Family Reunion

Lunch

Snufkin was nearly suffocated by the hostile tension in the air.

Mymble reluctantly allowed her former partner to sit at her table to eat and to talk. They sat across from each other, but not a word had been spoken to each other yet. Mymble was staring daggers at the Joxter, sitting with her arms crossed, while across from her was a man who couldn't even look her in the eyes. And there was Snufkin, caught in the middle of it. The food that was placed on the table had not been touched by anyone. Snufkin had lost his appetite the moment they sat down. Even the handful of small, crazy children that were infamous for causing a ruckus were eerily silent and nowhere to be seen. Snufkin could however feel their eyes watching them from wherever they were hiding.

"...it's really good to see you again." Joxter spoke after what felt like a century of uncomfortable silence.

"Probably more happy to find a couch you can crash on." Mymble spat bitterly. Joxter flinched.

This was an awful idea.

"...I'm sorry." Joxter muttered, his face hardly visible under the brim of his hat.

"I find that hard to believe." She sipped from a tea cup, slamming it back down to the table. "Your own son had to drag you here, otherwise I am positive that I would have never seen you again. Quite honestly I would have preferred to keep it that way."

"Mymble, I'm trying to take responsibility here-"

"Ha!! That's rich, you? Responsibility?! I have to laugh, you have never in your life ever taken any sort of accountability for any of your actions, not ever!!"

This was going downhill fast. Snufkin pushed himself further and further into the back of his chair, clutching at his knees.

"...I'm not the only one, you know." Joxter growled. Now he had grown agitated. "Your children hardly know what discipline is."

"Excuse me?! Me and my eldest daughter are the only ones taking care of these children! Where were you in these children's lives?! Where were you in your own son's life?!"

"I helped you round up these kids, I tried!! I told you from the start I'm not good with kids, but I tried!"

"Well that was the lousiest attempt at something I've ever seen! All you did was sleep all the damn time!!"

"I was the only one who tried to get them under control! You would just let them do whatever the hell they wanted!!"

"Aren't you the free spirit that doesn't follow any rules?!"

She got him there.

"...y-yes, but they're children. You let them cause a nuisance constantly. Why do you think Snufkin or Little My never visit?!"

"Dad!!" Snufkin finally interjected, shocked and almost horrified. Mymble held her hand over her mouth, eyes widened. But Joxter wasn't finished. He didn't even acknowledge Snufkin when he addressed him. He stood from his chair.

"I have spent the last handful of years trying to justify what I have heard about you. I really did."

"What do you mean 'heard about me-'"

"Tell me this Mymble. Tell me why I stopped hearing about Snufkin for so long until recently?"

"Who's telling you things?!"

"That's not important." Joxter hissed. "Were you neglecting my son?"

"Of course not! He-!" She cut herself off, looking to the Joxter and Snufkin hesitantly. Snufkin already knew what was coming. For lack of better words, shit was about to hit the fan.

"...I lost Snufkin." She spoke in a hushed tone. "It was an accident, he—"

"What."

"We were never able to find him until only a few years ago... I think he was playing in a laundry basket near a river and he..."

"You think?! You weren't watching him to know?!"

"He wandered off!!"

"You lost our son. You lost— and— you told your children to keep it secret, didn't you?"

"How was I supposed to tell them that their brother was washed away?! I had a whole search party gathered, we looked for him for weeks!! Why would you even ask that?!"

"You know what. No, I'm done." Joxter balled his fists and bared his teeth. "You sit here and tell me that I've been careless and that I've been ignoring responsibility, so why did our son get WASHED DOWN A RIVER AND WHY DID YOU NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE IT HAPPENED?!"
...
Joxter had slammed his fist onto the table, rattling every piece of silverware on it. The silence that followed was deafening.