,” Persephone smiled sweetly.

“You just wanted to see me, didn’t you?” Jack remarked.

Persephone rolled her eyes, and said with a note of sarcasm, “Sure, of course that’s what it was.”

Jack reached the bread crumbs from the top shelf and handed them to his wife while giving her a kiss on the nose. “You’re kinda cute sometimes.”

Persephone stifled her laughter before retorting, “I’d say the same to you, but you kinda look like a monkey.”

She sauntered over to the counter where she was preparing parmesan chicken for dinner, while Jack tried to come up with something snarky to say back to her. He couldn’t. Persephone was the only girl who could keep him at a loss for words, even after all these years of marriage. He decided to shrug it off. “Whatever you’re making smells delicious.”

“Why thank you! I’ve been slaving over it for almost ten minutes now, you had best appreciate it.” Persephone retorted.

Before Jack could reply, Soraya stormed into the kitchen, followed by Alec who was wearing a smug grin.

Soraya started, “That is the last time I pick him up from any of his friend’s houses! All of his friends decided it would be funny to throw water balloons at me as I got out of the car!”

“It was hilarious! Mom, dad, you should have seen her run-“ Alec began.

Persephone interjected, “Alec, that’s enough! How many times have we told you to leave your sister alone?”

“But mo-“

“No, that’s it. You’re grounded for two weeks. Give me your phone.”

Alec’s whole life revolved around his phone. He could barely go a whole day without contacting at least three of his friends. When he heard his punishment, not only did he immediately regret what he had done, he also decided to fight his mother on it. “That’s not fair!”

“Perse, don’t you think that’s a little harsh?” Jack started to intervene, but, as usual, he was cut off by his wife.

“No Jack, it’s not ‘a little harsh’.’ I understand that he’s a fifteen year old boy, but, he needs to start acting like, well, a fifteen year old boy.”

While their parents were arguing, Soraya and Alec were fighting amongst themselves.

“You are so going to regret what you did.”

“Nothing you do can top the pranks I’ve pulled on you already!”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Kids! Stop fighting. Dinner’s almost ready, go wash up. Alec, your grounding still stands, give me your phone. You’ll get it back when you start acting more maturely.”

“Mom! I thought you said I was grounded for two weeks!”

“Well, I was hoping you’d start acting better before two weeks…”

“Oh…in that case, I’ll start behaving better now! Can I have my phone back, please?”

“No. Now, go clean up for dinner. Soraya, you too.”

As the two kids went upstairs, Persephone went back to the chicken while Jack started back for the living room. “You know, I’m glad the worst our kids do is throw water balloons at each other.’

“Me too. It’s a miracle we’ve gotten this far with no real troubles.” Persephone responded while putting the chicken in the oven.

“Hopefully it’ll stay like this til the kids are out of the house. Once they’re gone, their troubles are no longer mine.”

“Oh, I know! I can’t wait until I can start feeling unresponsible again. Those will be good days.”