Someone Left Behind

Their mom was waiting at the door for them as they pulled up. The driveway was pilled up with mud from a tractor at the end, so Eric had to hit the gas hard to gain entrance. The sudden bumping threw Marc, Jared and Jake around in the backseat and they began to laugh. Eric laughed too; it was good to be home.

Jared took all three of the front steps at once with Jake on his back and pulled his mom into a one armed-hug. Jake then slid off Jared’s back and into his grandmother’s arms, hugging her tightly. This reunion only lasted momentarily though, because soon mud balls were flying at the front of the house and Linda and Tanya scurried back inside, but they were laughing as they closed the door behind them. They continued where they left off years ago, the only difference was Jake replaced Jordan; Eric and Marc running around the front yard trying to dodge the mud balls that Jared and Jake were throwing at them from the front porch, hidden within the protection of the porch. They stayed like this, laughing and playing in the mud and rain until it was to dark to see anything.

As they walked inside they were all drenched and dirty. Linda was scolding them for getting the front entrance so wet, but she's too happy to see them all to stay mad for long. As a smile broke out over her face their father walked in from the kitchen, and moved forward into the entrance hall to give them all hugs.

"Well, I hope you boys are hungry... your mom has a big supper ready in there." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards the room he’d just come out of. Without further hesitation Marc dashed off into the kitchen with Linda close behind. Eric and Jared made their way up the stairs and into their bedrooms, Jake going with Eric.

They came back down the stairs minutes later and sat down at the table, Marc was already on his second helping while Linda was attempting to wipe his face around his ravenous eating. Jake giggled and gave the mud puddle surrounding his uncle a wide berth, sitting down next to Jared on the opposite side of the table. Tanya sat down on the other side of Jared, also avoiding the pigsty that was Marc, while Eric huffed and begrudgingly sat down next to him, angling his chair and leaning away. Linda and Henry took the heads of the table and dinner went on as their dinners always go. Loud and full of action. At one point a mini food fight broke out between Jake and Marc but it was quickly ended by Henry. They talked about hockey, what they’re going besides hockey, Jake, and then more hockey. At one point however Jake mentioned something that had a the whole table quiet for a few minutes.

Jake twirled a piece of pasta around his fork, staring thoughtfully at it, then he looked up and caught his grandmother’s eye, “When’s my father going to get here?”

“Jordan called, he said he’d be here later.” she looked at him with slight pity, he didn’t blame her, he’d look at someone with pity too if their father didn’t even know they existed. He nodded slightly and stuffed his forkful of spaghetti into his mouth, effectively ending the conversation.

After dinner they all cleaned up and wandered into the living room, Tanya, Henry and Linda took up the couch while Eric leaned back against it in between Tanya’s legs. Jared occupied one chair with Marc in the other, Jake sprawled across him. Marc suddenly stretched and ended up hitting Eric in the face, Eric then shoved his arm away from him and nearly knocked him out of the chair; Jared started laughing hysterically. Jake scrambled out of Marc’s lap and stood off to the side, watching as Eric threw a pillow at Jared and Henry immediately pulled the coffee table out of the way, already knowing what was coming. Eric threw himself across the floor towards the chair Jared was lounged across but was cut off by Jake ramming into his side; Jared went to help Jake but Marc wrapped him up and dragged him back across the room.

“Jake! Help!” Jared laughed as he was put in a headlock, Jake squirmed free of Eric’s grasp and launched himself at Marc. He let go of his younger brother to catch the 4 year old blur and Jared sat up, trying to pry Jake away from the tickling Marc but he was wrapped up from behind by his oldest brother.

Suddenly the door burst open and everyone froze.