Family is all we have in the end
Sunday, January 14th 1866
It’s the quick few knocks coming from the front door that pull me from the drowsy state of sleep I lay in. The knocks are not very loud; although being that my room is nearest to the stairs that lead to the front door, it makes it much easier to hear the persistent knocking. It’s more than obvious to everyone in the house who the knocker is and that is precisely why I don’t out of bed to open it. I lay silently in my bed, hoping that my older brother doesn’t wake up and open the door himself. The knocking continues, faster now and not as quiet as before, much more aggressive. I know that if I just leave it Gabriel or Anna will get it, that or the one knocking may just pick the lock like he’s been known to do in the past. The knocking stops for a moment and I wait to hear the door opening but the sound never comes. Instead, I hear two voices outside my room, having a conversation in the hallway, paired with two sets of feet stepping quietly along the creaky floor.
“Gabe, wait up!” One step of footsteps is obviously moving quicker than the other, but they stop and the hushed whisper of the voice continues to speak. “You need to be quiet, as to not wake Michael.” Hearing the voice at a volume that is not regular it is difficult to hear who it is that is speaking, but being the current situation I’m betting on Anna.
“I know!” Gabriel’s voice must be the one that speaks out next, being that he is much younger it is easier to tell that it is him and not anyone else; it has a tint of aggravation in it as he speaks with Anna. The two sets of feet silently tip toe across the floor in the hallway moving. I debate whether or not I should get out of bed to join my brother and sister in opening the door, but after a moment of thought I decide to remain in bed, still and silent. The steps moved down the creaky stairs and the squeaking of the door knob is heard. The door opens with a screech and the sound of cold wind blows into the house. A new voice is speaking now, much too loud for Michael to not wake up.
“Finally. What took you kids so long? I was freezing out here, surprised I didn’t freeze to death before you opened the door.”
“Lucian, keep your voice down, we don’t want to wake Michael.”
“Oh come on little Annie, what is he going to do?” I hear Anna’s frustration through the loud sigh that she lets out.
“Just come in and try to stay quiet.” She says finally, frustration threaded into the phrase. Loud large feet are heard stepping into the house. The three sets of feet walk up the creaky stairs and past my room. Then, they stop. I look out of my room, the door is open just a crack. I struggle to see out of my room without moving from my bed and making it obvious I’m listening in. I am able to see Gabe, but both of my other siblings are out of view. Gabe’s messy hair, much too long for a boy is even messier from sleep and his hazel brown eyes are filled with a sort of fear, horror maybe. Then I realize what has probably happened. Lucian had been being so loud.
“Gabriel. Anna. You two need to get back to bed. Immediately.” Michael’s stern voice speaks out, commanding them to get out of the hallway, not saying anything to Lucian yet. I’m sure he just wants the others away before he deals with Luci. Michael dealing with Lucian will consist of yelling, screaming and many, many curse words. Knowing Gabe he’ll go immediately to bed, without a fuss, he won’t want to get involved. He may have made some kind of rude comment if it were any other situation, being the sarcastic trickster of a kid he is, but now is not the time for that. I watch as he walks out of my view.
“Michael…” Anna says softly. “Just-just get to bed and leave him alone. Can’t you deal with this in the morning?” Anna’s voice remains calm, and soft as she tries to keep Michael and Lucian from getting into something right now. She knows that Gabe and I are listening, she knows we’re trying to sleep and she cares for us. She doesn’t want any trouble, for anyone.
“He’s been gone for an entire week, Anna! I’m not just letting him get away with this, or he’ll just keep doing it, again and again.” Michael has already started raising his voice. “Stay out of this anyways, you are much too young to understand this.”
“You’re only three years older than me, Michael.” She replied bitterly, still managing to keep her voice down. “And maybe Lucian wouldn’t leave so often if you didn’t give him a reason to.” With that Anna stomps off to her room, slamming the door behind her. She was always trying to make sure Michael and Lucian didn’t get into arguments, but it usually ending with her arguing with one of them. She made a good decision walking off when she did.
“Now, Lucian.” Michael starts calmly, but I know that it isn’t going to stay that way for very long. “This family needs you; it’s hard enough to continue living in Kensington with only one person having a full time job, but with you disappearing constantly without a word telling anyone where you will be isn’t safe. I don’t know where you’re going but it’s not safe for a fourteen year old to be out on their own. You should be going to school!”
“Shut up, you should be in school too, Michael. You’re fifteen.”
“Sorry, I’m much too busy supporting the family.” He said sarcastically.
“Oh, stop the drama. We all know that dad will come back at some point.” As the words leave Lucians mouth he knows they’re a lie. We all know it’s a lie. As much as I want to believe it is true, I know it’s not.
“I understand that this is a difficult concept for you to comprehend, but father isn’t coming home. I’m pretty sure he made that more than clear when he left us.” Michael stopped himself and then his tone changed. He spoke sadly, and slow. “After mom died, he had no reason to stay.”
“Well it’s not my fault he left us!” Lucian yells, the sudden change in volume startles me.
“I’m not saying that it is! I’m just-just…” Michael lets out a sigh. “It would help us, all of us if you could stay around. You know, do your part to help out the family.”
“Family.” Lucian repeats, saying the word as if it’s dirty, disgusting. “To be honest, it’s a stupid concept, isn’t it?” Lucian says bitterly, leaving the hallway and walking to his bedroom.
“Where do you even go?” Michael asks slowly, ignoring what Lucian had just said.
“Bugger off.” And with that, he closed the door behind him. Leaving Michael standing alone in the hallway.
“Gabe, wait up!” One step of footsteps is obviously moving quicker than the other, but they stop and the hushed whisper of the voice continues to speak. “You need to be quiet, as to not wake Michael.” Hearing the voice at a volume that is not regular it is difficult to hear who it is that is speaking, but being the current situation I’m betting on Anna.
“I know!” Gabriel’s voice must be the one that speaks out next, being that he is much younger it is easier to tell that it is him and not anyone else; it has a tint of aggravation in it as he speaks with Anna. The two sets of feet silently tip toe across the floor in the hallway moving. I debate whether or not I should get out of bed to join my brother and sister in opening the door, but after a moment of thought I decide to remain in bed, still and silent. The steps moved down the creaky stairs and the squeaking of the door knob is heard. The door opens with a screech and the sound of cold wind blows into the house. A new voice is speaking now, much too loud for Michael to not wake up.
“Finally. What took you kids so long? I was freezing out here, surprised I didn’t freeze to death before you opened the door.”
“Lucian, keep your voice down, we don’t want to wake Michael.”
“Oh come on little Annie, what is he going to do?” I hear Anna’s frustration through the loud sigh that she lets out.
“Just come in and try to stay quiet.” She says finally, frustration threaded into the phrase. Loud large feet are heard stepping into the house. The three sets of feet walk up the creaky stairs and past my room. Then, they stop. I look out of my room, the door is open just a crack. I struggle to see out of my room without moving from my bed and making it obvious I’m listening in. I am able to see Gabe, but both of my other siblings are out of view. Gabe’s messy hair, much too long for a boy is even messier from sleep and his hazel brown eyes are filled with a sort of fear, horror maybe. Then I realize what has probably happened. Lucian had been being so loud.
“Gabriel. Anna. You two need to get back to bed. Immediately.” Michael’s stern voice speaks out, commanding them to get out of the hallway, not saying anything to Lucian yet. I’m sure he just wants the others away before he deals with Luci. Michael dealing with Lucian will consist of yelling, screaming and many, many curse words. Knowing Gabe he’ll go immediately to bed, without a fuss, he won’t want to get involved. He may have made some kind of rude comment if it were any other situation, being the sarcastic trickster of a kid he is, but now is not the time for that. I watch as he walks out of my view.
“Michael…” Anna says softly. “Just-just get to bed and leave him alone. Can’t you deal with this in the morning?” Anna’s voice remains calm, and soft as she tries to keep Michael and Lucian from getting into something right now. She knows that Gabe and I are listening, she knows we’re trying to sleep and she cares for us. She doesn’t want any trouble, for anyone.
“He’s been gone for an entire week, Anna! I’m not just letting him get away with this, or he’ll just keep doing it, again and again.” Michael has already started raising his voice. “Stay out of this anyways, you are much too young to understand this.”
“You’re only three years older than me, Michael.” She replied bitterly, still managing to keep her voice down. “And maybe Lucian wouldn’t leave so often if you didn’t give him a reason to.” With that Anna stomps off to her room, slamming the door behind her. She was always trying to make sure Michael and Lucian didn’t get into arguments, but it usually ending with her arguing with one of them. She made a good decision walking off when she did.
“Now, Lucian.” Michael starts calmly, but I know that it isn’t going to stay that way for very long. “This family needs you; it’s hard enough to continue living in Kensington with only one person having a full time job, but with you disappearing constantly without a word telling anyone where you will be isn’t safe. I don’t know where you’re going but it’s not safe for a fourteen year old to be out on their own. You should be going to school!”
“Shut up, you should be in school too, Michael. You’re fifteen.”
“Sorry, I’m much too busy supporting the family.” He said sarcastically.
“Oh, stop the drama. We all know that dad will come back at some point.” As the words leave Lucians mouth he knows they’re a lie. We all know it’s a lie. As much as I want to believe it is true, I know it’s not.
“I understand that this is a difficult concept for you to comprehend, but father isn’t coming home. I’m pretty sure he made that more than clear when he left us.” Michael stopped himself and then his tone changed. He spoke sadly, and slow. “After mom died, he had no reason to stay.”
“Well it’s not my fault he left us!” Lucian yells, the sudden change in volume startles me.
“I’m not saying that it is! I’m just-just…” Michael lets out a sigh. “It would help us, all of us if you could stay around. You know, do your part to help out the family.”
“Family.” Lucian repeats, saying the word as if it’s dirty, disgusting. “To be honest, it’s a stupid concept, isn’t it?” Lucian says bitterly, leaving the hallway and walking to his bedroom.
“Where do you even go?” Michael asks slowly, ignoring what Lucian had just said.
“Bugger off.” And with that, he closed the door behind him. Leaving Michael standing alone in the hallway.