Cherub

It was a strange morning in the Scott household. Despite the day being just like any other summers day, something felt different as the various members of the Scott family began to throw aside the shrouds of sleep that had been blanketing their minds. Yes, it was the same as always. The little ones yawned, covering their small red mouth with tiny fingers, the oldest ones began to detach themselves from their cocoons of slumber and nothing had changed. Still, this day felt different and this morning, like every other morning, each family member found their way to the long dining room table in the kitchen, eyes still slightly drooping with the last remnants of their forgotten dreams. The large kitchen was filled with the rich aromas of the home cooked breakfast stretched out over an old wooden dining table. Each family member crowded around the large table, greeting each other with good mornings and friendly inquiries such as “Did you sleep well?” all except one. The quiet lighthearted dialogue filled the room with a calm and happy hum At first, it was hard to place exactly what had changed, especially when they were all presented with a breakfast befitting a king or a prisoner who had been living his last day.

At one end of the table sat Evalind and Harrison Scott. Harrison looked well rested and content despite the red pillow marks left on his face and the knot tied in his back from falling asleep on the couch. His wife Evalind looked as if she was having a staring contest with the small stack of pancakes in front of her. Her mouth was a thin, tight little line and despite her usually chatty nature, she was as silent as space. Her face was as pale as her white lace nightgown and in her left hand she held her fork so tight that her hand had been shaking, in the other she clutched what seemed to be a scrap of paper. Suddenly, the hum was broken. Harrison Scott looked around the table at his children “Where’s Kristofferson?” the room was silent as the rest of the family looked around the table and shrugged.

Delphine, the thirst eldest of the Scott children was the first to reply and with malicious intent. “He’s probably still asleep. He didn’t get home ‘til after everyone was asleep last night. This is the third time he’s broken curfew!” Mellona, the second eldest, who had now grown increasingly involved with cutting her bacon into tiny pieces, looked up, only to glare at her younger sister, eyes wide with anger. Marcellus, the second eldest of the boys dropped his spoon into his oatmeal in sudden realization. “Holy shit!” his exclamation instantly caused him to receive one swift kick to the shin and a glare from his sister, just like the one she had given to Delphine. Harrison stood from his chair with a loud sigh. “Well I had better wake him up. We have a ton of new inventory comin’ in today. All of a sudden, the table burst with fast and frantic whispers. “What the hell Mellie! Why didn’t you wake me up” “Shut up Marcellus! Mom is right there you idiot!" Delphine joined their frantic whispers “Oh… now this is just rich! He finally left didn’t he! Dad’ll skin him! Forget furious, dad is going to be livid! The youngest looked upon their older siblings in confusion, Doris lifted her dark eyebrows in concern while Bram chanted a quiet chorus of “What’s going on?” all except for August who looked calm and continued to eat his breakfast.

There mother’s strange trancelike behavior was broken. “No one says a word.” Every pair of eyes shifted to look at her serious expression. Delphine’s expression turned from one of extreme amusement to furious disbelief. “What! If I ran off I would be in so much trouble! I would get the same treatment that Van and Willow did! Of course this would happen! Kristofferson’s always been your favorite and we all know it!” Mellona slammed an open palm on the dark wood of the table “Shut up Delphine! You’re just a selfish little wench! That’s exactly what this is about! It’s all you! You know he would have done the same thing for you! August, frightened by the hostility of his older siblings began to cry. Their mother who had now been gazing down at her lap spoke again. “I knew this would happen. I knew it would happen when Van and Willow left when they did. I know… I understand and I don’t think it was right for your father and I to hold them back. I feel ashamed.” She looked up to reveal one tear following the contours of her face, catching the pale light of the morning sun. “I don’t want any of you to feel so hurt by us… so trapped that you up and leave in the middle of the night ever again. So no one let’s anything slip. If you hear anything from Kristofferson, no one say a word to your father. I don’t want any of you to have regrets.” Moments later, Harrison Scott walked into the large room just as his family fell into a hush and they all looked upon each other in quiet understanding.